newy.com.au – Potential council-owned sites at Cardiff and Booragul will be investigated for affordable housing under a plan to involve community housing providers while retaining the land in public ownership.
Lake Macquarie councillors backed a mayoral minute at their August 24 meeting directing council to seek expressions of interest from providers able to develop and manage housing on suitable sites.
The decision is an exploratory step rather than approval for construction. Council has not identified the specific parcels of land, the number of homes that could be built, project costs or a development timetable.
Lake Macquarie mayor Adam Shultz said partnerships and long-term leases could allow affordable housing to be delivered without selling public land.
“By exploring partnerships with community housing providers and long-term lease arrangements that retain public ownership of the land, these sites have the potential to support the delivery of more affordable housing across our city,” Cr Shultz said.
The investigation follows the Lake Macquarie Housing Forum held in 2025, where housing sector representatives discussed ways to improve the availability and affordability of homes across the city.
Councillors also adopted a new four-year Disability Inclusion Action Plan at the meeting. It contains 38 deliverables covering community attitudes and rights, safer and more accessible neighbourhoods, employment and independence, and access to mainstream services.
Proposed measures include improving accessible walking, cycling and transport networks, promoting inclusive recreational facilities and providing clearer, more accessible council information.
“Accessibility, participation and inclusion are fundamental to a connected and thriving city, and the actions in this plan will help ensure people of all abilities can take part in community life,” Cr Shultz said.
Council’s draft 2025-26 financial statements were also referred for audit. The unaudited accounts show a $19.1 million operating surplus before capital revenue and a $33.4 million reduction in debt. The final audit was scheduled to begin later in August.
