STRATA DATA

Residential Strata in NSW A summary analysis

Issue 1, April 2010 (re-issue)

City Futures Research Centre

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Cover photograph: Bruce Judd, 2010

1 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

CITY FUTURES RESEARCH CENTRE City Futures is a University Research Centre dedicated to developing a better understanding of our cities, their people, the policies that manage their growth the issues they face, and the impacts they make on our environment and economy.

Based in the Faculty of Built Environment at UNSW, City Futures is interdisciplinary in outlook and activity. It draws on the skills and knowledge of those within the Faculty whose knowledge encompasses the physical and spatial aspects of urban living, as well as those in other Faculties in the University whose interests coincide with our focus on the city.

The core activity for City Futures is research. It offers a place where scholars can pursue research on aspects of urban development and change. But it also focuses outwards, engaging with the wider audience beyond the University. Wherever possible, City Futures works in partnership with the community, government and business to contribute to growing the evidence base on the issues that impact on urban regions and how we can better manage their dynamic progress.

City Futures also has a strong focus on the training of the next generation of urban research scholars through an active postgraduate research program. We are committed to expanding the skills and capacity of young urban researchers and to communicating the value of good research to those involved in making policies that impact on the city.

Together with colleagues in other institutions who share our focus and passion, City Futures is committed to research and training that will contribute to better urban outcomes for Australia and beyond.

Governing the Compact City Strata is the fastest growing form of residential property ownership in Australia. Over half the new dwellings to be built in our metropolitan areas over the next decades will be strata titled. The growth of this sector raises increasingly important questions over property ownership and governance.

Governing the Compact City is a two-year research project charting the key issues facing the governance and management of strata buildings, with a focus on NSW. It is the first major study of the strata sector undertaken in Australia, and will thus inform practice and policy development on a national scale.

The research has three main aims:

1. To explore the role, capacity & effectiveness of owners’ corporations as agencies of property governance and management.

2. To explore the capacity & effectiveness of strata managers as mediators of outcomes for owners and residents in strata & their role within the overall structure of management & governance.

3. To assess how well residential strata works from strata owners’ points of view.

The project is being undertaken by researchers on the High Density Living Program team at the City Futures Research Centre (www.fbe.unsw.edu.au/cf/highdensityliving/). Funding and support to carry out this project have been received from the National Competitive Grants Program run by the Federal Government’s Australian Research Council and from the following government, peak body and industry partners:

2 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

Data Overview

The maps and table in this document are based on information retrieved from the New South Wales (NSW) Land and Property Management Authority Strata Database in May 2009.

The data presented pertains to residential strata schemes. To capture all strata properties used for the purpose of residence, residential schemes and lots reported in this newsletter include the four zoning categories of A (Residential), C (City of Sydney County Centre), D (10(a) sustainable mixed use development) and M (Mixed use). Commercial schemes are not included. Some non-residential lots may be included in the presented figures, for example where they form part of a mixed use development.

Number residential and mixed use schemes (page 4)

In May 2009, there were 63,942 residential strata schemes in NSW, of which 42,282 (66.1%) were in the Sydney metropolitan area. Within the Sydney metropolitan area, the highest number of residential strata schemes were in the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Sutherland Shire (2,797), Gosford (2,446) and North Sydney (2,380). There were also high numbers of residential schemes in major regional centres including Wollongong (2,008) and Newcastle (1,407), and regional LGAs including Coffs Harbour (1,206).

Number of residential and mixed use lots (page 5)

In May 2009, there were 571,579 residential strata lots in NSW, of which 473,742 (82.9%) were in the Sydney metropolitan area. Within the Sydney metropolitan area, the highest number of residential strata lots were in the LGAs of Sydney (76,271), North Sydney (27,093) and Sutherland Shire (25,874). Residential strata schemes in Sydney LGA have the highest average number of lots (36.0) per scheme. Outside of the Sydney metropolitan area, Wollongong LGA had the highest number of residential strata lots in NSW (11,857).

Percentage owner occupied and investor-owned lots (pages 6-7)

Owner-occupation and investor-owned lots are calculated by comparing the address of a lot with the registered address of its owner. When the two addresses match, a lot is noted as owner-occupied; if the two addresses do not match, the lot is noted as investor-owned. As such, these figures should be considered an estimate only.

In May 2009, half (49.9%) of the residential strata lots in NSW were owner-occupied. There was a higher proportion of owner-occupied lots in the Sydney metropolitan area (51.0%) than in the rest of NSW (44.8%). Within the Sydney metropolitan area, the highest concentrations of owner-occupied lots were found in the LGAs of Pittwater (67.8%), Ku-Ring-Gai (66.5%) and Bankstown (65.5%).

