Macquarie Park

Housing is a key priority for the NSW Government. Currently, there is a shortage of diverse and affordable homes in well-located areas.

Macquarie Park has been identified as a priority high growth area under the Transport Oriented Development (TOD) Program due to having capacity to support an increase in population and additional housing growth, close to a transport hub and other essential amenities.

The Macquarie Park TOD builds on the vision of the Macquarie Park Place Strategy and Macquarie Park Stage 1 rezoning, so we can deliver more homes sooner and enhance the vibrancy of the existing precinct.

The Macquarie Park TOD rezoning proposal was available for public feedback between 9 July and 23 August 2024 on the NSW Planning Portal. Your feedback is now being reviewed and will inform the finalisation of this proposal.

The key features of the draft Macquarie Park TOD rezoning proposal include:

• up to 4,622 additional homes close to three metro stations – Macquarie University, Macquarie Park and North Ryde
• mandatory affordable housing contribution of between 10–15% for all new residential development in the precinct, to deliver between 460–690 affordable homes in perpetuity, managed by a registered Community Housing Provider
• new innovation, commercial, office and retail spaces
• flexibility to use E2 Commercial Centre zoned land to deliver an additional 5,096 Build-to-Rent homes
• potential for new public open spaces, and a new district park
• new social infrastructure, public domain improvements, up to 40% tree canopy and water sensitive urban design features
• better connectivity for walking and cycling, and road upgrades
• higher density on fewer sites to retain the integrity of the vision of the Macquarie Park Place Strategy for commercial and innovative uses.

The Macquarie Park TOD will bring the Macquarie Park Place Strategy to life, creating new connections, open spaces, jobs, and homes, increasing its attractiveness as a place to do business, study, and invest in, and bringing life and activity – day and night to Macquarie Park.

We are working closely with the City of Ryde to deliver the rezoning of the TOD. Other government agencies such as Transport for NSW, and technical environmental experts, have also contributed to ensuring the effective planning of this proposal.

During exhibition, the department hosted 3 community in-person sessions and a webinar where community members spoke to representatives from the department about the proposal and had the opportunity to ask questions to help inform submissions.

We proposed policy changes to streamline development assessment and speed up housing delivery in the 8 TOD accelerated precincts.

The proposed reforms aim to ensure a consistent approach to both rezoning and assessment across the precincts.

An explanation of intended effect (EIE) outlining the proposed changes was on exhibition for public feedback between 9 July and 23 August 2024.

To see the EIE, please visit the NSW Planning Portal.

We last spoke to the community in 2023 on a rezoning proposal for Stage 1 of the Macquarie Park Innovation Precinct for 3,060 new homes. We are currently finalising the Stage 1 rezoning proposal, which is due to be completed later in 2024.

View the Macquarie Park Innovation Precinct map (PDF, 1.03 MB) outlining the land included in Stage 1 rezoning.

Read the Stage 1 planning documents on the NSW Planning Portal.

In 2022, the Macquarie Park Place Strategy was finalised to guide the renewal of Macquarie Park into a world-class business and innovation precinct, with approximately 20,000 jobs and 7,650 homes.

Find out more about the place strategy and how we responded to feedback by reading our What We Heard report and the Finalisation report on the NSW Planning Portal.

Previously completed precincts include:

• Epping Town Centre
• Macquarie University Station
• North Ryde Station.