Housing supply boost for NSW

Deputy Premier, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

A regional housing taskforce will be set up to combat supply shortage across NSW, while more than 18,000 new homes have been earmarked for immediate rezoning in Sydney’s south-west as the NSW Government takes charge to boost much-needed housing supply.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said a new approach was needed to help support those in the regions with new housing and make regional towns a magnet for people coming from the city centres.

“From Byron to Bega and Coffs Harbour to Dubbo, regional towns are booming, but in many parts of the state, planning has not kept pace with growing demand,” Mr Barilaro said.

“Regional housing markets are complex and unique, and there could be a whole range of factors driving housing constraints and we need to unpack those so we can deliver new housing opportunities for our regional communities.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes made the announcement at an Urban Development Industry Association (UDIA) luncheon yesterday and said the Government’s focus was now on creating new ‘greenfield’ housing supply.

“It’s clear that as a result of the pandemic, demand for greenfield housing has increased even more than anticipated so we are responding with new housing in some of Sydney’s best growth areas, the south-west and the Macarthur,” Mr Stokes said.

“Housing supply is not just important in Sydney but across our regions, which are experiencing strong growth as we bounce back from drought and as more people are working flexibly and remotely.

“This is why I am setting up a regional housing taskforce to report back by September on how we can better use the planning system and other levers to boost supply.”

Sydney’s south-west housing :

Glenfield Precinct

  • Approximately 7,000 dwellings
  • Up to six new playing fields,
  • 30ha of additional accessible open space
  • Approx. 50ha of land retained for Hurlstone Agricultural High School’s agricultural needs

Lowes Creek Maryland

  • Approximately 7,000 new dwellings;
  • 60ha of open space, including 21 parks and public open spaces and six new playing fields;
  • A combined primary and high school; and

Leppington 2 and 5

  • Up to 2,400 new dwellings including:
    • 1,900 dwellings in Stage 2; and
    • 500 dwellings in Stage 5.
  • 8.32ha of local open space;
  • 2.96ha identified for a school site;
  • 23.18ha land zoned for other infrastructure purposes;
  • A 7.6ha, $4m park

Wilton Town Centre Precinct

  • 1600 dwellings;
  • 17 hectares of employment land that could support approximately 4,700 jobs;
  • 39 hectares of environmental conservation land.

/Public Release. View in full here.