VPA and councils release Key and Essential Worker Housing Supply Action Plan

The Victorian Planning Authority and the councils of the Great South Coast and Barwon regions of Victoria have released the Key and Essential Worker Housing Supply Action Plan to address housing supply and affordability across Victoria’s south coast.

Attracting and retaining key and essential workers has become an increasing challenge across the Great South Coast and Barwon regions of Victoria over the past 10 years. There are currently more than 4,000 key worker jobs being imported from outside the region, due in large part to a shortage of appropriate or affordable housing within the region for these workers and their families.

The action plan proposes a combination of Federal, State and Local Government levers to help ease this shortage, ranging from advocacy to planning mechanisms and direct investment.

This work is the result of a combined effort by the Glenelg, Moyne, Surf Coast, Corangamite, Colac Otway and Southern Grampians Shires as well as the Victorian Planning Authority, funded by the Victorian Government’s Streamlining for Growth Program.

This project is a positive example of working collaboratively across government to address this important issue and identify where structure planning for new communities should be developed to provide affordable housing to meet demand.

Read the full Key and Essential Worker Housing Supply Action Plan

About Streamlining for Growth

The Streamlining for Growth Program is funded by the Victorian State Government and managed by the VPA. It aims to provide support and capacity building for councils in regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne.

Through the provision of targeted funding and staff resources, the program assists to unblock delays in the strategic planning system and speed up the delivery of projects that provide employment growth or increased housing choice, diversity and affordability.