Council seeking to increase development feasibility throughout Lake Macquarie

The Low and Mid-Rise and Transport Oriented Development reforms apply across five stations and five centres in Lake Macquarie. Despite the additional development capacity provided by these reforms, development activity has been limited to date.

Lake Macquarie City Council sought to understand the baseline feasibility position in several nominated centres across the LGA, why feasibility remained challenging despite the reforms, and what interventions could improve feasibility outcomes. Understanding these issues would assist Council in the preparation of the Lake Macquarie Housing Strategy.  

What We Did

Atlas prepared a detailed residential market appraisal and carried out development feasibility modelling across a variety of Lake Macquarie’s centres. Feasibility testing solved for the typologies, densities and heights required for viable development, then translated site-specific results into centre-level findings and policy options.  

The Outcome

The Study was a critical input to the Lake Macquarie Housing Strategy which was formally adopted in August 2026.