Member for Hawkesbury Dominic Perrottet has called on councils to apply for a share of a further $20 million in funding to support local government infrastructure projects that speed up housing delivery across NSW.
Mr Perrottet said the Government’s Low Cost Loans Initiative gave councils a 50 per cent refund of interest payment on loans for infrastructure projects which enable housing supply.
“The Hawkesbury is a great place to live, work and visit and this initiative will help the council fund important local infrastructure, such as road upgrades, stormwater, electricity and telecommunication connections and provision of open space,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Local infrastructure is critical to improving existing lifestyles and creating greater places for people to live and I encourage Hawkesbury City Council, Hornsby Shire Council and The Hills Shire Council to apply.”
Minister for Planning and Housing, Anthony Roberts, said the first round of the program invested $10 million to kick-start more than $165 million worth of essential infrastructure to support growing communities across the state.
“Funding from the first round will deliver more than 25,000 new homes across NSW with more than 15,000 in regional NSW and just over 10,000 in Western Sydney,” Mr Roberts said.
“We’ve opened up this second round to continue help local councils ensure the delivery of homes in the right areas – close to jobs, open space, public transport and essential infrastructure.”
The Low Cost Loans Initiative is a joint initiative of the Department of Planning and Environment, the Office of Local Government and NSW Treasury Corporation.
Mr Roberts said it is part of the NSW Government’s comprehensive Housing Affordability package released in June last year, designed to improve housing affordability across the state and deliver key infrastructure to support growing communities.
“Councils have a critical role to play in creating liveable communities and this fantastic initiative will help them manage,” he said.
Councils have until 16 May 2019 to submit their applications.
For more information, visit www.planning.nsw.gov.au/lowcostloans