A nuanced approach to the distribution of density, growth and supporting infrastructure.

Per the National Housing Accord, the NSW Government committed to facilitating the delivery of 377,000 new homes by 2029. The NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure introduced the Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program as part of a suite of planning initiatives to enable housing supply.

The TOD program included the precincts of Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville. All located in the Inner West local government area. New planning controls created to allow for 6 storey residential flat buildings. As well as including Heritage Conservation Areas.

Inner West Council resolved to take an alternate approach and prepare a Housing Investigation Area Masterplan to instead focus increases to density in well-located and well-serviced parts of the LGA.  

The Masterplan takes a place-led approach to housing. It leverages transport nodes, parks and other key community facilities. The boundaries of planning change expanded to include suitable areas within an 800m catchment of train stations. If implemented, new planning controls would replace the TOD program scenario. With the previous planning controls repealed.

What we did

Atlas carried out financial feasibility analysis to assist Council with the development of the Masterplan. The analysis assisted Council in identifying key sites that had the potential to support delivery of on-site infrastructure.

Atlas additionally prepared an estimate of development take-up under the Masterplan. This focused on parts of suburbs in Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill, Marrickville, Leichhardt, Lilyfield, Petersham, Annandale, Stanmore and St Peters.

The estimate of development take-up helped Council understand the relative deliverability of planning controls under the Masterplan compared to a scenario under the NSW Government’s TOD program.

The outcome

In May 2025, Council resolved to place ‘Our Fairer Future Plan’ on public exhibition. Thereafter, presented a submission to NSW Government for implementation through a State-led fast track approval pathway.