Chris Minns’ transport hub housing plan scores developers’ support

Developers have thrown their support behind Labor leader Chris Minns’ pitch to use ‘surplus’ public land near transport hubs for new housing— but not everyone is convinced by the idea.

A Labor plan to use “surplus” public land near transport hubs for new housing developments has been welcomed by developers, but the industry says it largely formalises something that the current Coalition government is already doing.

Labor Leader Chris Minns on Wednesday compared his plan to London, where housing is built alongside transport corridors.

He said it was “essential” for more “urban density” in Sydney, arguing that more housing needs to be build closer to the CBD.

He said the government’s criticism of his plan was “a little bit like the mayor of New York City saying we are not going to have any new buildings in Manhattan”.

“Of course you can urban density in a city like Sydney and I’d argue that it is essential,” he told Sky News.

Opposition leader Chris Minns addresses the crowd about the proposal at the Bradfield Oration. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Minns doubled down on his plan to increase population in expensive suburbs closer to the city, including the eastern suburbs and North Shore.

He called for “urban consolidation and a fair deal for all of Sydney,” which would see more high-rise buildings being built in inner suburbs.

Developments like the revamped Parramatta Square would create further housing closer to the CBD within reach of transport hubs. Image: Walker Corporation

Lendlease Development Managing Director Tom Mackellar has backed Labor’s plan to build more homes along public transport hubs, including a 30 per cent affordable housing target.

“Access to affordable housing is a critical issue nationwide, and we support the commitment to increase supply next to transport links,” Mr Mackellar said.

“Sydney needs more affordable homes within reasonable distances from where people work, and clear and consistent targets will deliver affordable housing at scale, helping to create inclusive cities.”

Urban Taskforce CEO Tom Forrest said his members “strongly backed” more development above or alongside government-owned land used for public transport hubs.

Fwd: Tom Mackellar, managing director development, Lendlease

He welcomed Labor’s plan, saying it put a “policy framework” around something which the Perrottet government has started doing.

“It’s not (currently) a clearly articulated policy of government to go about doing this in a systematic way,” he said.

“What Mr Minns is doing is almost putting the policy framework around what the government’s already started doing.”

But Liberal candidate for Vaucluse Kellie Sloane said pitting the Eastern suburbs against Sydney’s West is “politics of division”.

Vaucluse Liberal candidate Kellie Sloane is not a fan of the proposal. Picture: Renee Nowytarger

“We should be working together to look at a strategic approach to population growth in areas which have the infrastructure to support it,” she said.

She said population density in established and wealthy suburbs close to the city is much higher than in the West.

“The inconvenient truth for Chris Minns is that the electorate of Vaucluse has been punching above its weight for some time. We have double the housing density levels of Bankstown and Liverpool,” she said.

Originally published as Chris Minns’ transport hub housing plan scores developers’ support