NSW Government faces internal backlash from NSW Heritage Council over plans for 185,800 homes near suburban train stations

The NSW Government is facing internal backlash over contentious plans to allow thousands of multi-storey developments near dozens of suburban train stations. Have your say in our poll:

The NSW Government is facing internal backlash over contentious plans to allow new multi-storey developments near dozens of suburban train stations in a major overhaul of the state’s planning laws.

The NSW Heritage Council has raised alarm bells over a NSW Government plan to rezone swathes of suburban land surrounding NSW train corridors amid concerns the push for new housing could decimate longstanding heritage protection laws.

The heritage council – an independent state government body – has warned the rezoning drive could cause impacts on heritage precincts outlined for rezoning.

A total of 31 suburbs with train stations and transports hubs have been earmarked for increased housing under the State Government’s transport-oriented development (TOD) program including Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill, Gordon, Gosford, Killara, Kogarah, Lindfield, Newcastle, North Wollongong, Rockdale, Roseville and Wiley Park.

Apartment buildings up to six storeys will be permitted within 400 metres of those stations – regardless of whether the land is in a heritage conservation area or zoned for low density.

The reforms are aimed at meeting the state’s housing targets.

A meeting of the NSW Heritage Council this month raised “considerable concern about the impact on existing heritage conservation areas given their important contribution to local communities’ heritage, character and sense of place.”

The Heritage Council also took aim at a lack of strategic planning outlined in the housing reforms and called for heritage listed properties to be exempt from uplift in the new planning controls.

“(The heritage council) strongly recommend the government enable local councils to undertake strategic planning within a defined time frame to deliver housing targets before activating the proposed new planning controls over existing heritage conservation areas,” the council stated.

The concerns raised by the heritage council comes as the government faces growing revolt over the proposed planning overhaul with local councils including Ryde, Ku-ring-gai, North Sydney, Inner West, Mosman and Burwood all registering their objections.

Community groups are mounting separate challenges with some north shore residents joining a group called “Save the North” to lobby against the changes, while 769 residents in Croydon have signed a petition opposing “suburb destroying” plans for their suburb.

Land surrounding thirty-one train stations have been earmarked for multistorey housing up to six storeys tall.

Key concerns raised to date have included lack of detail in the planning changes which have been presented in a 12 page document.

There are also fears that the planning reforms could be enacted by the NSW Government as soon as April as part of a ‘State Environmental Planning Policy’, allowing the reforms to be approved by NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully without scrutiny from parliament.

The reforms would drive housing growth near established train stations.

As part of the proposed planning changes, a further eight suburbs have been earmarked as “priority high growth areas” including Bankstown, Crows Nest, Homebush and Kellyville.

Under this policy, rezonings within 1200 metres of the growth areas would be prioritised for residential and affordable housing uplift.

The NSW Government says the planning reforms would help meet the state’s housing targets by delivering a total of 185,800 new homes over the next 15 years.

NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully.

A Department of Planning spokeswoman said “housing supply and heritage are not mutually exclusive and can coexist.”

“The introduction of new forms of residential development up to six storeys in our local areas represents a healthy evolution of the fabric for our suburbs and towns in which we live, while providing additional and much needed new housing,” the spokeswoman said.

“(Local councils) will continue to assess these applications, and relevant heritage controls will apply to the extent they are not inconsistent with the planning controls in the transport-oriented development (TOD) SEPP.

“The changes will increase the capacity for more well-located homes, close to jobs and in places where people want to live.”