Build-to-RentHudson FarrThu 01 Oct 26
Landcom Breaks Ground on 220 BtR Homes at Annandale
Construction is under way on 220 build-to-rent apartments for essential workers at Annandale, on the site of a former WestConnex construction compound in Sydney’s inner west.
Landcom, the state government’s developer, has broken ground on The Joinery Annandale, offering studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments at a discounted market rate to health workers, teachers, police officers and firefighters.
The development includes a rooftop terrace, ground-floor retail and commercial space, car parking, bicycle spaces and capacity for electric vehicle charging. A landscaped plaza is planned around the building, with native planting, seating and public art.
Landcom chief executive Alexander Wendler said the project marked a milestone in the developer’s 50-year history.
“This will set the standard for density done well, transforming a valuable government owned site in Sydney’s inner west into a vibrant part of the neighbourhood with a mix of homes, shops and public spaces,” Wendler said.
The NSW Government will retain ownership of the apartments, with an experienced operator appointed to manage them. Richard Crookes Construction is principal contractor. Completion is targeted for late 2028, with the first residents moving in from 2029.
The project was approved in December 2025 under the State Significant Development Pathway, a fast-tracked assessment route, after the site was identified through a land audit.
The Joinery Annandale joins a pipeline of Landcom build-to-rent projects, including recently topped-out buildings in Lismore and Bomaderry, and a planned 180-apartment project at Chatswood on a former Sydney Metro construction site.
The state government points to the project as evidence of its planning reform agenda, which it credits with driving more than 80,000 homes under construction—the highest figure in seven years.
Reforms cited include the Transport Oriented Development program, the Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, the Housing Delivery Authority, the Development Coordination Authority and the Planning System Reforms Act, alongside a $6.6 billion commitment to 8400 new social homes.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said essential workers had long been priced out of the communities they served.
"We changed the planning rules so homes like these at The Joinery Annandale could be built faster," Scully said.
Minister for Housing Rose Jackson said the project meant a nurse or a teacher in the inner west no longer had to choose between living near their job and affording rent.
Inner West deputy mayor and Labor candidate for Balmain Philippa Scott said the development would put nurses, teachers, police and firefighters closer to jobs, transport and services while retaining the character of the inner west.
