2010-04-07
What NIMBYs?
It’s reassuring to learn from Tim Colebatch (No room for NIMBY Syndrome, The Age 6/4) that we have abundant affordable housing on Melbourne’s fringe. No doubt we’d have more, closer to public transport and services, if large developers were not land banking and if overseas investors were not speculating in our housing markets.
Tim’s critique demonstrates the folly of State Government efforts to rezone 43,600 ha of green wedge land, including western basalt plains grassland, red gum grassy woodlands and fertile farmlands, when the resulting suburban sprawl would cost taxpayers up to $100b for infrastructure, above and beyond the proposed $2b Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution on landholders, many of whom are unwilling to sell.
