Railway Land Unlocked as Council Plots 8000 Homes

The Georges River Council has released an ambitious plan to increase housing capacity with 8246 new homes planned across the St George region, including 393 units at Hurstville.

Part of that plans is the Hurstville City Centre Urban Design Strategy, which addresses mismatches in building height and floor space ratio controls.

It is designed to unlock significant development potential, offering greater flexibility and incentives for projects.

One of the developments already outlined is planned for 309 Forest Road, Hurstville, 14km south-east of Sydney’s CBD.

The site, which includes a strip of aged commercial buildings and vacant railway land, is expected to yield 393 homes based on current zoning.

According to online planning portal BCI, the developer is NSW Land & Housing Corporation, which will spend around $30 million on the project.

Owned by the state's railways since 1884, the land will be transferred to Homes NSW. At least 50 per cent of the development will be designated as social housing.

The Forest Road site is part of a larger initiative to use surplus state-government-owned properties.

The state has set an overall target of “30,000 well-located homes across government land, primarily located on major public transport routes”, according to premier Chris Minns.

Ten sites have been identified in the second tranche of this initiative, and are expected to deliver almost 1100 new homes.

Sites at Wooloomooloo, Sydney Olympic Park, and Hurstville will deliver nearly 600 homes with more than 50 per cent designated for social housing.

▲ Indicative architectural renders from the NSW Government of the commercial podium next to the future Sydney Olympic Park Metro Station.

Earlier this month, The Urban Developer reported the approval of plans for a precinct around Sydney Olympic Park Metro Station.

The precinct, greenlit by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will include three towers of up to 45 storeys comprising more than 300 apartments and 35,000sq m of commercial and retail space.

Sites at Marsfield, Seaforth, Minto, Newcastle and three Transport for NSW-owned vacant sites on West Botany Street, Arncliffe, around the M5 East portals, have been earmarked for housing development.

The Arncliffe sites comprise low and high-density, and mixed-use zones totalling 2944 sq m and could yield around 39 homes.

The council’s proposal also includes provisions for introducing residential flat buildings in the R3 Medium Density Residential zone and reducing minimum lot sizes for dual occupancies.

Multi-dwelling housing and terraces will now be permitted in the R2 Low Density Residential zone, excluding heritage and environmentally sensitive areas.

Public consultation on the Georges River Council’s proposal is scheduled for October-November 2024, with the final submission to the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure anticipated in February of next year.