Cumberland Council should be commended for its proactiveness in holding community information sessions about the NSW Government’s Transport Orientated Development Program.
It should be noted that the Transport Orientated Development Program is part of the wider housing policy proposed by the NSW Government such as the changes to create low and mid-rise housing.
Council is urged to hold community information sessions about the NSW Government’s proposed changes to create low and mid-rise housing as the effects of this later housing policy will have much more significant impacts compared to the Transport Orientated Development Program.
With regard to the Transport Orientated Development Program and the changes to create low and mid-rise housing, Council is urged to obtain the following information from the NSW Government and/or conduct internal analysis of Cumberland LGA planning data to obtain the following information:
- Current population and dwellings of a 400m radius around Berala and Lidcombe station as part of the Transport Orientated Development Program.
- Current population and dwellings of all subject sites near town centres and train stations being rezoned for changes to create low and mid-rise housing.
- Population estimates and dwelling targets of a 400m radius around Berala and Lidcombe station as part of the Transport Orientated Development Program.
- Population estimates and dwelling targets of all subject sites near town centres and train stations being rezoned for changes to create low and mid-rise housing.
With regard to the development of the Transport Orientated Development Program and the changes to create low and mid-rise housing (diverse and well located housing), Council is urged to seek the following information from the NSW Government:
- Land iQ Tool and GIS Spatial Analysis reports created by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for both the Transport Orientated Development Program (for Berala and Lidcombe) and the changes to create low and mid-rise housing (for entire Cumberland LGA).
- The indicative Housing and Productivity Contribution (HPC) amounts to be received by Cumberland Council in each financial year for the upcoming 5 years.
- Transport for NSW: Travel Survey data/results for Lidcombe, Berala, and Cumberland LGA.
- Transport for NSW: Future Transport Strategy (FTS) and Medium Term Rail Development Plan (MTRDP) indicative Greater Sydney rail network services for each existing station and any future stations in Cumberland LGA (e.g. alignment of Parramatta to Kogarah line via Bankstown).
- Will Berala Station have direct trains to Central after 2030 as Transport for NSW is considering to again remove the T2 Inner West Line: Liverpool to City Circle via Regents Park in the 2030s.
Cumberland Council is also urged to make a submission to the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into the development of the Transport Orientated Development Program (including requesting data and information that supports a rezoning radius of 400m around Lidcombe and Berala).
Ultimately, at present, there is a lack of information for both Council and residents to make an informed conclusion regarding the impacts of the NSW Government’s housing policy changes.
