Please quote Eamon Waterford, CEO of the Committee for Sydney:

“When this program was announced, we said it was big, bold and blunt. With the announcement that 12 councils have entered into agreements with the NSW Government to deliver joint housing strategies, I’m willing to upgrade this to big, bold and balanced.

“The expansion of the TOD program to an additional six locations is a welcome upgrade – the future of Sydney’s growth should be around train stations, so the more the merrier.

“We can’t forget Sydney is in the midst of an internationally-significant housing crisis. We need big policy shifts to address this crisis, and the scale of this announcement reflects that.

“One area that needs more work is the requirement for 2% affordable housing. This target is insufficient, and industry looks forward to working with government to examine how we push this higher.

“We all want these policies to succeed and to deliver great outcomes for the people of Sydney.

“Taking the time to work with councils who know their places best, means there’s a good chance these reforms will strike the balance between unlocking housing supply, while building the social license for future expansion.

“It’s rare to see this amount of progress achieved in just under a year.

“It’s an indication of effective leadership to see state and local government working together, and taking a big step forward that will see more housing in the right places.”