| “Parramatta is already leading on housing approvals and planning for 73,000 new homes over the next 20 years,... |
|
Parramatta housing report makes case for stronger planning safeguards
High-res images available here.
28 July 2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney- Middle East Times Int’l: The NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) is placing unprecedented pressure on Parramatta, with the City receiving more HDA applications and proposed dwellings than any other council in Greater Sydney and more than three times the metropolitan average.
A new advocacy paper endorsed by Council, Building a City Worth Living In – How the HDA is Reshaping Parramatta shows that HDA proposals if approved would bring nearly 20,000 additional residents above planned growth levels to Parramatta, creating the need for five additional schools, 47 hospital beds, 2,495 square metres of community space and more than 30 hectares of open space.
City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said the scale of the additional HDA-driven growth puts Parramatta’s liveability at risk and called on the NSW Government to further strengthen the HDA process to ensure infrastructure and services keep up with the growth.
“Parramatta is already leading on housing approvals and planning for 73,000 new homes over the next 20 years, yet the HDA has created a parallel planning system that risks overriding years of strategic work by Council and the community,” Cr Zaiter said.
“We support housing growth and recognise the role the HDA can play, but we need to make sure that growth is matched with the infrastructure, services and employment opportunities needed to make Parramatta a city worth living in.”
The report highlights that HDA declared applications represent a potential loss of between $231 million and $435 million in terms of planning agreement-led infrastructure contributions for Parramatta should the NSW Government not secure those contributions through the state-led process.
“The HDA pathway needs to ensure infrastructure is both funded and delivered alongside growth, integrating local council knowledge the process,” Cr Zaiter said.
“No other city is carrying this level of growth pressure. If the current trajectory continues, our community will suffer due to pressure on schools, hospitals, transport, open space and essential services.”
“Parramatta has a strong track record of working in collaboration with the NSW Government to strategically plan and deliver major infrastructure. We’re carrying our weight on housing and believe that warrants a seat at the table when planning for our City’s future.”
Council will write to the NSW Premier, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, State Member for Parramatta and the NSW Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Planning to highlight the cumulative impact of the HDA on Parramatta and advocate for changes, including:
• Ensuring appropriate mechanisms for local infrastructure delivery
• Establishing meaningful urban design criteria for proposals
• Creating robust delivery enforcement mechanisms to ensure proposals are actually built. |
.jpg)
