NSW Draft Illawarra‑Shoalhaven Plan Calls for Majority Apartment Housing

The New South Wales government has released a draft regional plan for the Illawarra‑Shoalhaven area, projecting that more than 177,000 new residents will move to the region over the next two decades. By 2046 the population is expected to reach about 677,000, roughly the size of the Gold Coast today. The plan anticipates that the bulk of this growth will be accommodated in apartment buildings, with over 117,000 new homes required, primarily through infill development in established centres and targeted greenfield sites such as Nowra and Bomaderry.

The draft adds the Wingecarribee local government area for the first time, citing its economic and strategic links to the broader region. Nearly half of the population increase is projected for the Wollongong LGA, where transport‑oriented development around Corrimal, Dapto and North Wollongong will be prioritised. Ministers for the Illawarra, Ryan Park, and Planning Minister Paul Scully say the plan aims to coordinate housing with new transport, services and employment hubs to support higher‑density living.