Peri Urban Councils lead nation in growth surge
Recent growth in PUCV areas has placed a strain on local housing availability and affordability.
A new report from the Regional Australia Institute shows people are leaving Melbourne in their droves in favour of peri-urban living.
The Regional Movers Index (RMI) March 2024 quarter report identified Victoria’s peri-urban local government areas among the fastest growing regions in Australia, prompting Peri-Urban Councils Victoria (PUCV) to renew calls for a more equitable share of Government funding.
“PUCV members are now in the position that growth suburbs found themselves in a decade ago in regard to land supply, housing supply and infrastructure provision,” PUCV chair and Baw Baw Shire Councillor, Michael Leaney said.
“However we do not have the same level of support as the growth councils, peri urban councils need a plan and we also need funding as a matter of urgency.”
The RMI March quarter report, which measures population shifts between the state capitals and the regions as well as region to region migration, showed that growth in peri urban communities was some of the fastest in the country:
Moorabool Shire Council was the fourth most popular destination in Australia for people moving from capital cities;
Baw Baw Shire Council ranked 3rd in Victoria and 10th in the nation;
Bass Coast Shire Council ranked 5th in Victoria and 18th in the nation
Golden Plains Shire Council ranked 5th in people moving from other regions; and
Surf Coast Shire Council was ranked as the 5th top hotspots for growth in the nation.
“The financial capacity of Local Governments to appropriately invest in the enabling infrastructure and services needs action by the state and federal governments,” Cr Leaney said.
“This report shows that the growth is happening today, the longer we let this gap grow the greater the challenge will be tomorrow,” Cr Leaney Concluded.
PUCV recently published a report containing several key recommendations to State and Federal Government regarding peri-urban housing and infrastructure which is available from the PUCV website at https://periurban.org.au/