Minns Parramatta Road Rezoning To Transform Inner West With 8000 New Homes

Parramatta Road has long been written off as a clogged, rundown strip, with past proposals repeatedly stalling over the years. Now the Minns government’s  Parramatta Road rezoning plan aims to transform it into a major housing corridor that could deliver up to 8,000 new apartments.

Premier Chris Minns framed the proposal as a way to tackle Sydney’s affordability crisis while reanimating one of the city’s busiest arteries.

“At the moment, we are so far behind,” Minns told reporters today. “Sydney is the 800th densest city in the world. That doesn’t mean we’re turning into Tokyo overnight, but there is a halfway house where young people can move close to the city. At the same time we can create vibrancy and energy for the next generation.”

Rezoning plan set to bring 8000 new homes to Parramatta Road

The neglected corridor, running from Foster Street in Leichhardt to Booth Street in Camperdown, sits less than 10 kilometres from the CBD. Currently zoned for mostly low-rise housing, the strip is close to trains, buses and light rail, placing it in one of Sydney’s most sought after inner west precincts.

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the Parramatta Road rezoning process would introduce new planning and height controls, with community exhibition over the next 12 to 18 months. “Cities aren’t museums. They change and evolve. This is an opportunity to turn a tired thoroughfare into the vibrant community we know it can be,” he said.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne confirmed a “block-by-block” analysis will decide where density goes, including adjoining streets. He said the plan will also weigh up affordable housing, active transport, new public spaces and commercial activity.

“By adding new homes we can address the housing crisis but also improve the amenity of the whole corridor,” Byrne said.

The government has ruled out compulsory acquisitions.

Industry and housing groups back plan but call for broader  investment

The Property Council of Australia backed the rezoning, but warned it won’t work without matching investment. “Turning plans into homes will require further investment in transport, community facilities and streamlined approvals,” said NSW Executive Director Katie Stevenson.

Housing advocates are also on board. Committee for Sydney chief executive Eamon Waterford called Parramatta Road a “boulevard of broken dreams” that needs “open-heart surgery” to become a place for people rather than just traffic.

David Borger, chair of the Housing Now! alliance, called the move a “bold opportunity”. “We cannot keep pushing density west and pretending Sydney’s housing crisis is someone else’s problem. This plan means the Inner West is stepping up,” he said.

The rezoning builds on Minns’ earlier commitments, including 500 homes planned for a former WestConnex site in Camperdown, with 200 set at a lower rate for essential workers.

For now, Parramatta Road remains a gridlocked stretch of shuttered shops. But according to planners, it could soon become home to thousands of new residents.