Dubbo's peak body for real estate has continued its campaign for units, villas, townhouses and duplexes in a section of South Dubbo.
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Key industry members brought new research to the attention of civic leaders this week to reinforce their argument for more flexibility in the residential suburb.
Their speeches at the public forum of the Dubbo City Council meeting came in the month before councillors consider the controversial South Dubbo Housing Choice Planning Proposal.
The Real Estate Institute of NSW (REI) Orana division has consistently called for housing types to suit baby boomers and retirees but the planning proposal authored by the council also attracted some fierce opposition from residents.
REI Orana acting chairman Andrew Toole and member Bob Berry addressed the council after the April 15 release of the Housing Industry Association (HIA) Economics Group research note, 'Housing: Paving the Road to Recovery?'.
They said it was only released after submissions about the South Dubbo planning proposal closed, but thought it was relevant ahead of the council's deliberations about the issue next month.
Like the REI's submission to the council in 2005, the HIA report considered the impact of an ageing population, Mr Toole said.
"Housing also has a key role to play in longer-term structural challenges that Australia faces, particularly regarding the ageing population and structural fiscal pressures faced by the federal budget," he said, quoting from the recent HIA report.
The HIA paper looked into the role of housing as a leading indicator of broader economic activity, "particularly as the economy re-balances away from mining and related growth to the non-mining sectors".
"The current new home building recovery is pointing to potential for growth in household consumption expenditure, an important element to the non-mining recovery," Mr Toole said, quoting the report.
"This paper also considers the role that housing can play as Australia addresses the broader structural challenges facing its society and economy, including the long-term ageing of the population."
Mr Berry rose to present the HIA report's investigations of the challenges posed by an ageing population, and housing's role in assisting the demographic.
"Policy makers recognise the clear benefits afforded to older Australians who age in their own homes - residential builders are also increasing their awareness of opportunities to design new homes to take account of universal housing design options," Mr Berry said, quoting from the report.
The REI members said they would provide the HIA report to councillors this week.
Several South Dubbo residents who opposed the rezoning were also at the council meeting.
Cr Dickerson asked for further speakers during the public forum but no one else came forward.