The Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA WA) has welcomed today’s announcement by the State Government that $101 million has been allocated through the Housing Enabling Infrastructure Fund (HEIF) to support the delivery of essential power and water infrastructure to unlock much needed housing supply.
The announcement has been made ahead of the State Budget later today.
“UDIA WA welcomes the continued focus on boosting housing supply that was promised by the Cook Government during the State Election Campaign earlier this year,” UDIA WA CEO Tanya Steinbeck said.
The $400 million HEIF was announced back in December 2024, following recommendations made in UDIA WA’s Growth Areas Infrastructure Requirements Report, which highlighted three key growth areas where the planning, funding and delivery of key infrastructure could facilitate the delivery of up to 90,000 new homes.
“The $101 million allocated in this round of funding will go toward key pieces of power, water and wastewater infrastructure that are desperately needed in order to deliver housing in metropolitan and regional WA,” Ms Steinbeck said.
UDIA WA has long identified lack of enabling infrastructure as a key constraint to delivering housing in many areas across Perth and the regions.
“It is critical that infrastructure coordination, funding and delivery aligns with development pipeline intentions for undeveloped urban zoned land, and potential future urban land,” Ms Steinbeck said.
“Proper coordination enables early planning and greater certainty for residential projects and more efficient delivery of much needed homes,” Ms Steinbeck said.
“There is a myriad of constraints on urban zoned land, from infrastructure to environmental constraints, that makes it difficult to deliver housing to market in a timely and affordable way,” Ms Steinbeck said.
“Overcoming infrastructure constraints in key areas through planning, coordination and delivery of infrastructure at the right time to catalyse development for the creation of new homes is paramount,” Ms Steinbeck said.
“It is encouraging to see the Federal and State Government recognise the importance of ensuring appropriate basic infrastructure being adequately funded and strategically planned to enable the appropriate flow of housing supply to meet demand,” Ms Steinbeck said.
“Whilst we are now ‘playing catch up’, the funding and associated governance structure around prioritisation is encouraging and must be maintained in the long-term,” Ms Steinbeck said.
“Once again, we welcome the State Government’s collaborative approach to solutions to address Western Australia’s housing supply challenge, and we look forward to seeing more announcements in relation to housing within the State Budget this afternoon.”
Read UDIA WA’s Pre Budget Submission
Read UDIA WA’s Growth Areas Infrastructure Requirements Report