ApartmentsHarrison CaithnessMon 10 Aug 26
Cherrybrook Rezoning Clears Way for 10,000 Homes in Sydney’s North-West
The NSW government has locked in rezoning plans to provide up to 10,000 new homes at Cherrybrook in Sydney’s north-west.
The revised planning controls will allow for buildings up to 27 storeys in the town centre, near the station and along Castle Hill Road, a significant change to the current six-storey limit.
Building heights will scale down to four to six storeys at the edge of the precinct.
The plan—centred on the Cherrybrook Metro Station opened in 2019—will deliver a minimum of 5200 homes over the next two decades, the state said.
Cherrybrook, on Dharug land and 27km from the Sydney CBD, will change from low density—now at 1.35:1 floor space ratio—to high density, allowing floor space ratios up to 4.1:1 in the town centre and 2.4:1 in surrounding neighbourhoods.
Eighty per cent of submissions to the state planning department opposed the plan, and more than 60 per cent cited concerns around excessive height and density.
In response, the government adjusted the exhibited 16 to 28 storey (52m to 90m) controls for the town centre to 9 to 27 storeys (48m to 96m).
The plan mandates 5 per cent affordable housing in perpetuity across the precinct and a 15-year 10 per cent rate for the town centre, equal to 565 affordable homes.
Bonus floor space and building height incentives awarded for 10 to 15 per cent in-fill affordable housing have been voided.
Developers applying for the state significant pathway will have to meet an estimated value of $60 million, doubling the typical $30 million requirement.
Five parks totalling 4.6ha will be delivered and tree canopy cover will be increased by more than 80 per cent and 20,000sq m of the critically endangered Blue Gum High Forest will be conserved as parkland.
The precinct is split along Castle Hill Road with Hornsby Shire Council to the north and The Hills Shire Council to the south.
Developers had voiced concerns that the proposed development contribution rate of 4 per cent was excessive and discouraging.
Both councils said the rate could be too low to fully fund local infrastructure, including a new 3000sq m community centre and library, and parkland.
The state planning department estimated a 4 per cent development contribution rate would be needed to meet infrastructure demand in the rezoning.
“Five new parks and 5ha of open space will give Cherrybrook families room to breathe as this community grows,” planning minister Paul Scully said.
