Finding land for new homes is the number one issue in rural housing crisis, according to a new survey by Rural Councils Victoria.

A statewide survey of mayors, CEOs, councillors, and council staff has identified the biggest blockers to solving the rural housing crisis and building new homes across rural Victoria.

The Rural Housing Survey found that the biggest blockers to housing in rural Victoria are:

• Availability and preparation of land 
• Ability to find qualified people (trades and planners), and
• State policy and regulation.

Land release and development

Nearly half (48.6 per cent) of respondents nominated land release as one of the main blockers to more housing.

Making land ready for development was also a high-ranking blocker, with 39.2 per cent of respondents nominating this issue. This makes land-related blockers highly significant with 85.8 per cent of respondents nominating at least one of these issues. 

The lack of skilled people also featured significantly as a block to getting more homes built and addressing housing issues.

Lack of planning staff and availability of skilled workers, builders, trades etc. was nominated by 47.3 per cent of respondents as a key blocker.

Policy and regulation

State policy and regulation and the planning scheme/policy were also nominated highly among respondents with state policy and regulation at 43.2 per cent and planning scheme/policy at 35.1 per cent.

The survey also explored what the most significant issues in housing are: 

• Housing supply and availability across all sections of the community was ranked number one, with 61.8 per cent of respondents ranking it as the number one issue.
• Availability of key worker housing came in second with 42.5 per cent of respondents selecting it as their most important issue.

Rural Councils Victoria Chair Cr Mary-Ann Brown said the survey painted a “stark picture of what is happening in the rural housing crisis and points to possible solutions”.

“Several councils are already working on their own solutions, but they need help from government to deliver the homes rural communities need.”