In May 2009, half (50.1%) of the residential strata lots in NSW were investor-owned. There was a higher proportion of investor-owner lots in the rest of NSW (55.2%) than in the Sydney metropolitan area (49.0%). Within the Sydney metropolitan area, the highest concentrations of investor-owned residential strata lots were found in the LGAs of Sydney (59.5%), North Sydney (58.1%) and Holroyd (56.8%).

Percentage of schemes of 100 lots or more (page 8)

In May 2009, there were 347 strata schemes with 100 lots or more in NSW, of which 337 (97.1%) were in the Sydney metropolitan area. Within the Sydney metropolitan area, Sydney LGA had the highest concentration of large strata schemes (10.3%); followed by Strathfield (1.4%), Auburn (1.3%) and Leichhardt (1.3%) LGAs. Outside of the Sydney metropolitan area, Tweed LGA had the highest concentration of large residential strata schemes in NSW (0.3%).

3 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

Scheme registration dates (pages 9-10)

Information regarding the registration dates of strata schemes can be used as an approximation for the age of buildings. However, the registration date of a scheme may be years after its construction. For example, a 60 year-old warehouse building may have only been converted into a 30-lot strata scheme five years ago.

In May 2009, 21.3% of residential strata schemes in NSW were registered 30 or more years ago (prior to 1979). There was a higher concentration of older strata schemes in the Sydney metropolitan area (28.4%) than in the rest of NSW (7.3%). Within the Sydney metropolitan area, Rockdale (59.8%), Botany Bay (59.7%) and Ashfield (52.9%) LGAs had the highest concentration of schemes registered 30 or more years ago. Outside of the Sydney metropolitan area, Bellingen LGA (32.3%) had the highest concentration of older schemes.

In May 2009, 5.9% of NSW’s residential strata schemes were registered less than 3 years ago (since 2007), with a slightly higher concentration of these found in the Sydney metropolitan area (4.3%) than in the rest of NSW (3.5%). Within the Sydney metropolitan area, the highest concentration of recently registered schemes were found in Camden (22.5%), Ku-Ring-Gai (9.0%) and Penrith (8.2%) LGAs. Outside of the Sydney metropolitan area, Broken Hill LGA (55.6%) had a high concentration of newly registered residential strata schemes.

Definitions

LGA Local Government Area

Sydney metropolitan area Refers to Sydney Statistical Division, as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and includes the 43 LGAs as listed in Table 1.

Mixed use A strata scheme that includes residential lots, and is also used for other purposes (e.g. shops, offices, hotels, restaurants etc.)

For further information about this research project, please visit:

http://www.fbe.unsw.edu.au/cf/research/cityfuturesprojects/governingthecompactcity

Or contact:

Dr Hazel Easthope

City Futures Research Centre

Faculty of the Built Environment

University of New South Wales

Sydney NSW 2052

Phone: (02) 9385 6041

Email: hazel.easthope@unsw.edu.au

Maps 1 and 2: Number of residential and mixed use schemes* for NSW and Sydney by LGA, May 2009

* “Mixed use” may include non-residential lots. See page 2 for explanation. Data © NSW Land and Property Management Authority 2009

5 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

Maps 3 and 4: Number of residential and mixed use* lots for NSW and Sydney LGA May 2009

* “Mixed use” may include non-residential lots. See page 2 for explanation. Data © NSW Land and Property Management Authority 2009

6 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

Maps 5 and 6: Percentage of lots owner occupied * for NSW and Sydney by LGA, May 2009

* Estimate only. See page 2 for explanation.

Data © NSW Land and Property Management Authority 2009

7 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

Maps 7 and 8: Percentage of lots investor owned* for NSW and Sydney by LGA, May 2009

* Estimate only. See page 2 for explanation.

Data © NSW Land and Property Management Authority 2009

8 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

Maps 9 and 10: Percentage of residential and mixed use schemes with 100 lots or more for NSW and Sydney by LGA, May 2009

Data © NSW Land and Property Management Authority 2009

9 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

Maps 11 and 12: Percentage of residential & mixed use schemes registered* prior to 1979 for NSW and Sydney by LGA, May 2009

* Strata registration date may not be the same as building age. See page 3 for explanation.

Data © NSW Land and Property Management Authority 2009

10 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

Maps 13 and 14: Percentage of residential & mixed use schemes registered* in the last 3 years for NSW and Sydney by LGA, May 2009

*Strata registration date may not be the same as building age. See page 3 for explanation.

Data © NSW Land and Property Management Authority 2009

11 | © City Futures Research Centre 2010

LGA  No. of schemes 

No. of lots 

% Owner occupied 

% Investor‐owned 

% 100+ schemes 

% Schemes registered prior 1979 

% Schemes registered last 3 yrs 

Ashfield  584  7,533  55.7%  44.3%  0.3%  52.9%  1.9% Auburn  668  8,754  49.4%  50.6%  1.3%  25.0%  3.0% Bankstown  1,171  10,266  65.5%  34.5%  0.0%  9.3%  3.5% Blacktown  912  9,071  56.8%  43.2%  0.1%  0.3%  5.3% Blue Mountains  179  951  44.3%  55.7%  0.0%  8.4%  5.6% Botany Bay  466  5,932  53.7%  46.3%  0.2%  59.7%  2.8% Burwood  250  3,725  44.1%  55.9%  0.0%  35.2%  0.0% Camden  89  486  61.3%  38.7%  0.0%  0.0%  22.5% Campbelltown  763  5,355  60.3%  39.7%  0.0%  9.8%  1.4% Canada Bay  815  12,463  60.0%  40.0%  0.9%  36.9%  3.8% Canterbury  1,737  16,421  53.6%  46.4%  0.0%  44.6%  2.5% Fairfield  711  8,525  64.6%  35.4%  0.4%  34.7%  1.4% Gosford  2,446  9,985  48.5%  51.5%  0.0%  4.8%  3.7% Hawkesbury  535  1,790  57.2%  42.8%  0.0%  1.7%  4.1% Holroyd  877  9,349  43.2%  56.8%  0.0%  9.4%  3.6% Hornsby  1,117  10,790  52.8%  47.2%  0.8%  15.7%  1.3% Hunters Hill  166  1,406  61.7%  38.3%  0.0%  31.3%  4.2% Hurstville  1,010  9,055  65.3%  34.7%  0.0%  29.8%  3.4% Kogarah  861  7,162  57.3%  42.7%  0.0%  42.7%  4.1% Ku‐Ring‐Gai  445  5,890  66.5%  33.5%  0.2%  32.6%  9.0% Lane Cove  401  6,390  53.6%  46.4%  0.5%  52.6%  1.0% Leichhardt  543  6,200  44.4%  55.6%  1.3%  16.9%  3.5% Liverpool  645  7,428  43.6%  56.4%  0.9%  14.4%  7.4% Manly  1,185  8,328  46.7%  53.3%  0.0%  48.0%  2.6% Marrickville  640  8,676  58.8%  41.2%  0.6%  34.4%  4.5% Mosman  761  7,177  45.3%  54.7%  0.1%  44.0%  3.2% North Sydney  2,380  27,093  41.9%  58.1%  0.7%  38.9%  2.0% Parramatta  1,489  18,284  47.6%  52.4%  0.6%  15.1%  6.0% Penrith  1,217  7,999  55.9%  44.1%  0.0%  6.2%  8.2% Pittwater  342  3,662  67.8%  32.2%  0.0%  36.3%  7.0% Randwick  2,313  22,589  48.6%  51.4%  0.3%  45.4%  2.8% Rockdale  1,416  17,590  57.8%  42.2%  0.3%  59.8%  1.3% Ryde  1,179  13,103  50.5%  49.5%  0.3%  30.4%  3.7% Strathfield  280  5,069  47.5%  52.5%  1.4%  32.1%  5.4% Sutherland  2,797  25,874  63.2%  36.8%  0.1%  16.3%  3.8% Sydney  2,118  76,271  40.5%  59.5%  10.3%  13.0%  3.3% The Hills Shire  585  6,368  51.5%  48.5%  0.3%  0.5%  4.3% Warringah  1,465  16,686  57.8%  42.2%  0.1%  51.1%  3.1% Waverley  1,545  15,402  45.9%  54.1%  0.2%  50.9%  1.7% Willoughby  526  8,690  47.6%  52.4%  0.8%  35.2%  2.3% Wollondilly  55  266  62.4%  37.6%  0.0%  1.8%  5.5% Woollahra  1,385  13,541  51.5%  48.5%  0.6%  43.1%  3.0% Wyong  1,213  6,147  44.2%  55.8%  0.0%  9.6%  5.1% Sydney Metropolitan Area  42,282  473,742  51.0%  49.0%  0.8%  28.4%  4.3% Balance of NSW  21,660  97,837  44.8%  55.2%  0.0%  7.3%  3.5% NSW  63,942  571,579  49.9%  50.1%  0.5%  21.3%  5.9% 

Table 1: Summary table of strata data for residential and mixed use schemes in Sydney by LGA, May 2009 (for data relating to other NSW LGAs, please contact City Futures).

Data © NSW Land and Property Management Authority 2009