Plans revealed for three major suburb rezonings in NSW

The three sites, located near key train stations, will soon be home to thousands more homes as their councils embrace higher density. 

Local plans for the suburbs of North Wollongong, St Marys in western Sydney, and the Lake Macquarie suburb of Cockle Creek have just been released. 

Each of these sites were identified as part of the NSW government’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program, which aims to increase housing density around public transport hubs, jobs and amenities.

In this initiative, 37 areas were identified in Sydney and the state’s other smaller cities, where the government said it would introduce new zoning to increase density within 400 metres of train stations. At the outset, the project was anticipated to lead to the construction of 138,000 new homes across Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Illawarra-Shoalhaven and Hunter regions. 

Local councils, however, were given the opportunity to create their own plans for these neighbourhoods, so long as the housing component was met or exceeded. If they missed the deadline to do so, the TOD controls would be implemented automatically. 

To date, plans for 28 of the 37 sites have been adopted and 34 development applications submitted. 

Now, Wollongong City Council, Penrith City Council, and Lake Macquarie Council have submitted plans that surpass the TOD controls, including affordable housing near public transport and job centres. 

Thanks to councils’ submitting their own plans for these transit hubs, NSW minister for planning and public spaces Paul Scully said more than 170,000 new homes are expected to be delivered under the TOD SEPP.  

“These three sites have been strategically chosen to support increased density in well-positioned locations and we are already seeing strong interest in renewing these areas and adding density so that these well-located suburbs can be home to more families in the future,” Mr Scully said. 

“Each of these precincts now has an ideal opportunity to reshape and reimagine their communities with new modern public domain upgrades and increased patronage for local businesses.” 

What is expected across each suburb?

In North Wollongong, over 5000 new dwellings are expected with Wollongong City Council submitting an alternative site boundary that avoids flood-constrained land but delivers more dwellings than initially planned. 

“This project doesn’t just bring housing, it brings jobs, investment, and more customers for our local businesses. It’s a positive step forward for the North Wollongong community,” mayor of Wollongong Tania Brown said.

St Marys, part of Western Sydney, is set to gain over 9300 new homes by 2041. Penrith City Council plans to support light industries with a consolidated commercial core featuring co-working and creative hubs, while also proposing to rezone a portion of residential land for public open spaces.  

“We’ve led a place-based, evidence-based process that is going to transform St Marys, and it’s shaping up to be something really special,” mayor of Penrith Todd Carney said. 

“Our ability to deliver a comprehensive plan within the government’s timeframe shows the strength of Council’s vision and commitment to Penrith’s future.”  

Cockle Creek, located near Newcastle in the Lake Macquarie region, could see 1200 new homes.  

The Lake Macquarie Council is working with the NSW Government on rezoning the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) owned site at Munibung Road, Boolaroo.  

The area partly falls within the TOD area for Cockle Creek, and the HCCDC, Lake Macquarie Council, and the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure will finalise the rezoning proposal over the coming months. 

“It’s exciting to see this project moving forward,” mayor of Lake Macquarie Adam Shultz said.  

“With HCCDC and the NSW Government on board, we’re one step closer to transforming underused land into a thriving new part of our city.” 

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