Research commissioned by the Property Council and conducted by Cardno aims to help the state government and local councils to plan well for the region’s future.

Housing Affordability in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven outlines the suburbs with high and low liveability, where more housing is needed and where housing stress is a major issue.

Read more: Rental stress a real issue for the region

Housing stress occurs when more than 30 per cent of a household’s income is spent on rent or mortgage. 

Research shows that the most housing stress is being felt by households in Bombo (31 per cent of total occupied private dwellings), Brownsville (30 per cent), Wollongong (29 per cent), Bellambi (26 per cent) and Fairy Meadow (26 per cent). 

“Housing stress is a real issue for our region and we can improve this by working together with local councils to provide more variety of housing in the right places,” Property Council Illawarra regional director Michelle Guido said.

“This means providing more housing in areas that are supported by infrastructure; things like walking tracks, green space, access to roads, schools, transport and health centres. These things improve liveability for residents and mean the area can support greater urbanisation and more housing.”

Ms Guido said they’d identified suburbs like Albion Park, Nowra and Bomaderry as places where there is moderate to high liveability, but have the opportunity to increase the amount and variety of housing being provided.

“But there are also suburbs where we are getting the mix right,” she said. 

The report identifies suburbs where good planning outcomes are already being achieved; areas where there is a good mix between moderate to high residential density, supported by infrastructure and good access to services and amenities.

The research indicates that for correlation between density and liveability, suburbs with good planning outcomes are Bellambi, Woonona, Barrack Heights, Oak Flats, Thirroul, Fairy Meadow and Wollongong. 

“We should look to these suburbs to provide a model for other areas; by increasing the amount of housing in highly liveable areas, we can bring down housing stress across the region,” Ms Guido said.

“We must become a region that balances liveability with affordability and plan accordingly – if we don’t then the percentage of households currently experiencing financial stress will only rise.” 

Read more: Rental stress a reality for the Illawarra: Compass Housing report