For more than a decade, Hornsby Council has raised concerns that State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing for Seniors or People with Disability) 2004 (Seniors SEPP) overrides Council’s local planning controls and permits seniors housing in various locations, including heritage conservation areas and rural zoned land in some circumstances.
Council has requested an extension of the temporary exemption of the Seniors SEPP from application within Heritage Conservation Areas in the Shire and an immediate temporary exemption of the Seniors SEPP from application in our rural areas.
The Seniors Housing Demand and Supply Review has been prepared to support Council’s requests. The high-level analysis indicates that if Council was provided time to prepare its own local strategy for seniors housing, it would not be detrimental to supply.