The classic Sydney terrace and 60s red brick walk-up flats have long been part of the city’s housing fabric, yet zoning rules over time have made it increasingly difficult to build these much-loved residences. That’s set to change, with the Minns Government unlocking capacity for 112,000 new homes over five years by expanding low and mid-rise housing near 171 town centres and transport hubs across NSW.

New criteria have guided the selection of these sites, focusing on:

• Access to goods and services
• Public transport frequencies and travel times
• Infrastructure capacity, hazards, and constraints
• Local housing targets and rebalancing growth

CEO of the Committee for Sydney Eamon Waterford welcomed the reforms, saying they are a major step towards increasing housing capacity in well-connected locations.

“We know Sydney’s housing unaffordability is costing the city over $10 billion a year. Addressing this challenge means leaving no stone unturned in finding solutions.

“These changes will allow for more choice, with terraces, townhouses, and low-to-mid-rise apartments now permitted near selected local centres and transport hubs,” Mr Waterford said.

Committee for Sydney Policy Manager for Planning and Housing, Estelle Grech, said the reforms have evolved significantly since their initial announcement.

“Minister Paul Scully has turned what was a one-size-fits-all approach into a common-sense solution, and this is just what Sydney needs —housing that lets more people live near jobs, schools, shops and high-frequency public transport.

“Good policy takes time, and it’s great to see the department working more closely with councils to set better balanced, thought-out planning controls that deliver the right housing in the right places.

“Allowing more terraces, townhouses and low-to-mid-rise apartments within walking distance of local centres, transport, and schools is just common sense. This is density done well—helping our suburbs gently evolve over time to house more Sydneysiders.

“These changes won’t occur overnight and may look different in different places as feasibility shifts across the city. But it’s an important step in letting our suburbs gradually increase the housing options available over time,” Ms Grech said.

The Committee for Sydney will continue to work constructively with the NSW Government, as it pulls every lever to aid Sydney’s chronically unaffordable housing challenge.