Council-designed Transport Oriented Development State Environmental Planning Policy (TOD SEPP) site plans are currently being reviewed by the State Government.
Housing affordability is the single largest cost of living concern for people of New South Wales with the impacts being felt across the state, whether it be students, workers, young families or people looking to downsize later in life.
These reforms are part of the State Government’s efforts to confront the housing crisis by speeding up the planning system, investing in social and affordable housing, and reforming New South Wales rental laws.
Belmore and Lakemba
Belmore and Lakemba TOD SEPP sites will be finalised in mid-January delivering more homes than the TOD SEPP planning provisions.
Detailed planning to guide future development around Belmore and Lakemba train stations has been submitted to the government to enable new residential flat-buildings and shop top housing within walking distance of public transport.
The City of Canterbury-Bankstown has confirmed its masterplans for Belmore and Lakemba to create capacity for more than 18,000 new homes across the two TOD SEPP sites. The final dwelling capacity will be analysed through the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s (DPHI) review and validation of the masterplan.
The City of Canterbury-Bankstown has planned for this growth by taking up the Minister of Planning and Public Spaces’ challenge of completing its own masterplanning to go above and beyond the TOD SEPP provisions. These are the second and third sites that Council has completed within the required timeframes, the first being Canterbury station in October 2024.
Belmore and Lakemba will be transformed with capacity for new homes, along with additional open space, strategic site linkages and increased affordable housing to be kept in perpetuity.
A new place-based approach will be applied to each precinct to preserve important aspects of each suburb’s unique character while embracing change. Tailored height and density limits will apply to key strategic areas chosen by Council so that there is an adequate transition for the CBD’s building height and scale.
This planning approach led by City of Canterbury-Bankstown will allow each precinct to leverage new employment, community infrastructure and transport opportunities.
The Department is now assessing Council’s plans with new SEPP planning controls to come into effect once amendments are made to the Canterbury-Bankstown Local Environmental Plan (LEP).
The Department will now review and validate Council’s plans to ensure they meet the Government’s expectations. It is expected that the planning controls for Belmore and Lakemba will be completed in early 2025.
Ashfield, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville
Inner West Council are in the process of undertaking a comprehensive LEP review. Once those plans are submitted to the State Government, if they go above and beyond the TOD SEPP controls, Council’s plans will supersede the TOD SEPP.
The government is awaiting Council’s submission of masterplanning for the Ashfield, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville TOD SEPP sites.
If council does not complete the strategic planning within the agreed timeframe, the TOD provisions will be applied in mid-January allowing Development Applications to be lodged under the government’s policy.
The TOD SEPP controls will remain in place until Council submit its own plans.
New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, said that the State Government has always acknowledged that local councils should do strategic planning for their area if they are willing to.
“Belmore and Lakemba stations have both been selected as TOD SEPP sites due to their location on the soon to be upgraded Sydney Metro Southwest line and they have infrastructure that would support additional housing growth,” Minister Scully said.
“These precincts were identified as great locations to deliver new housing alongside significant transport upgrades.
“Future residents in these precincts will be well connected with rapid new transport connections to the city and existing heavy rail links to Lidcombe and western Sydney.
“New South Wales needs more homes and a broader range of housing types to make sure every individual from young people to retirees can find a home to suit their evolving needs.”
