Site selection

Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy

Mid-rise housing on Finlayson Street, Lane Cove NSW. Credit: James Grabowski/DPHI

The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy applies within low and mid-rise housing areas which are 800 metres walking distance around key town centres and key train/light rail stations across Sydney, Central Coast, Illawarra and Hunter regions. A total of 171 town centres and stations have been selected.

These areas are ideal to provide more low and mid-rise housing as they have:

  • a wide range of shops, services and amenities
  • frequent public transport
  • infrastructure capacity.

Low and mid-rise housing areas

Low and Mid-Rise Housing areas Local Government Area (LGA) Details
Arncliffe station Bayside
Banksia station Bayside
Bexley North station Bayside
Rockdale Plaza shopping centre Bayside
Rockdale station and town centre Bayside
Turrella station Bayside
Kogarah station and town centre Bayside; Georges River
Blacktown station and town centre Blacktown
Doonside station Blacktown
Mount Druitt station and town centre Blacktown
Seven Hills station Blacktown
Burwood station and town centre Burwood
Camden town centre Camden
Narellan Town Centre shopping centre Camden
Campbelltown station and town centre Campbelltown
Glenfield station Campbelltown
Ingleburn station and town centre Campbelltown
Macarthur station and town centre Campbelltown
Minto station Campbelltown
Concord town centre (Majors Bay Road) Campbelltown
Concord West station Canada Bay
Drummoyne town centre Canada Bay
Five Dock town centre Canada Bay
North Strathfield station Canada Bay
Bankstown station Canterbury Bankstown
Chester Hill Shopping Centre Canterbury Bankstown
Regents Park station Canterbury Bankstown; Cumberland
Beverly Hills station Canterbury Bankstown; Georges River
Erina Fair shopping centre Central Coast
Gosford station and town centre Central Coast
Green Point Village shopping centre Central Coast
The Entrance town centre Central Coast
Tuggerah Westfield shopping centre Central Coast
Woy Woy station and town centre Central Coast
Wyong station and town centre Central Coast
Cessnock town centre Cessnock
Auburn station and town centre Cumberland
Berala station and town centre Cumberland
Granville station Cumberland
Lidcombe station Cumberland
Cabramatta station and town centre Fairfield
Canley Vale station Fairfield
Fairfield station and town centre Fairfield
Hurstville station and town centre Georges River
Mortdale station and town centre Georges River
Oatley station Georges River
Penshurst station Georges River
Riverwood station and town centre Georges River; Canterbury Bankstown
Asquith town centre Hornsby
Hornsby station Hornsby
Pennant Hills Market Place shopping centre Hornsby
Thornleigh Marketplace shopping centre Hornsby
Waitara station Hornsby
Boronia Park town centre (Pittwater Road) Hunters Hill; Ryde
Annandale town centre (Booth Street) Inner West
Ashfield station Inner West
Dulwich Hill station Inner West
Leichhardt Market Place shopping centre Inner West
Lilyfield light rail station Inner West
Marrickville station Inner West
Petersham station Inner West
St Peters station Inner West
Stanmore station Inner West
Croydon station Inner West; Burwood
Kiama town centre Kiama
Gordon station and town centre Ku-ring-gai
Killara station Ku-ring-gai
Lindfield station and town centre Ku-ring-gai
Pymble station Ku-ring-gai
Roseville station Ku-ring-gai
St Ives Shopping Village shopping centre Ku-ring-gai
Turramurra station and town centre Ku-ring-gai
Wahroonga station Ku-ring-gai
Belmont town centre Lake Macquarie
Boolaroo town centre (Main Road) Lake Macquarie
Cardiff station Lake Macquarie
Charlestown shopping centre Lake Macquarie
Jewellstown Plaza shopping centre Lake Macquarie
Morisset station and town centre Lake Macquarie
Lane Cove town centre Lane Cove
Liverpool station Liverpool
Green Hills Stockland shopping centre Maitland
Maitland town centre Maitland
Rutherford Marketplace shopping centre Maitland
Spit Junction town centre (Military Road and Spit Road) Mosman
Adamstown station Newcastle
Hamilton station Newcastle
Junction Fair shopping centre Newcastle
Kotara station Newcastle
Mayfield town centre Newcastle
Wallsend town centre Newcastle
Waratah Village Shopping Centre Newcastle
Cremorne town centre North Sydney
Crows Nest station North Sydney
Milsons Point station North Sydney
Neutral Bay town centre North Sydney
Victoria Cross station North Sydney
Waverton station North Sydney
Wollstonecraft station North Sydney
St Leonards station North Sydney; Lane Cove; Willoughby
Balgowlah Stockland shopping centre Northern Beaches
Dee Why town centre Northern Beaches
Forestville town centre Northern Beaches
Forestway shopping centre Northern Beaches
Frenchs Forest Precinct (Warringah Road) Northern Beaches
Manly town centre Northern Beaches
Manly Vale town centre Northern Beaches
Mona Vale town centre Northern Beaches
Warringah Mall shopping centre Northern Beaches
Epping station and town centre Parramatta
Carlingford Court shopping centre Parramatta
Northmead Village shopping centre Parramatta
Westmead station Parramatta; Cumberland
Penrith station and town centre Penrith
Nelson Bay town centre Port Stephens
Raymond Terrace town centre Port Stephens
Kensington light rail station Randwick
Kingsford Juniors light rail station Randwick
Maroubra Junction town centre Randwick
Randwick town centre and light rail station Randwick
UNSW Anzac Parade light rail station Randwick
Eastwood station and town centre Ryde
Macquarie Park station Ryde
Meadowbank station Ryde
North Ryde station Ryde
Top Ryde shopping centre Ryde
West Ryde station and town centre Ryde
Gladesville town centre (Victoria Road) Ryde; Hunters Hill
Albion Park town centre (Tongarra Road) Shellharbour
Shellharbour town centre Shellharbour
Warilla Grove shopping centre Shellharbour
Bomaderry town centre (Meroo Street) Shoalhaven
Nowra town centre Shoalhaven
Flemington station Strathfield
Homebush station Strathfield
Caringbah station and town centre Sutherland Shire
Cronulla station and town centre Sutherland Shire
Engadine town centre Sutherland Shire
Gymea station Sutherland Shire
Kirrawee station and town centre Sutherland Shire
Menai Marketplace shopping centre Sutherland Shire
Miranda station and town centre Sutherland Shire
Southgate shopping centre Sutherland Shire
Sutherland station and town centre Sutherland Shire
Woolooware station Sutherland Shire
Broadway shopping centre and Glebe Point Road south Sydney
Darlinghurst and Paddington town centre (Oxford Street) Sydney
Erskineville station and town centre (Erskineville Road) Sydney
Kings Cross station and town centre Sydney
Redfern station Sydney
Surry Hills south town centre (Crown Street and Cleveland Street) Sydney
Waterloo town centre (Danks Street) Sydney
Newtown station and town centre (King Street & Enmore Road) Sydney; Inner West
Baulkham Hills town centre The Hills
Bella Vista station The Hills
Castle Hill station and town centre The Hills
Hills Showground station The Hills
Kellyville station The Hills
Norwest station and town centre The Hills
Winston Hills Mall shopping centre The Hills; Parramatta
Bondi Junction station and town centre Waverley
Artarmon station Willoughby
Chatswood station and town centre Willoughby
Northbridge Plaza shopping centre (Sailors Bay Road) Willoughby
Corrimal town centre Wollongong
Dapto town centre Wollongong
Fairy Meadow town centre Wollongong
Warrawong town centre Wollongong
Double Bay town centre Woollahra
Edgecliff station and town centre Woollahra
Rose Bay town centre (New South Head Road) Woollahra

