AGY-3828 | New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation [I] (Landcom)

Full description

On 15 August 1985 the Premier of New South Wales announced the formation of a new Department of Housing, which would result from the amalgamation of the Land Commission, the Housing Commission and the housing activities of the Department of Co-operative Societies (1). After this announcement, a Land and Housing Supply Work Group was formed by the Housing Commission and the Land Commission to consider broad principles and detailed systems in preparation for the merger (2). The New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation (Landcom) was established as a statutory body representing the Crown by the Housing Act, 1985 (Act No.163, 1985). This Act received assent on 3 December 1985 (3). Following the incorporation of the Land Commission into the Department of Housing it was decided to maintain “Landcom” as a trading name for marketing purposes (4). Landcom’s functions were to acquire, develop, market and sell sufficient affordable land, particularly in low cost areas, to meet the demands of home seekers and builders. This was achieved by retailing developed vacant land as homesites to individual purchasers, by marketing land and house packages in conjunction with builders, financiers and service authorities, and by wholesaling undeveloped land to private sector developers and builders (5). The private sector played an increasing role from 1988. The objects of the Housing Act, 1985 were:
(a) to maximise the opportunities for all people in New South Wales to have access to secure, appropriate and affordable housing;
(b) to ensure that housing opportunities and assistance were available to all sections of the community with housing needs;
(c) to ensure public housing was developed;
(d) to ensure public housing reflected general community housing standards;
(e) to maximise opportunities for tenants of public and community housing programmes to participate in the management and development of housing policies;
(f) to promote orderly and economic urban development and the adequate supply of affordable and suitably located land for housing at the minimum practicable cost to consumers;
(g) to promote equity between levels of assistance provided to people living in public rental housing, private rental housing and those who own or were purchasing their homes;
(h) to maintain an efficient housing administration to ensure the effective co-ordination and provision of all housing services (i) to encourage social mix and the integration of different housing forms in existing and new communities;
(j) to encourage the planning and development of new urban areas as communities with a full range of appropriate services and facilities available in the shortest practicable time;
(k) to promote a viable and stable building and construction industry in the residential sector;
(l) to facilitate the provision of an adequate supply of affordable home finance for persons in receipt of low and moderate incomes;
(m) to encourage the development of flexible and innovative financial arrangements to facilitate access to home ownership for persons in receipt of low and moderate incomes;
(n) to ensure appropriate mechanisms and forums were established to allow input into housing policy by representative community organisations and non-government agencies involved in housing policy and provision (6) From 1986 until the end of June 1993, Landcom operated from the Department of Housing. From 1 July 1993 until 6 April 1995, Landcom formed part of the Property Services Group (7). From 6 April 1995 until 30 June 2001, Landcom operated under the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. While part of the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, Landcom continued as a major developer of residential land and a supplier of industrial and commercial land but was also refocused with an urban renewal program, which turned its attention to inner and middle ring suburbs where transport, employment and services were well established but where the population was stable or declining (8). Late in 1996 Landcom launched an environmentally sustainable development program to promote the construction of energy efficient, ecologically responsible and attractive housing that remained accessible and affordable to a variety of family types and social groups (9). The New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation [I] was replaced by the New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation [II] on 1 July 2001.

Endnotes:
(1) Land Commission of NSW Annual Report 1984/85 p.11
(2) Department of Housing Annual Report 1986 p.8
(3) NSW Government Gazette No.180, 1985 p.6770
(4) Department of Housing Annual Report 1986 p.46
(5) Department of Housing Annual Report 1987/88 p.37
(6) Housing Act, 1985 (Act No.163, 1985) Part II section 4
(7) Department of Housing Annual Report 1992-93 p.1
(8) Department of Urban Affairs and Planning Annual Report 1996 p.59
(9) Department of Urban Affairs and Planning Annual Report 1998 p.61, and Department of Urban Affairs and Planning Annual Report 1998/99 p. 42