Inner West Council Narrowly Approves Controversial Housing Plan

Despite weeks of rallies and objections against the ‘Our Fairer Future Plan’, last night the Inner West council approved the controversial by a single vote.

​Led by Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne, the Council voted 8-7 to approve the plan.

All eight Labor councillors were in favour of the motion, with the remaining seven councillors voting against it, and   unsuccessfully tried to have the matter deferred.

“Currently, people do not trust us to actually deliver this uplift in density. More needs to be done to make sure we’re actually delivering for current and future residents so we can rebuild trust we have unfortunately broken,” Greens councillor Izabella Antoniou said.

The meeting was held in the public gallery, erupting in contrasting reactions as the council declared the result. Supporters of the plan applauded while wearing YIMBY shirts, while opposing residents booed and shouted “shame!”

The plan will see construction of buildings six to eleven storeys high around town centres and transport hubs, including Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Croydon, and Ashfield.

Light-rail stops and shopping strips are also in scope, with “shop-top” apartments scattered along roads such as Old Canterbury Rd, Wardell Rd, Liverpool Rd, Norton St, Crystal St, and Marion St.

Fairer Future plan passes with cuts to density but promises thousands of new homes

Byrne stressed the ‘intense’ housing shortage facing the community, saying it was “so deep, and so immediate, that now’s the time for action.”

“If you do nothing, you’re going backwards,” he said.

“If we scrap the plan tonight, in 10 years’ time, the problem – which is already a crisis – will be far worse, and we are in danger of becoming a community in which young people, renters and essential workers can’t afford to live,” he said.​

The plan aims to deliver 20,00-30,000 new homes by 15 years in the effort to guarantee future homes for young generations.

“Our Fairer Future plan will stop the exodus of young people and essential workers from the Inner West and make sure that in the decades to come our children and grandchildren can have a home in the community they love,” Byrne said.

​The plan stretches along Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, and Ashfield, with the construction of approximately 5000 homes, despite opposition from local residents concerned about housing density.

Up to 8000 additional homes will be added along Parramatta road in partnership with the NSW Government to secure equal distribution of development across communities.​

Proposed changes to the area’s housing plan have become more intensive these past weeks which resulted in many heightened debates. 

Last week, Council held a four-hour public forum at Ashfield Civic Centre that drew more than 80 speakers, alongside dozens of opposed residents rallies outside the venue.

Hall Greenland, chair of the Better Future Coalition residents’ action group, told the assembled protesters that housing “has got to stop being a commodity that landlords, big corporations, builders and developers exploit”, arguing the plan is “fairer” to developers than to the community.

Last night, Housing Minister Rose Jackson, questioned the council’s “so-called progressives” who made “spurious objections” to housing developments or broader plans for not including enough social and affordable housing.

“It really frustrates me when people weaponise this incredibly important work against new housing delivery,” she said. 

Inner West Greens disappointed with missed opportunity in raising millions for affordable housing

Antoniou spoke on how the Labor Party ignored an opportunity to raise millions more for affordable homes, alleging Labor “blew” a “once in a lifetime opportunity”  for rent-controlled homes in the recent rezoning scheme.

“The Mayor said yesterday he would support adopting the same developer contributions scheme as the City of Sydney – but Labor denied the Greens’ push to have both rates introduced at the same time to maximise opportunity to fund affordable housing.”​

“Byrne would rather give millions to developers pushing immense density in housing plans and missing the point of building genuinely affordable homes in the midst of a housing crisis.”

Inner West Greens Councillor Olivia Barlow said, “Just as housing supply won’t magically solve the affordability crisis, a plan that provides so little in crucial social infrastructure won’t create a fairer future for our community.”

Council to be granted an infrastructure fund of  $500 million for the next 10 years​

With the plan approved, the council will receive $520 million in development contributions.​

Labor Deputy Mayor Chloe Smith explained the money will go to new open spaces, facilities, and transport links for the growing population.​

The council also proposed a change to replicate City of Sydney policy of 3 percent affordable housing contribution, where developers must provide 3 per cent affordable housing in rezoned areas, or 20 per cent if they want extra building rights.

The council will revamp all five council owned carparks to be built for 350 new social housing dwellings.

Additionally, churches and faith-based charities’ lands are allowed to develop as long as 30 per cent of homes are social housing.

​​Better Future Coalition’s Greenland expressed immense disappointment over Tuesday’s meeting outcome.

​”It’s very much a divided council, it was only carried by eight votes to seven, and those eight votes were all Labor votes,” he said.

​”We draw hope from the fact that every other political group, the Greens and Independents, voted against it, so the fight goes on.”