Land management
Metropolitan development program
By 2031, Sydney's population is expected to grow by 1.1 million people with an estimated 640,000 new homes needed over the next 25 years (City of Cities: A Plan for Sydney's Future, NSW Government 2005). The NSW Government has, since the early-1970s, maintained the supply of new home sites to accommodate Sydney growing population through its urban development program. Since 2001, this has been known as the Metropolitan Development Program (MDP).
The MDP is the Government's key program for managing housing supply and assisting in coordinating infrastructure provision. The program covers both infill sites in existing urban areas as well as the release of land not previously urbanised, known as greenfield areas, typically on the metropolitan fringes. By overseeing the release of new home sites, the NSW Government can ensure new suburbs and redeveloped sites have adequate services and amenities - such as water, electricity and open space - along with adequate funding committed for regional facilities such as public transport, roads, schools and health facilities.
The MDP is helping to realise the NSW Government's long term vision for Sydney. The directions for growth are outlined in the Metropolitan Strategy, related subregional strategies and north-west and south-west growth centre plans.
New land for housing
The greenfield areas of Sydney are an essential part of the new housing market — in meeting overall demand, contributing to affordability, providing consumer choice and boosting local economies. In April 2006, the Minister for Planning established a Land Supply Taskforce with representatives from a number of NSW government agencies to investigate the current status of greenfield land supply in the greater Sydney region.
MDP 2007 Update - latest information on greenfield land and dwelling supply.
Precinct Acceleration Protocol
In June 2006, the NSW Government formally announced the first tranche of precincts to be released within Sydney's North West and South West growth centres, based on recommendations from the Growth Centres Commission (GCC).
The NSW Government also endorsed a Precinct Acceleration Protocol, which allows precinct releases within the Growth Centres to be accelerated earlier than proposed by the GCC.
Click here for further details on the Precinct Acceleration Protocol
More information
The Department's enews@planning will publish ongoing updates about land supply.