Site selection process

The low and mid-rise housing areas were selected based on a detailed assessment of all town centres and stations across these regions. The assessment considered a range of factors to identify areas most suitable for additional housing. Public feedback and council input was an integral part of this assessment process.

The selection was done in 3 phases.

Phase 1 – Preliminary screening

A preliminary screening of all town centres and stations to develop an initial list for consultation with councils.

Town centres criteria:

  • Full line supermarket (or equivalent).
  • Bus with at least 1 service per hour.

Stations criteria:

  • Frequency <15 minutes metro, <30 minutes regional.
  • Travel time to major centre <30 minutes.
  • Local goods and services (for regional only).

The Department held one-on-one workshops with each council. The detailed feedback and analysis of each town centre and station assisted with Phase 2 – Detail screening. Written submissions from councils were received responding to policy refinements and proposed centres and stations. Additional meetings were held with councils to further understand feedback and the local constraints.

Phase 2 – Detailed screening

A detailed set of criteria was developed using the evidence and feedback from councils and public submissions.

Town centres criteria:

  • Goods and services including full line supermarket (or equivalent).
  • Buses <15 minutes frequency with convenient travel time to major centres.
  • Critical infrastructure issues, such as water, roads.
  • Hazards/constraints.

Stations criteria:

  • Frequency <15 minutes metro, <30 minutes regional.
  • Travel time to major centre <30 minutes.
  • Goods and services.
  • Critical infrastructure issues, such as water, roads.
  • Hazards/constraints.
Phase 3 – Final screening

Finally, a further range of important factors were considered to identify the most suitable town centres and stations. This resulted in 171 centres and stations being selected.

FactorsConsiderations
Infrastructure capacity and balancing growth
  • The combined impact of NSW Government reforms and existing projected housing growth on existing and planned infrastructure capacity. 
  • Balancing growth around existing infrastructure capacity (water, sewer, transport and other goods and services).
Reducing overlap between catchments
  • Reducing overlap between catchments of centres and stations where they may be very close together.
  • Amount of existing residential land near the centre or station that will be impacted by the reforms.
Local housing targets
  • Impact of the reforms on councils meeting their local housing targets.
Feasibility and growth capacity of different regions
  • Capacity for new homes to be delivered in each local government area based on feasibility and annual average growth.
  • Capacity for additional homes in local government areas where there are a significant number of Transport Orientated Development.
Amount of heritage conservation in catchment
  • Potential impact of listed heritage items and heritage conservation areas on delivery of new homes.