Extra homes in Sydney's east as city looks to squeeze in 1.3m more people

New South Wales is embarking on a significant urban transformation, aiming to house an additional 1.3 million people by 2046 under the government's "Sydney Plan." This 20-year vision prioritizes concentrating most new housing in the eastern suburbs, while designating Western Sydney as the engine for economic growth. This strategic approach leverages major investments in the region's second airport and the Moorebank Intermodal Precinct.

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We're treating the city as one, even though we recognise there are differences across the expanse of it.

Planning Minister Paul Scully described the plan as a rebalancing of Greater Sydney, emphasizing a shift towards building upwards within existing urban areas rather than outward expansion onto greenfield sites. "We're treating the city as one, even though we recognise there are differences across the expanse of it," Scully stated. He assured that housing development would continue in the west and job growth in the east, focusing on areas with existing infrastructure capacity to support the influx of residents.

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The reality is for too long, we've not made it feasible to have kids and live in an apartment.

The Committee for Sydney, an urban policy think tank, welcomed the plan. Chief executive Eamon Waterford highlighted the need for more family-friendly apartments, noting that past policies have made it difficult for families to live in urban centers. "So this change is a really welcome one," he said.

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Over the next 20 years, Sydney will need at least 800,000 more homes, around 950,000 jobs.

To prevent a recurrence of the current housing crisis, the plan mandates that local councils must maintain land zoned for a 30-year housing target. This proactive measure aims to expedite the supply of new homes by completing time-intensive planning processes in advance. "Over the next 20 years, Sydney will need at least 800,000 more homes, around 950,000 jobs," Mr. Scully explained, stressing the importance of this long-term planning requirement. Local Government New South Wales President Darcy Byrne echoed this sentiment, calling it a "good idea" and acknowledging the deep-seated nature of Sydney's housing supply crisis.

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We know that the housing supply crisis in Sydney is so deep that we're not going to be able to dig ourselves out of it in one year or even in five years.