Member clubs are advised that the NSW Productivity and Equality Commission has released a research paper on housing in NSW.
The paper, Building more homes where the numbers stack up, considers how to improve housing affordability and make better use of Sydney’s infrastructure.
Key findings from the paper include recommendations for the NSW Government to consider in future waves of reform, including:
- Zoning for an abundance of new homes, and requiring local councils to maintain an abundance of feasible housing capacity relative to their housing targets
- Allowing more homes to be built in the east, north and inner suburbs of Sydney, where feasibility is high
- Relaxing overly restrictive planning controls, such as heritage protections
- Prioritising new homes in areas where infrastructure already exists or has spare capacity, and using targeted infrastructure investments in the long run to unlock more homes where people want to live
- Ensuring planning decisions are backed by robust feasibility modelling.
It also noted that building new homes is still highly feasible in large parts of Sydney. The research paper can be found here.
Positively, a number of the recommendations from the paper align with the McKell Institute Report, Community Hubs for Housing the Community. These include:
- Both reports identifying current zoning requirements as a major barrier to housing development and recommend that the NSW Government consider reforms in the space (i.e. both support rezoning land that is currently restricted for housing development)
- Both reports supporting a stronger role for state-led planning mechanisms, including use of the Housing Delivery Authority and streamlined approval pathways to accelerate housing delivery
- Both reports supporting unlocking housing opportunities on well-located land with access to existing infrastructure and services, recognising that making better use of underutilised sites can contribute to housing supply outcomes.
Further information
ClubsNSW issued a circular on the McKell Institute Report, which is available here.
Please contact ClubAssist on 1300 730 001 or [email protected] if you have any further questions.
This document has been prepared for the benefit of members and partners of ClubsNSW, and is intended for general information only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice. You should consider your own individual circumstances and obtain your own independent advice before acting on this document. All copyright subsisting in this document is owned by, or licensed to, ClubsNSW or its contributors. Except for authorised use by members and partners of ClubsNSW in their own organisations, this document must not be reproduced, communicated, or otherwise disclosed in any form by any means without the prior written consent of ClubsNSW. If you are unsure about your rights, please contact ClubASSIST on 1300 730 001. © ClubsNSW or its contributors 2026
