The MidCoast region is expected to continue growing over the coming decades. Since the MidCoast Urban Release Areas Report was published in 2021, changes to planning priorities, infrastructure requirements and population forecasts have prompted a review of land identified for future housing and employment growth.
The updated report provides a current picture of where future development may occur across the Mid North Coast and ensures planning decisions are based on the latest available information.
What’s changed?
Several urban release areas have been removed from the report because they have already been rezoned or are no longer identified for future growth under the Hunter Regional Plan 2041.
These changes help align future land-use planning with current regional priorities and infrastructure planning.
A full list of removed urban release areas is available in the reviewed MidCoast Urban Release Areas Report 2026.
Hallidays Point proposed changes
A major focus of the review is Hallidays Point, where technical studies completed in 2025 identified significant future infrastructure requirements.
As a result, three urban release areas in Hallidays Point are proposed to be removed from the report.
The findings are detailed in the Urban Release Areas Review Council Report, which outlines the planning and infrastructure considerations behind the proposed changes.
A subsequent study, Hallidays Point Traffic Study Addendum 1 (2026), also assessed how the proposed changes may influence future traffic movements and transport infrastructure needs.
Any future proposal to rezone land within Hallidays Point urban release areas will need to address the findings and recommendations of these studies.
Planning for the future of the Mid North Coast
The review also updates:
- population and housing forecasts
- planning and background information
- environmental and infrastructure constraints mapping
- strategic planning data used to guide future growth.
Together, these updates improve the accuracy and consistency of planning across the MidCoast region and support informed decisions about future housing, jobs and infrastructure.
Have your say
Council is seeking community feedback on the reviewed report.
You can make a formal submission online and upload supporting documents as part of the submission process.
Submissions close at 11.59pm on Tuesday, 7 July 2026.
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