Empty houses intensify growing pains

About a third of Surf Coast houses were empty during the latest Census, despite need for more housing availability for the shire's surging population. Photo: SUPPLIED.

REGIONAL leaders have further ammunition to advocate for housing reform and major infrastructure projects with the latest Census data that has revealed a local population boom.

Thousands of homes were empty during the national head count last year as the region battles a housing availability crunch.

Surf Coast Shire had 6,255 empty homes in Surf Coast on Census night, or 32 per cent of all homes.

The figure is an improvement for the popular holiday destination compared with previous counts – 7,332 homes (42 per cent) were unoccupied in 2016, and 43 per cent in 2011.

Greater Geelong had 12,334 (10 per cent) empty houses last year.

G21 chief executive officer Giulia Baggio said the ongoing trend proved the region’s housing market remained “out of balance”.

“There are empty houses everywhere but fewer properties to rent, and affordable rentals even more scarce.

“Major reform is needed with state and federal governments working together. Everything should be on the table.”

“Regional infrastructure investment is also critical if we are to support more housing options for our booming population.”

Ms Baggio called for action from state and federal government to open up more housing, including action on negative gearing, stamp duty and land tax, freeing up public land and streamlining planning.

Greater Geelong and Surf Coast local government areas both grew faster than most recent projections in the 2021 population count, which the Australian Bureau of Statistics released last week.

Surf Coast Shire had 37,694 people on last year’s Census night – up 28 per cent from the 2016 figure of 29,397.

Geelong experienced a similar boom with 271,057 living in the municipality, 16 per cent more than 233,429 from 2016.

The surges mean the regions are outstripping already lofty estimates for population growth, which local government uses to plan for investment priorities.

G21’s most recent reports in 2019 projected Surf Coast’s resident population to be 36,278 in mid-2021, nearly four per cent below the actual mark, while Geelong grew 0.5 per cent more than its expected 269,508 people.

The detailed figures come after data earlier this year revealed Geelong was Australia’s fastest-growing city.