The Minns Labor Government’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) planning laws are now in force, having been imposed on communities without any opportunity for consultation and no additional funding to address infrastructure needs and essential services.
Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said that the Opposition supports measures, including increasing density along transport corridors, to meet ambitious housing targets, but they must be done right and in consultation with local communities.
“Premier Chris Minns called these the ‘largest planning reforms in the State’s history’, yet he failed to provide any opportunity for community consultation and the first anyone has seen of this SEPP is its publication in the Government Gazette,” Mr Speakman said.
“18 of 37 TOD sites are re-zoned for density around the station precincts today, without local councils seeing the planning instrument and the Minns Government denying the community any opportunity for consultation on the policy.”
“While these areas are earmarked for more than 175,000 new homes, the Minns Government hasn’t put one cent forward for new schools, roads or parks to support the increased population in these communities. Chris Minns can’t have a housing plan without a plan for upgraded infrastructure in all TOD areas,” Mr Speakman said.
Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Scott Farlow, said that this policy isn’t the end of Labor’s one-size-fits-all changes that are set to impact local communities across NSW.
“While Labor’s TOD SEPP has been enacted today, their one-size-fits-all changes to low and mid-rise housing are still to come, which will have drastic impact across NSW,” Mr Farlow said.
“These changes will touch every corner of the State, allowing dual occupancies in all R2 zones, while introducing non-refusal standards for apartments, manor housing, terraces and multi- dwelling housing across Greater Sydney, and overriding heritage.”
“The changes will allow for apartment buildings of more than seven storeys within 400m of town centres, yet the Minns Government refuses to tell the public which town centres will be impacted,” Mr Farlow said.
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