State funds open doors for Harrowvale housing development

Parkes Shire Council has secured $231,885 through the NSW Government’s Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund to advance planning for the Harrowvale urban growth area and support future housing in Parkes. The Harrowvale Project, formally known as East Parkes Masterplan, was one of 20 successful projects announced under Round 4 of the program. Council’s director planning and community services Annalise Teale said the funding would provide the necessary technical studies required to progress the planning needed to unlock future residential development in the Harrowvale precinct. “Funding for these technical studies will provide the critical evidence base required to support a future planning proposal, which is the formal application process required to rezone the land and make development-ready for residential use,” Ms Teale said. The funding will support a range of technical investigations required under the NSW LEP Making Guidelines, including: agricultural impact assessment, social and economic impact assessment, movement and place study (traffic), drainage study, contaminated land assessment, biodiversity assessment, and cultural heritage assessment. Mayor Neil Westcott said the project represents a significant step towards addressing the region’s future housing needs. “This grant is vital for council as we work to meet growing housing demand across the shire," he said. “Current housing approvals and construction rates of around 30 new homes per year are not sufficient to meet the needs of our growing community. This funding will help us unlock future residential land and ensure Parkes is well positioned to accommodate growth.” The preliminary Harrowvale concept masterplan indicates the precinct could ultimately accommodate as many as 2035 dwellings, making it one of the most important future housing growth areas in the Parkes Shire. The project aligns with the Parkes Shire Housing Strategy 2021-2024, 2025 Update, Ms Teale said, which identifies East Parkes as an urban investigation area for future housing growth. READ MORE: Floods change priority areas in housing strategy Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the government is focused on delivering more homes in the right locations. “As regional communities like Parkes continue to grow, it’s essential we carefully plan for infrastructure, transport, drainage and community spaces before development progresses," she said. “This funding will help ensure the Harrowvale precinct is planned the right way from the start, supporting more housing while maintaining the lifestyle and amenity the community values.” Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said planning ahead in growth areas like Harrowvale ensured new housing is well-designed, supported by the right infrastructure and connected to jobs, services and open space. “This investment is about making sure councils have the tools to unlock land, coordinate infrastructure and support growing communities," he said. The NSW Government has invested $3.8 million through the Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund to support strategic planning projects across regional NSW, helping progress the planning required for an estimated 68,324 homes. The Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund is a competitive grants program designed to accelerate strategic planning projects, technical studies and policies that support increased housing supply, affordability, diversity and resilience in regional NSW. A total of 95 regional councils were eligible to apply across the four funding rounds.