The Sydney suburb at war with itself

Pro-development banners are being slashed and residents threatened with fines as a war over the state government’s railway station housing plan divides one of Sydney’s smallest councils.

The inner west suburb of Croydon is one of 37 NSW neighbourhoods due to be rezoned to allow six-storey apartment blocks near railway stations under Labor’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) plan.

Signs opposing Burwood Council’s alternative housing plan on a Croydon home. Credit: Steven Siewert

Burwood Council has fought the plan since its announcement in 2023, successfully campaigning the state government to delay the suburb’s rezoning so it could develop its own “Croydon master plan”.

Under that plan, due to be presented to the government by the end of the month, 90 per cent of housing planned for Croydon would be moved away from the government’s proposed 400-metre radius around the station, some to streets more than a kilometre away.

“Rather than passively accepting the state’s proposed provisions, we are actively engaging with the community,” Burwood’s Labor mayor John Faker wrote in a mayoral minute in November.

But the alternative plan has angered some residents, who say the council’s desire to preserve federation and interwar houses around the station punishes other areas that aren’t as well-connected.

Last week Croydon residents were threatened with $750 fines for displaying pro-TOD signs outside their homes. In December a fourth banner was slashed by night.

TOD for Croydon group member Van Nguyen said three residents received council letters warning of penalties for “unauthorised advertising”.

“It really makes us angry that we can’t protest on our own properties,” she said.

“There’s lots of Burwood Council signs around about the TOD being bad and ‘having a say’.”

One banner supporting the Croydon TOD plan was slashed in December. Credit:

A council spokesperson said it determined the signs violated planning codes following a resident complaint. However, they said it would not issue the threatened fines.

“The [TOD and council proposals] are of key importance to our local community. With this in mind, and given the signage appears to be of a temporary nature, at this stage council does not plan to take any further action.”

A legislative council petition created by Nguyen with more than 530 signatories asks the government to reject the council’s proposal and implement the original TOD provisions.

Notifications for unauthorised advertising received by Croydon residents supporting the TOD plan last week. Credit: Sydney YIMBY/X

“There is a housing crisis, and fixing that is not something each council can achieve,” she said. “The master plan is cherry-picked area: there’s no rationale, and it’s actually closer to Burwood station.”

Nguyen said the two proposals had confused residents, particularly those who do not speak English, pitting neighbourhoods against each other.

“It has really divided the community, which is a shame because we are such a small community.”

Justin Simon, chair of the Sydney YIMBY development lobby group, accused the council of suppressing one side of the TOD debate.

Burwood Council signage at Croydon railway station. Credit: Steven Siewert

“There were anti-TOD petitions up for weeks in a prominent position next to Croydon station that nobody took down, so clearly there’s selective enforcement happening here,” he said.

“We already knew Croydon were world champions at weaponising the heritage laws, but even we’re surprised they found a way to use the planning system to suppress criticism of itself.”

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