The Urban Developer
AdvertiseEventsWebinarsUrbanity
Industry Excellence
Urban Leader
Sign In
Membership
Latest
Menu
Location
Sector
Category
Content
Type
Newsletters
Urban Leader Awards Logos RGB White
NOMINATIONS CLOSE SEPTEMBER 12 RECOGNISING THE INDIVIDUALS BEHIND THE PROJECTS
NOMINATIONS CLOSING SEPTEMBER 12 URBAN LEADER AWARDS
LEARN MOREDETAILS
TheUrbanDeveloper
Follow
About
About Us
Membership
Awards
Events
Webinars
Listings
Resources
Terms & Conditions
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Republishing Guidelines
Editorial Charter
Complaints Handling Policy
Contact
General Enquiries
Advertise
Contribution Enquiry
Project Submission
Membership Enquiry
Newsletter
Stay up to date and with the latest news, projects, deals and features.
Subscribe
ADVERTISEMENT
SHARE
14
print
Print
OtherTaryn ParisTue 31 Aug 21

Developer Contributions ‘Inflating New House Prices’

25813e4e-12d5-45af-b9ee-133a3925fe5d

Developer contributions are having an inflationary effect on housing affordability and impeding supply, according to new research.

The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation’s (NHFIC) research report on developer contributions has found that the infrastructure charges are increasingly acting like a “tax on new housing”.

Developer contributions, or infrastructure charges, are levies charged by local and state governments to help pay for local infrastructure, focusing on water, drainage, footpaths, parks and community facilities.

NHFIC cites the unpredictability and opaque nature of infrastructure charges as a core issue in developers’ feasibility studies.

It also says often this charge becomes an on-cost for homebuyers or end-users, impacting housing affordability significantly.

According to NHFIC, developers have to factor in infrastructure charges at around 10 per cent of total development costs—but generally higher in New South Wales, and up to $85,000 per greenfield dwelling development in some areas.

Greenfield developer contributions (per lot)

RegionIndicative costDeveloper contributions (% of total cost)
NSW$58,00011%
Vic$52,00011%
Qld$32,0008%

^Source: Developer Contributions report, NHFIC

Housing Industry Association chief executive of industry policy Kristin Brookfield said development contribution schemes had become a significant hindrance.

“This is partially due to the large range of infrastructure now included and the gold-plated standards being sought by local and state governments,” Brookfield said.

“A conscious decision to shift the majority of the upfront costs on to new housing developments emerged in New South Wales almost two decades ago … Sydney is the most expensive [but] other states have taken the same approach and we are starting to see costs increase in most other states.”

Brookfield said the upfront charge was the least efficient way to recover infrastructure costs and was impacting the costs of new homes.

“The HIA would support further research to assess the unintended impacts of high and poorly functioning development contribution systems nationally and the implications these taxes are having on new homebuyers,” she said.

NHFIC said it was a “concern that the application, scope and administration of developer contributions is a relatively opaque area of public policy” and that there was little information available to compare states and territories.

An analysis of Sydney councils showed up to 88 per cent of all funds raised through developer contributions between 2017 and 2020 were earmarked for social infrastructure.

Around one-third, on average, was earmarked for essential infrastructure with a stronger nexus to new housing developments.

According to NHFIC, improved policy co-ordination and optimising risk to share cost arrangements between councils and developers would increase new housing supply.

ResidentialInfrastructureAustraliaPolicySector
AUTHOR
Taryn Paris
More articles by this author
ADVERTISEMENT
TOP STORIES
Stockland bumps up its apartment pipeline in melbourne and sydney
Exclusive

Stockland Re-Enters Density in $5bn Apartment Play

Renee McKeown
4 Min
Woolloongabba Precinct Vulture St
Exclusive

Brisbane Developer in Cross River Rail Compensation Tussle

Clare Burnett
4 Min
The Mondrian Gold Coast hotel's food and beverage is driving profits
Exclusive

Touch, Taste, Theatre: What’s Driving Mondrian’s Success

Renee McKeown
6 Min
Fortis’ display suites are designed as brand environments first, with tactile details and curated design to build buyer confidence before project specifics.
Exclusive

Relevant or Redundant: Will Tech Kill Display Suites?

Vanessa Croll
7 Min
Exclusive

Missing Heart: Why The Gold Coast Needs a CBD

Phil Bartsch
7 Min
View All >
South Melbourne social housing precinct
Affordable & Social Housing

South Melbourne Housing Precinct Revamp Takes Next Step

Leon Della Bosca
Stockland bumps up its apartment pipeline in melbourne and sydney
Exclusive

Stockland Re-Enters Density in $5bn Apartment Play

Renee McKeown
The Adelaide purpose built student accommodation market is about to increase by 1058 beds with the State Commission Assessment Panel supporting two towers in the making.
Student Housing

Highrise Approvals Add 1000-Plus PBSA Beds in Adelaide

Renee McKeown
The two towers, of 35 and 34 storeys, help cement the SA capital’s growing status as the best place in Australia for the…
LATEST
South Melbourne social housing precinct
Affordable & Social Housing

South Melbourne Housing Precinct Revamp Takes Next Step

Leon Della Bosca
2 Min
Stockland bumps up its apartment pipeline in melbourne and sydney
Exclusive

Stockland Re-Enters Density in $5bn Apartment Play

Renee McKeown
4 Min
The Adelaide purpose built student accommodation market is about to increase by 1058 beds with the State Commission Assessment Panel supporting two towers in the making.
Student Housing

Highrise Approvals Add 1000-Plus PBSA Beds in Adelaide

Renee McKeown
3 Min
JQZ Parramatta EDM
Residential

JQZ Plots 10-Storey Addition to Parramatta ‘Auto Alley’ Plans

Clare Burnett
3 Min
View All >
ADVERTISEMENT
Article originally posted at: https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/developer-contributions-inflating-new-house-prices-nhfic