Land for 10,000 northern rivers homes flagged in NSW plan to ease housing crisis

Exclusive: Houses for 7,800 residents in areas worst hit by 2022 floods proposed in near term, with more development later

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Land that could hold more than 10,000 homes across 22 sites in the northern rivers has been identified as part of a New South Wales government strategy to deal with the region's housing crisis.

The draft northern rivers resilient lands strategy will be released on Friday, more than a year after floods devastated the region and left thousands of people displaced. Many are still unable to return home.

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup