Burwood mayor urges NSW Govt to fast-track approvals for major housing masterplan

As the NSW Government looks for options to solve Sydney’s housing crisis, Burwood Council has stepped forward with a masterplan for 12,000 new homes.

Artist’s image of high-density housing masterplan for Burwood North.

A Sydney Mayor is urging the NSW Government to fast-track approval for a housing masterplan that could deliver almost 12,000 homes and provide a Plan B to the failed Rosehill mini-city proposal.

Burwood Council has developed a vision for a 30-hectare precinct close to the suburb’s established train station and a new Burwood North Metro station set to open in 2032.

The Burwood North masterplan aims to deliver an additional 22,000 residents to a Local Government Area with an existing population of 42,000 – and 1500 new jobs.

In the wake of Australian Turf Club members voting down a proposal to sell Rosehill racecourse to make way for 25,000 homes, Burwood Mayor John Faker says his council’s high-density plans are an ideal backfill.

Artist’s image of Burwood North masterplan that could deliver almost 12,000 new homes.

“This is game-changing, not just for Burwood but for Sydney,” he said. “It’s a precinct in need of rejuvenation and we’ve got 92 per cent of residents that live there in favour of the masterplan.

“It’s been a five-year process and we’ve got residents on board, we’ve worked with consultants, we’ve spoken to the industry.

Burwood Mayor John Faker at Burwood train station. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“But we would need another 18 to 24 months to work on the planning proposal process.

“The other option is for the government to call this in and the Minister to accelerate it through a State Environmental Planning Policy.

“They can cut through all that red tape in three to six months. A lot of the hard work has been done.”

The masterplan allows for a number of buildings up to 40 storeys.

They would be located near Parramatta Rd and the new metro station, with mixed use buildings of around 15 storeys along Burwood Road and up to 10-storey developments elsewhere.

A tunnel boring machine breaks through at the Burwood North metro station site.

Much of the Burwood North area, away from the main roads, is currently dominated by detached houses on traditional blocks.

The masterplan proposes 9000 dwellings within the precinct, but with a 30 per cent uplift for the provision of affordable housing, the number could reach 11,700 homes.

Mayor Faker said developers “are queueing up” and a number of residents were already looking to aggregate their properties to take to market.

“We can deliver a big chunk of what the Premier is wanting in terms of new supply,” he said. “So why wait two years to get a plan in place for housing when the government could pretty much declare it in three months.

Artist’s image of high-density housing masterplan for Burwood North.

“We call ourselves the heart of central Sydney because we’re smack bang in the middle between Parramatta and the city, and we see this masterplan as Part A of Plan B for the government.

“The overall Plan B should be development along Parramatta Rd, revitalising the highway all the way to Broadway, and looking to include light rail. So I’m asking the government: call it in and let’s get started.”

An artist’s impression of the proposed Burwood North Precinct Masterplan which could deliver 11,700new homes to Sydney.

Australia’s fifth-most culturally diverse community, Burwood features in the latest Destination NSW domestic tourism campaign via the suburb’s Chinatown precinct.

Other attractions in the Feel New campaign include the Blue Mountains.

Planning Minister Paul Scully said: “We have worked closely with Burwood Council to make sure more homes are delivered.

“They went above and beyond the number of homes set to be delivered from the Government’s initial Transport Oriented Development settings.

“We’re open to all suggestions from councils for new housing.”
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Originally published as Burwood mayor urges NSW Govt to fast-track approvals for major housing masterplan