One third of Manning Valley residents will be aged over 65 by 2031.
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NSW Planning estimates there will be a decrease in the population under 65 years and an increase of 6750 of people aged over 65 years by 2031.
Manning Valley Business Chamber (MVBC) and Regional Development Australia Mid North Coast highlighted the changing demographic of our population in its economic update report.
The report provides a snapshot of our region and reveals our population recorded an annual increase of just 0.4 per cent or 190 people to take the number of people in the former Greater Taree local government area to 49,095.
The report states the Manning Valley has grown more slowly than the Mid North Coast between 2014 and 2015. The Manning Valley recorded 0.62 per cent and the Mid North Coast 1.39 per cent. The Mid North Coast refers to the combined local government areas of Greater Taree, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Kempsey Shire, Nambucca Shire, Bellingen Shire and Coffs Harbour.
MidCoast Council also recently highlighted the issue of our ageing population in its Draft Manning Valley Local Strategy. The strategy echoed the NSW Planning figures in the MVBC report and also stated that “by 2036, it's anticipated well over one third of the Manning Valley population will be over the age of 60, and around two thirds of households will be couple-only or single-person households.”
Council’s senior leader planning and environmental services (Taree office) Richard Pamplin said one impact of the demographic shift was the “need for different styles of housing, such as townhouses, units and retirement housing”.
One impact of the demographic shift was the need for different styles of housing.
- MidCoast Council's Richard Pamplin
"Across NSW the target for this type of new housing is 40 per cent; we're currently sitting at around 16 per cent, so this market is very much under-represented," he said. “The local real estate market has also identified an immediate need for home units and apartment-style housing.”