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Transport Oriented Development (TOD)


Assistance NSW

Unlock Opportunity with NSW TOD Reforms Around Metro and Rail Stations
 

StraightLine Town Planning guides landowners, developers, and homeowners through rezoning, TOD-specific planning controls and DA pathways near nominated stations across Sydney and regional NSW.
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Chatswood Train Station

The NSW Government’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) reforms introduce new planning settings near selected metro and rail stations to fast-track housing, jobs and mixed-use communities. These reforms are embedded in Chapter 5 of the Housing SEPP and aim to expand access to well-located, walkable neighbourhoods 

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Under the reforms:

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  • Residential flat buildings are now permitted in residential and local centre zones

  • Shop-top housing is allowed in local centre and commercial zones 

  • A maximum building height of 22 metres (around 6 storeys) is enabled

  • Floor Space Ratio (FSR) can reach 2.5:1 

  • Minimum lot width of 21 m

  • A 2 % mandatory affordable‑housing contribution applies (for developments with GFA over 2,000 sqm)

NSW Metro trains

Tier 1 “Accelerated Precincts” (rezoned within 1,200 m of stations): Bankstown, Bays West, Bella Vista, Crows Nest, Homebush, Hornsby, Kellyville and Macquarie Park—delivering around 47,800 homes over 15 years

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Tier 2 precincts (within 400 m of 31 stations): includes Adamstown, Ashfield, Berala, Gordon, Killara, Lindfield, Marrickville, Roseville, Newcastle Interchange, and many more adding capacity for up to 138,000 homes

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These reforms span suburbs across Greater Sydney, Newcastle, Hunter, Central Coast, Illawarra and Wollongong.

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Landowner & Developer Support - StraightLine Planning

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  • Eligibility Check – We identify if your site falls within a TOD precinct (using NSW Planning Spatial Viewer layers and council maps).

  • Rezoning Advice – In Accelerated Precincts, we help with both strategic planning and lodging TOD DAs.

  • DA and CDC Preparation – We provide council-ready documentation tailored to TOD standards:

    • Statements of Environmental Effects

    • Architectural drawing sets at 2.5:1 FSR and 22 m height

    • Affordable housing contribution plans

  • DA Lodgement & Management – We manage the full approval path, including rezoning liaison, affordable housing provisions, and coordination with councils or certifiers.

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Why StraightLine is the Smart Choice

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  • Proven success in navigating TOD reforms for clients near stations across Sydney councils—City of Sydney, Inner West, Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai, Parramatta, and more.

  • Local understanding of council-specific responses—Ku-ring-gai, for instance, has paused TOD in some precincts (Roseville, Lindfield, Killara, Gordon) and is pursuing alternatives

  • Strong track record delivering high-yield developments that meet design, compliance and affordable housing thresholds under SEPP and TOD provisions.

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  • Burwood North Metro (Burwood + Canada Bay councils): Rezoning underway for 15,000 homes in a State Significant pathway—StraightLine is prepped to assist with masterplanning and DA design

  • Sydney-wide TOD zones: Bankstown, Homebush, Macquarie Park, Kellyville/Bella Vista, Crows Nest and Hornsby now permit mid-rise, mixed-use precincts—targeted rezoning and job growth precincts planned

townhouse development NSW

How to Get Started

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  1. Talk to Us – Send your address or parcel details, and we’ll confirm TOD qualification.

  2. Feasibility Brief – Receive a custom report with rezoning readiness, yield potential, and TOD-specific regulatory compliance path.

  3. DA Strategy Plan – We outline whether a rezoning, DA or CDC is most appropriate and when affordable housing obligations apply.

  4. Document Preparation & Lodgement – We manage architecture, SEPP compliance, affordable housing contributions, lodgement and follow-up.

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