11 THE COMPLEX APARTMENT RULES IN SYDNEY ARE MAKING SOME PROJECTS UNFEASIBLE THE NSW APARTMENT DESIGN GUIDE SHOULD INCLUDE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR AFFORDABLE UNITS THE NSW APARTMENT DESIGN GUIDE SHOULD INCLUDE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR URBAN CORES There is a growing trend for mixed use precincts in urban cores in Australian cities where people trade smaller size apartments for the closeness to amenities, public transport and jobs. In the middle of a high-rise city it will be very difficult to have 70% of apartments get solar access for two hours in mid-winter. The global cities of London and New York do not have these detailed solar access rules. The report by HDC Planning after investigating the economic impact and feasibility of the NSW rules on apartment buildings in urban cores made the following recommendation: The affordable RENTAL housing SEPP 2009 allows reduced standards for affordable units and the same logic can be applied to apartments in general. The report by HDC Planning after investigating the economic impact of the NSW rules on housing affordability made the following recommendation: As well as the specific extra costs that the Urban Taskforce has identified for NSW apartments compared to Victorian apartments there is the impact on feasibility of housing projects from the NSW rules. Many councils apply the 70% requirement for solar access in mid-winter literally and therefore stop projects from being approved. On the north of Sydney Harbour most apartments prefer a south view over the harbour but this limits the potential to maximise apartments facing north and away from the view. In a similar manner in urban cores where a mixture of apartments and office buildings occur excessive setbacks can stop projects from proceeding. If the Victorian standards were utilised these residential buildings in Sydney would be able to proceed. The NSW Government should develop an “Urban Core” section of the Apartment Design Guide with modified standards that relate to the specific character of urban cores and that understands the types of occupants that would use these urban apartments. The Urban Core section should reduce the standards for solar access, ventilation and setbacks so that residential high-rise buildings can be built in urban cores. The NSW Apartment Design Guide needs to include a ‘Housing Affordability’ section that reduces the minimum area required and other standards, as outlined in this report, that add to the cost of apartments in NSW. There needs to be clear criteria established as to when the affordability aspect should become the design criteria.