NSW Planning changes: Councillor claims long-term residents will be ‘driven from homes’ under NSW housing density drive

A Sydney councillor has ignited debate after claiming sweeping NSW planning changes will drive out long-term residents from their homes and amounted to a form of ‘ethnic cleansing’.

A Sydney councillor has ignited debate after claiming sweeping NSW planning changes will drive out long-term residents from their homes and amounted to a form of “ethnic cleansing unseen in the history of the modern world”.

Canterbury-Bankstown councillor Barbara Coorey has taken a shot against the NSW Government’s push to rezone low density suburbs into higher housing density as part of broad-breaching reforms aimed at tackling the state’s housing shortage.

The planning changes would allow new medium density developments and residential subdivisions in low-density land near train stations – including five in the Canterbury-Bankstown region: Belmore, Lakemba, Punchbowl, Wiley Park and Canterbury.

The reforms also include new ‘accelerated precincts’ where high density housing would be fast-tracked. Among suburbs being considered for the changes include Campsie, located in the Canterbury-Bankstown region.

Ms Coorey warned the “mad cap” reforms could trigger a surge in unit blocks built in residential areas currently home to many non-English speaking households.

A photo of the Campsie town centre.

“This is a form of ethnic cleansing unseen in the history of the modern world,” Ms Coorey declared on the Earlwood community Facebook group.

“People will have to relocate elsewhere due to the development that will take place in an unprecedented form unseen in post world war years.

“There are over 27,000 persons living in Campsie – where are they to go?”

Councillor Barbara Coorey.

Campsie is being considered for increased housing density.

The description of “ethnic cleansing” has been met with backlash from some residents with criticism it was “extremely offensive to people who have been victims or survivors of actual ethnic cleansing”.

Despite the criticism, Ms Coorey has doubled down on the description – saying many of non-English speaking households in Campsie have escaped persecution in their home countries and are too worried to speak out against governments.

Ms Coorey told The Daily Telegraph the council area already has some of the “densest suburbs on earth”.

The State Government says the reforms are aimed at addressing Sydney’s housing shortage.

“Many residents are scared of the changes but don’t know how to speak out against them,” she said.

“It’s a fundamental change in the socio economic mix because the traditional Greek, Lebanese and Italian people who live in Campsie live in homes and if you build units there are not going to live in them.

“Even if they don’t sell (their properties to developers) they’ll be surrounded.

“It will be a concrete metropolis.

“The areas that are earmarked for upzoning and demolition are among the most affordable in the state – this will all disappear.”

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek – in a mayoral minute earlier this year – said the intention of the NSW Government housing drive has merit when carried out “in collaboration with local councils and the community.”

“Our council hasn’t shirked its task of delivering new homes, or meeting the targets set by previous governments,” he said.

The NSW Government this week approved the first stage of new zoning laws for increased density near train stations.

In a statement, the Department of Planning said it was working with Canterbury-Bankstown Council on the prospect of creating an accelerated precinct around Campsie station.

“As part of the department’s assessment, we are considering the council’s suggestion that Campsie is a new accelerated precinct,” a spokeswoman said.

“However, it is important that, like with all accelerated precincts, we put this decision back to the Government to consider infrastructure funding to support more homes in this area.”

The housing debate comes as latest Census figures show Canterbury-Bankstown is home to 346,302 residents – making it the most populous local government area in NSW – and is already on track to meet a target of 50,000 new homes by 2036.

Ms Coorey has also questioned whether new higher density housing would be affordable, partly due to the high cost of land in Sydney that meant new unit construction prices would be passed on to future buyers.