NSW Small-Town Rezoning to Clear Way for 2100 Homes

Rezoning plans for a regional centre in the north-west of NSW could add 2100 homes to the NSW housing stock.

The plans for Narrabri, a town of about 5500 and about six hours from Sydney by road, would gain a mix of detached and medium-density housing as well as a new town centre under the state government plan

The proposal includes three precincts, each with its own focus—housing, employment and industry. 

The residential precinct has been predicted “to accommodate the future projected population growth” of the area, and provide “suitable flood-free land to support the NSW Reconstruction Authority’s voluntary buyback scheme for flood-affected houses with the Narrabri Shire”.

The Narrabri Place Strategy, which outlines the vision for the area that has about 13,000 people, acknowledged that the main challenge in delivering homes was development feasibility. 

It said that the median price at the time of the strategy for a standard detached house in Narrabri Shire was about $385,000, whereas the estimated cost of buying land and developing a standard detached house was $590,000 to $660,000. 

However, there are tailwinds that may help in the region stack up. 

The population within Narrabri Shire was anticipated to increase to between 14,500 and 16,900 by 2041, the strategy document said, creating a “pressing need” for rezoned land for housing. 

▲ Precinct plans include retail, aged-care, residential and employment areas.

The strategy also highlighted the proximity of the Inland Rail route, especially to the employment lands precinct, which is between the Newell Highway and the rail line.

The precinct, which aims to attract light industries and commercial businesses, would provide a buffer between the residential area and the Inland Port Precinct where more intensive industries were proposed, the state said. 

The town centre and retail areas would provide future employment, and it was suggested in the strategy that a shopping centre of up to 7800sq m of retail floorspace would “be required to service future needs”.

New health and aged-care facilities, childcare spaces and potential school sites near the village centre are also part of the rezoning proposal. 

▲ The three-precinct plans detailed in the Narrabri Place Strategy.

Further public infrastructure upgrades with improved sport and recreation facilities and active transport networks are also included.

Development applications can now be filed with the council for the three precincts that meet the requirements of the rezoning proposal and the Narrabri Local Environmental Plan 2012.

Narrabri Shire mayor Darrell Tiemens said that Narrabri was the second largest economy in the north-west after Tamworth, and that the rezoning proposal marked a “milestone moment”. 

“We must continue to stay on the front foot—and this rezoning proposal does exactly that,” Tiemens said.