Today’s announcement by Minister Scully that the number of Tier 2 TOD sites will increase to 37 following consultations with councils is welcome news for our city and shows there is a strong alignment between local councils and the state government to tackle our housing crisis.
The TOD program seeks to increase densities in accessible locations near existing heavy rail and Metro stations, increasing housing and creating vibrant and walkable neighbourhoods. The agreement with local councils will now see new TOD precincts at an additional six stations, being Cardiff, Cockle Creek, Belmore, Lakemba, Punchbowl, and Woy Woy.
“UDIA has been a long-term advocate for developing in and around transport nodes as a means to unlock new housing and create accessible and walkable communities. It is great to see a number of council’s proposing to increase heights and density at some sights. With construction and development costs in Sydney now 28% higher than pre-Covid, this will help improve feasibility and increase the chance that homes can actually be built and brought to market at a price point purchasers can afford,” said Gavin Melvin, Acting CEO, UDIA NSW.
“While the addition of 6 new locations is welcome and there is a consensus between local and state government to address our housing crisis, it is critical we get the proposed planning controls for these sites right. The draft controls have a number of worrying aspects that unnecessarily limit development at these locations, including a mismatch between the proposed floor space ratios and heights which has resulted in confusion in the market and unrealistic price expectations from vendors,” said Gavin Melvin.
“We are looking forward to Government moving quickly in finalising these new controls to provide certainty for the development industry to invest and build, and certainty for the community that the new precincts, along with the new housing, amenity and public benefit, will actually be realised.”
With the most recent ABS data release showing apartment completions at an 11 year low in NSW, we are in fact getting further way from the National Housing Accord target and further entrenched in our housing crisis with every day of inaction that passes. UDIA is supportive of the inclusion of new station precincts in the program, but contends that more consultation is needed to get the policy settings right and realise outcomes. UDIA remains committed to working across state and local government to support the creation of the new TOD precincts and the realisation of vibrant new communities.
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Media Enquiries: Deanna Lane, Director Media & Communications 0416 295 898 dlane@udiansw.com.au