A controversial plan to build 31,000 new apartments in the Inner West was approved in a narrow vote in Ashfield last night.
Under the ‘Fairer Future Plan’, which received eight votes for and seven against, areas of Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville will be rezoned for high-rise buildings of up to 11 storeys.
Over 100 members of the public both for and against the plan filled the council chambers, with more spread into an additional room, frequently disrupting the meeting with cheers, claps, boos and calls to “scrap the plan”.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said adopting this “ambitious” plan will “reverse the exodus” of young people, essential workers and renters from the area.
“For far too long, local governments have put off action on the housing crisis, and that has only worsened the situation for many thousands of young people in this city,” he said.
Emily Lockwood, a member of Sydney YIMBY, said she was proud to see how far their movement has come, with over 60 attendees from the group at the meeting.
“[I’m] so relieved and excited that there is so much more opportunity for homes to be built for young people and families and downsizers and essential workers to live in the Inner West and have choice about the life they want to have.”
Lockwood attended the meeting with her partner Justin Simon, founder of Sydney YIMBY and their two children.
“I was so proud to have our kids in the chamber last night to see the culmination of all the really hard work that we’ve put into this plan. It’s not just for them but for their kids and people that they will know in the future,” said Lockwood.
Emily Lockwood was “proud” to attend the council meeting with her partner Justin Simon, founder of Sydney YIMBY and their two children. Photo: Caitlin Maloney.
The Fairer Future Plan exceeds the state government’s Inner West housing target of 7,800 new by 2029 under the Transport Oriented Development program, which aims to deliver at least 185,000 new homes across NSW over 15 years.
However, the passing of the plan has not come without criticism, with a feasibility report anticipating the average cost of the newly built apartments to be $1.5 million, according to Greens councillor Izabella Antoniou.
She said was concerned this was “wildly out of the price range” for young people.
“The immediate risks we need to support people through is the potential for landlords to want to cash in on these rezonings, and sell up share houses which are one of the few common affordable options for young people,” Antoniou told Central News.
“Without the relevant advocacy on increasing rental protections the lip service to young people is hollow.”
Leichhardt resident Doodie Herman, who’s part of the action group Better Future Coalition, said despite the plan’s passing, the community action against it hasn’t stopped.
“I think the community is very angry. I think that it’s pretty clear that this was a strong vote by Labor who’ve got the numbers in council and that it in no way represents what was an overwhelming rejection of the plan by the community,” she said.
Herman said the plan doesn’t address the issue of housing affordability, describing it as “all politics; no people”.
“There is no chance that this plan will deliver housing that people can afford – people on low incomes, young families, essential workers, will not be able to afford the prices that these new dwellings will be rented for or sold for,” she said.
Herman added there is not enough social infrastructure and greenspace included in the plan.
“When you’re delivering this massive amount of housing density, without providing all the other amenities that go along with that, like open green space and other social amenities, how do you actually create communities?”
Byrne said the council is creating a new $500 million community infrastructure fund and will start consulting with the community about how that should be invested, but argued the most needed infrastructure is housing.
“What we must avoid at all costs is using infrastructure challenges as an excuse to ignore the housing crisis… Housing is the infrastructure that we’re missing and that’s resulting in thousands and thousands of young people in particular being forced out of the community that they love,” he said.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne delivered a press conference commending the council’s passing of the plan. Photo: Caitlin Maloney.
Last minute amendments to the plan saw developments scaled back from areas of Marrickville, Dulwich Hill and Ashfield, with 8,000 homes to be built along Parramatta Road instead, in partnership with the state government.
“Importantly, we have listened to community feedback through the largest community consultation we have ever undertaken… transferring that to the Parramatta Road corridor is a way that we can redistribute the density in our Fairer Future Plan even more reasonably and fairly,” said Byrne.
Additional amendments for social housing were passed, requiring a 3 per cent affordable housing contribution on all private development in the upzoned areas and a 20 per cent requirement for any private planning proposal with additional floor space, based on plans by City of Sydney Council.
Antoniou said these social housing amendments were a result of pressure from the Greens and community.
“They are a vital piece of the puzzle, but Labor denied the Greens’ push to have both contribution rates introduced at the same time to maximise opportunity to fund affordable housing,” she said.
“This means we’re potentially losing huge opportunities to capture the immediate value increase in Ashfield, Marrickville and Dulwich hill – and millions that could be used to build genuinely affordable, rent capped housing.”
Greens Councillor Izabella Antoniou (centre) spoke against the plan at last night’s council meeting. Photo: Caitlin Maloney.
Byrne argued that the Fairer Future Plan contained “unprecedented reforms” to deliver social housing, by allowing faith-based groups to develop land for housing in return for delivery of 30 per cent social housing on that land.
“By introducing this control, we’re providing a real incentive for churches to live up to their social justice mission that where they have surplus land, rather than flogging it off to the highest bidder, they can do something for equality in their local community,” he said.
Currently, Inner West Council owns 19 social houses. Under the plan, the conversion of council-owned carparks can deliver up to 350 social houses according to Byrne.
“This is a creative way for local councils to contribute to the housing crisis and I encourage all councils across Sydney to adopt our policy as well,” he said.
Main image of council meeting attendees by Caitlin Maloney.
