Mass rezoning to reshape Sydney
A major bid to rezone sections of Sydney aims to deliver 126,000 jobs and 60,000 homes in the process.
The NSW government has outlined its vision for a transport-focused housing rollout, to involve a wave of rezonings aimed at meeting federal housing targets and reducing commuter burdens.
The full details for the central pillar of the Minns government’s housing policy were released on Sunday, as Planning NSW detailed seven precincts for transport-oriented developments (TODs), which centre new homes and businesses around roads and travel infrastructure.
Plans for the rezoned developments were spread across Sydney’s north in Crows Nest, Macquarie Park, Kellyville, Bella Vista and Hornsby, and its west in Homebush and Bankstown.
State government estimates suggested the TODs announced would inject 60,000 homes and 126,000 jobs into Sydney when completed.
This comes alongside a $520m funding commitment across the projects to finance transport links and public spaces that make suburbs more walkable. In the process, it leaves spaces for the development of essential services and public parks.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the TODs would help entice young families back into Sydney.
“By getting these masterplans done, we are another step closer to building more homes for the next generation,” Mr Minns said.
“These precincts will deliver a mix of housing, new open spaces and playing fields – they’ll be great communities for families to build a life.
“This is all part of our government’s plan to build a better NSW with more homes, so young people, families and workers have somewhere to live.”
While more TODs are set to be announced, the seven outlined were deemed the highest- priority areas for rezoning, given they could reasonably fit high and medium-density housing developments close to public transport networks.
Developers will be invited to submit project applications when the rezonings are finalised on Wednesday. They come after six weeks of community consultation.
The Homebush TOD will deliver the highest proportion of homes, estimated at 18,000, while work at Macquarie Park is intended to drive employment and provide 100,000 jobs.
Three per cent of all new homes will have to be affordable into the future under the proposals, however some areas will require a higher rate of 18 per cent affordable housing.
New development standards were also introduced, with the intention of driving faster progress. Under these standards, developments costed at more than $60m would be evaluated through their own assessor.
“These masterplans were delivered in less than a year and (it) is a testament to our commitment to delivering more homes, jobs and amenities in NSW,” said Planning Minister Paul Scully.
“We made an election commitment to rebalance Sydney’s housing growth around existing transport infrastructure and today we’re delivering the blueprint for those homes. This is work that should have been undertaken by the previous government when the Metro was being built, but wasn’t.”
