ALMOST four years have passed since the NSW Government unveiled four major priority areas in the Hunter for 18,000 new houses, but they have been caught up in bureaucratic red tape and not one home has been built.
The four areas formed the centrepiece of the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy, which the government announced in October, 2006.
When the 25-year strategy was issued, the government said planning was well advanced for Thornton North (7000 dwellings), Cooranbong (2500 dwellings), Bellbird (3500 dwellings) and North Raymond Terrace (4500 dwellings). But not one home has been built in those areas, although Thornton North has a few display houses. The North Raymond Terrace project did progress last week, when Port Stephens Council adopted a draft plan for the Kings Hill development, after aircraft noise concerns delayed it for three years.
The government has approved the Cooranbong project, but it has been delayed.
Developer Keith Johnson has struggled to finance the project, saying banks had considered government infrastructure levies on the development too high.
Other major land releases are planned at Huntlee near Branxton (7200 homes) and Catherine Hill Bay (820 houses), but they were delayed by court action, after the government was accused of striking "land bribes" for the projects.
Prominent Newcastle developer Matt Somers said authorities must release more land.
"If you look back on what's happened over the last five years with the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy, little of the areas earmarked for development have come on to the market," Mr Somers, the Regional Land managing director, said.
A spokesman for Planning Minister Tony Kelly said the government had rezoned more than 10,500 greenfield lots in the first three years, on top of rezoned land, totalling about 12,000 lots.
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