Revealed: Secret docs list sites examined – and rejected – for higher density

The Minns government is turbocharging development in 39 sites across Sydney and beyond. Secret planning docs reveals a further 30 suburbs that were considered – and rejected.

Internal state government documents have revealed a list of 30 suburbs planning officials scrutinised for higher density but rejected as part of its turbocharged housing plan.

The tabled documents – obtained by the State opposition – also reveal how it will cost more than $100m for water and sewerage upgrades that will need to take place to accommodate thousands of extra residents.

The criteria the government used to select the stations is also unveiled, but the documents fail to indicate whether school capacity was included in the decision-making process.

The controversial Transport Oriented Development (TOD) scheme will allow for dramatic increase in density within 400m of 31 metro and rail stations, while rezoning around another eight sites will aim to deliver an additional 47,800 homes over the next 15 years.

New housing in Sydney’s outer suburbs. The NSW government scrutinised – and rejected – 30 suburbs for higher density as part of its turbocharged housing plan. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short

The planning documents reveal suburbs considered – and rejected – include Waterloo, Edgecliff, Auburn, Chatswood and Carramar in Sydney; Broadmeadow and Cardiff in the Hunter; Narrara and Warnervale and Wyee On The Central Coast; and Wollongong and Thirroul in the Illawarra.

The government initially examined 305 rail and metro stations for high density, removing those not “well-located” near a “metropolitan centre”.

The sites were whittled down as they failed to meet five criteria, including having “fewer than 10,000 dwellings” within 800m of stations in greater Sydney.

Other criteria included the stations having the peak hour capacity to handle the extra residents, while the sites needed to have “more than 60 per cent residential land” and “less than 10 per cent industrial land”.

Sites with more industrial land were excluded due to potential “challenges” such as “remediation”.

Other criteria included being “aligned” with the government’s “six cities housing priorities list” and being 30 minutes by rail from a major city, or were an interchange or Sydney metro station.

The documents also reveal how the TOD plan will cost tens of millions of dollars in sewerage infrastructure upgrades on Sydney’s North Shore, amid concerns of “high risk overflows” in the Newcastle area.

Opposition planning spokesman Scott Farlow. Picture: AAP

Planning Minister Paul Scully. Picture: Adam Yip

Planning emails declared Hunter Water had estimated “minor works” at Kotara will come in at more than $20m and more than $50m at Morrisset.

State opposition planning spokesman Scott Farlow said the documents revealed no analysis of road capacity and “there’s also no evidence of any assessment of school or health capacity within these areas.”

Planning Minister Paul Scully denied roads, schools and hospital capacity had not been considered.

“The first class of Planning 101 tells you that hospitals and schools expand over time as the population grows,” he said.

“That growth will be aligned with housing growth.”

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