For more than a decade, Hornsby Council has raised concerns that State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing for Seniors or People with Disability) 2004 (Seniors SEPP) overrides Council’s local planning controls and permits seniors housing in various locations, including heritage conservation areas and rural zoned land in some circumstances.

Council has requested an extension of the temporary exemption of the Seniors SEPP from application within Heritage Conservation Areas in the Shire and an immediate temporary exemption of the Seniors SEPP from application in our rural areas.

The Seniors Housing Demand and Supply Review has been prepared to support Council’s requests. The high-level analysis indicates that if Council was provided time to prepare its own local strategy for seniors housing, it would not be detrimental to supply.

State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing for Seniors or People with Disability) 2004 (Seniors SEPP) is a NSW Government policy which overrides local council planning controls and permits housing for seniors or people with a disability to increase the supply of this type of housing.

The Seniors Housing SEPP overrides Council’s local planning controls and permits seniors housing developments in places where these types of development can be out of character, such as in rural areas and in Heritage Conservation Areas.

Seniors Housing based on development standards within the SEPP typically result in an urban built form rather than reflecting the surrounding character. Developments generally comprise medium density multi-unit housing complexes with only modest landscaping and deep soil planting requirements under the State Policy.

The purpose of the Seniors Housing Demand and Supply Review is to demonstrate to the State Government that, if Council was provided time to do the strategic work and prepare its own strategy for seniors housing, it would not be detrimental to supply. 

The preparation of a separate planning strategy for seniors housing would need to more closely investigate effective demand (the size, type, levels of care that people are able to access, waiting times, etc).

A strategy would also look at qualitative aspects of housing supply including the preferences of our residents for the different housing types.

Community feedback and input from seniors and disability housing providers is important at this stage, prior to the preparation of a separate planning strategy, to see whether the high-level analysis reflects experiences within the sector and whether there are issues with supply in particular types and levels of care.

Yes. At the time of preparing the Seniors Housing Demand and Supply Review, Council had not received a response to its requests for an extension of the temporary exemption of the Seniors SEPP from application in our Heritage Conservation Areas or exemption from our rural areas.  However, an extension to the Heritage Conservation Area exemption has now been granted for all Councils until 1 July 2021. On 29 July 2020 further changes to the Seniors Housing SEPP were announced which prevent new proposals for seniors housing on land within the Metropolitan Rural Area of Greater Sydney.

After the exhibition period, a report will be presented to Council outlining the responses from the State Government, the community and seniors and disability housing providers. Council can then consider the preparation of a planning strategy for seniors housing.

Email future@hornsby.nsw.gov.au or write to the General Manager, Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630, by Friday, 4 September 2020.

You need to have your comments in to us by Friday, 4 September 2020.