A tiny town will be given an entire new look under a huge housing development plan that’s been approved by the state in a bid to alleviate Sydney‘s housing crisis.
The development, which was signed off by state planning minister Paul Scully last week, will see 12,900 brand new homes built on a site in Appin in the city’s south.
The Appin site, which is owned by property developer Walker Corporation, will be built near existing infrastructure at the small town in the Macarthur region.
It was one of a number of precincts flagged by the state government for rezoning in November last year.
It comes as the government looks for ways to fix the shortfall of more than 130,000 homes in the state, which has gotten worse as housing supply struggles to keep up with increasing demand.
The state government has signed off on a major housing development plan at a site in Appin in Sydney’s south (pictured, concept art of the completed site)
Concept art has been released showing what the Appin site is expected to look like following the completion of development.
Besides the 12,900 new properties, the state government has also approved the development of new transport, education and health services in the area.
One third of the site has been dedicated to conservation to protect the environment and the local koala population.
Koala corridors will be reserved for the species after one of the nation’s most emblematic animals was pushed to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and logging operations.
‘The rezoning of land at Appin will provide for much-needed additional homes while reserving more than a third of the site for environmental and koala protection,’ Mr Scully said about the conservation push.
Concerns have been raised over the Appin site, with environmental groups taking issue with land clearing.
Others have raised doubts over whether there would be an appropriate amount of infrastructure at the site to accommodate residents moving in.
About 12,900 homes will be built along with new transport, education and health services (pictured, concept art of the completed site)
Mr Scully assured those concerned that the planned infrastructure for the area would be completed in a ‘timely manner’.
‘The combination of planning requirements and the reformed infrastructure contributions scheme to come into effect from 1 October will mean that the infrastructure needed to support those homes will be delivered in a timely manner,’ the state planning minister said.
Walker Corporation is completing master plans for the site before developing additional plans for sections where more homes can be built.
Last month, premier Chris Minns announced a range of initiatives to incentivise the construction of affordable housing in the state, including setting more minimum affordable targets and fast-tracking planning processes.
Housing developments of more than $75 million, which include a minimum of 15 per cent affordable housing, will gain access to a new State Significant Development pathway, meaning planning decisions will be made faster.
These developments will also gain access to a 30 per cent floor space ratio boost and a height bonus of 30 per cent above local environment plans.
New planning and development reforms in NSW aim to create more affordable housing and boost supply (pictured, NSW Premier Chris Minns with his wife Anna)
Incentivising a minimum affordable housing component in private developments on private land will build on the government’s pre-election commitment to ensure developments on surplus public land include a minimum of 30 per cent affordable, social and universal housing.
Under the new reforms, set to come into force later this year, the government will have the power to gazette more large-scale housing proposals as State Significant Developments, speeding up planning decisions.
NSW needs to build 314,000 new dwellings to meet the state’s share of the Accord to build one million new homes over five years starting from 2024.
It is falling short by almost 30,000 homes a year.
