Major planning changes coming into effect to deliver the homes NSW needs

The NSW Government’s Transport Oriented Development planning reforms are estimated to deliver over 170,000 more well-located, well-designed and well-built homes throughout the Sydney, the Illawarra, Hunter and Central Coast begin this month.

In December last year the government announced the Transport Oriented Development State Environmental Planning Policy (TOD SEPP) which identified 31 stations across 13 local government areas around which new housing is to be located within 400m.

Working with the Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI), 12 of the 13 local government areas have engaged with the DPHI to develop housing plans that deliver greater or equal housing numbers than would be required by the original TOD SEPP.

During discussions it has also become clear that several councils not only welcomed the opportunity to develop housing plans for existing TOD sites, but wanted more TOD sites to be added within their local area.

As a result, the NSW Government is announcing today that in addition to the 31 stations nominated in December last year, a further 6 stations are being added to the list of TOD SEPP locations.

The six new stations are Cardiff, Cockle Creek, Belmore, Lakemba, Punchbowl and Woy Woy. These stations were all suggested by councils for inclusion.

Throughout the consultation process, consideration has been given to existing infrastructure capacity or planned upgrades that will support increased density.

The NSW Government will also work with Wollongong Council to further investigate Coniston and Unanderra as additional stations to be included once further analysis of the water and wastewater capacity is fully understood.

We will also continue to work with Inner West Council on their nominated sites for social housing.

These councils that worked with the department will be permitted to phase the introduction of the TOD SEPP on certain sites to complete master planning and more detailed work on their plan.

A majority of TOD SEPP sites will be finalised from April 2024, with over three-quarters of sites finalised by the end of 2024. 

This master planning and detailed work means that local housing plans will be developed with the councils of Bayside, Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, Central Coast, Cumberland, Georges River, Inner West, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Penrith, and Wollongong.

We have a housing crisis in NSW. In fact, housing is the largest single cost of living issue facing the people of NSW.

Without action now, we are at risk of being a city with no young people.

A recent Productivity Commission report found between 2016 and 2021, Sydney lost twice as many people aged 30 to 40 as it gained.

One of the NSW Productivity Commission’s latest reports showed between 2016 and 2021, fewer than 20% of new dwellings were built within 10km of the CBD.

These are the people who open businesses, have families, build our communities and contribute to local economy.

That is not a situation that is tolerable. It means we can’t sit back and do nothing.

For more information on the TOD program visit the NSW Planning website.

Premier of NSW Chris Minns said: 

“The NSW Government is absolutely committed to confronting the housing crisis head on. For too long housing has been put in the too hard basket.

“If we don’t build more houses, young people will up and leave because they can’t afford a home in NSW. And if we lose our young people, we lose our future.

“I want to thank the Mayors and Councils for working collaboratively with the Government. Ensuring we have homes for young people across our state is a shared responsibility.”

Minister for Planning and Public Space Paul Scully said:

“I applaud the councils that have worked collaboratively with my department which has resulted in a TOD policy that is tailored to each location and community.

“I encourage others to sit down and help us address the housing crisis by working together to find well located housing across the State for young people, essential workers and families who desperately need to access the housing market.

“The principle that underpinned the discussions with councils is that any local plans must go beyond the NSW Government’s housing expectations, not backwards.

“In addition the government’s reforms to State infrastructure contributions, mean that the infrastructure investment needed to support housing growth in these areas will also be made.

"The TOD program is part of the biggest planning reforms this state has ever seen and will be a critical tool in meeting the growing demand for housing and improving affordability, especially for young people and families.”