Media
Release
Regional Victoria
to become the Lungs of Melbourne
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Tony
De Domenico
Executive Director UDIA (VIC) |
Regional
Victoria will become the lungs of Melbourne providing a release valve to take
the increasing population pressure off Melbourne and its expanding fringe suburbs,
the Urban Development Institute of Australia (Victoria) said today.
The UDIA (VIC) considers
that the regions should be strengthened saying significant growth in the population
of Australia's medium sized cities would produce a range of economic and social
benefits.
Tony De Domenico,
Executive Director of the UDIA (VIC) said, "The Essential Economics
research released today by Regional Cities Victoria provides an important focus
on the funding challenges ahead to provide infrastructure for Victoria's fast
growing regional cities."
The
research estimates that regional cities in Victoria will need $4.4 billion
spent over the next 20 years to maintain their growth.
Mr. De Domenico said
Victoria had a major natural economic advantage with many of the major regional
centres with easy reach of Melbourne.
"The lower cost
of land in regional areas will be a major driver for people to move to regional
cities providing a major opportunity to address housing affordability issues,
which at present is putting the Great Australia Dream of home ownership beyond
many Victorian young people and families."
"Affordable
new housing projects designed to blend into the existing regional and country
environment also provide major social benefits to regions by encouraging the growth
of a younger population as well as creating employment."
Mr. De Domenico said,
"The closely aligned land development and housing industry directly generates
a wide range of employment opportunities through investment and development of
homes."
"Apart
from the initial employment generated through development of new housing projects,
a growing population of regional and country Victoria creates a stronger sustainable
consumer market for all local businesses."
"The connection
of regional Victoria to metropolitan Melbourne will also become one of the most
important long term strategies to boost sustainable employment opportunities in
regional and country Victoria."
"For
growth to be sustainable people need jobs, transport, infrastructure and a mix
of housing," Mr. De Domenico added.
Download the Regional Cities
Victoria Report
Ron Smith, Corporate Media Communications,
UDIA (VIC) - Mobile: 0417 329 201
