Update: 29 June 2026
Woollahra Municipal Council have advised that the Draft Woollahra Affordable Housing Policy 2026 is currently on public exhibition, and that the closing date for submissions has been extended from 12 July to 26 July 2026 to allow for additional consultation.
Update: 10 June 2026
WMC Draft Woollahra Affordable Housing Policy 2026
Woollahra Municipal Council has commenced public exhibition of the Draft Woollahra Affordable Housing Policy 2026 (Draft Policy). The Draft Policy is on exhibition until Sunday, 12 July 2026.
The purpose of this Policy is to identify Council’s role in affordable housing, and to ensure that affordable housing delivered through Council’s policies (i.e. Affordable housing contributions scheme or a Voluntary planning agreement) is fit for purpose and retained for affordable housing in perpetuity. The Draft Policy provides direction to Council staff, Council, Community Housing Providers, and Applicants, to guide consistent decision making.
Key elements of the Draft Policy include:
- Affordable housing contributions are to be retained for affordable housing in perpetuity.
- Contributions are to be used for affordable housing within the Woollahra LGA only.
- Council favours in-kind contributions (i.e. dwellings) over monetary contributions. However, Council will accept monetary contributions, or a combination of both.
- In-kind contributions are required when the affordable housing contribution equates to a dwelling unit with a gross floor area of 50sqm or more, as set out in the Woollahra Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme.
- In-kind contributions must be fit for purpose and meet the needs of low and moderate income households e.g. suitably built, designed and located. Council, in consultation with Community Housing Providers, will establish a framework for assessing and accepting in-kind contributions to ensure that dwellings proposed to be dedicated by an Applicant are suitable.
- Council will retain ownership of monetary and in-kind affordable housing contributions.
- Council will engage Community Housing Providers to manage the affordable housing.
- Any decision to sell the affordable dwellings must be by Council resolution and funds obtained through the sale must be reinvested into affordable housing in the Woollahra LGA.
The Draft Policy does not apply to housing owned or managed by the Australian or NSW Governments, or to affordable housing delivered under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 (In-fill Affordable Housing provisions).If adopted, the Draft Policy will replace the Woollahra Affordable Policy 2021.
The Draft Policy is on exhibition from Wednesday 10 June 2026 to Sunday 12 July 2026. Visit yoursay.woollahra.nsw.gov.au to view the Draft Policy and have your say. Submissions can be made via Council’s Your Say page, or written and addressed to the General Manager, including the reference SC9794. The closing date for submissions is 12 July 2026.
Further information is available at yoursay.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/affordable-housing. The Paddington Society will be preparing a detailed response that will be published here shortly.
The City of Sydney Affordable Housing Program that was adopted 26 June 2023 can also be viewed. An update to affordable housing contribution rates and requirements is currently under review.
The image above is from the NSW Government Pattern Planning Book. They describe LMR housing as follows:
Low and mid-rise homes fill the housing gaps in existing suburbs. They increase housing supply without disrupting the character of a neighbourhood. Low-rise housing generally has one to 2 storeys and contains at least 2 homes. Low-rise housing comes in many shapes and sizes, including manor houses, mews, row houses, and terrace houses. Mid-rise housing includes apartments ranging from 3 to 6 storeys and can generally accommodate 6 homes or more, depending on the location, site size and building height.
State-led rezoning around Edgecliff and proposed Woollahra Stations
On 24 August 2025, the NSW Premier announced the NSW Government would rezone areas around the existing Edgecliff and the proposed Woollahra train stations to enable up to 10,000 new homes. Read further information about the announcement.
Rezoning is when the permitted land use and development controls are changed or increased to allow taller buildings and more housing density. For example, changing an area that is an R2 low density residential zone to an R4 high density residential zone and changing the development controls from allowing a three-storey building to allowing a ten-storey building. The NSW Government is investigating rezoning significant areas around the existing Edgecliff and the proposed Woollahra stations, which encompasses 18.85% of our LGA.
Since the announcement, Council has actively sought clarity on the implications for the Woollahra LGA. Learn more about what is happening.
Update: 20 February 2026
Keep up to date with feedback from Woollahra Municipal Council addressing their Affordable Housing Policy and outlining their opposition to the NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Reforms. Also their response to the Minns Labor Governments plans to redevelop the abandoned Woollahra Railway Station.
Update: 30 June 2025
Read the messages from Sarah Swan Mayor of Woollahra Municipal Council on 25 June 2025 that follows on from her message of 18 June 2025 addressing their Affordable Housing Policy and outlining their opposition to the NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Reforms.
Update: 13 May 2025
Under strain: Bondi waste water treatment centre. CREDIT: STEVEN SIEWERT
The Sydney Morning Herald has recently reported that Woollahra Municipal Council has requested a temporary suspension of state government reforms in the town centres of Rose Bay, Double Bay and Edgecliff.
An eastern suburbs council wants development laws suspended only weeks after they came into effect, saying the laws could increase everything from flood risk to the strain on roads, schools and sewerage…
Update: 6 May 2025
Learn what the NSW Government Planning Department heard from public consultation. Feedback on the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy.
Update: 22 February 2025
Sarah Swan
Mayor labels Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy ‘lazy and ill-informed’
The Mayor of Woollahra, Councillor Sarah Swan, has requested an urgent meeting with the NSW Premier and Minister for Planning & Public Spaces following the release of what is a “lazy blanket policy for ill-informed development” in Sydney, that ignores existing housing density, overrides heritage conservation areas and has no regard for community consultation or future impact on infrastructure. More from Woollahra Council.
Read Mayor Swan’s full response
Update: 21 February 2025
Click to view indicative map
The next stage of the Minns Labor Government’s Low and Mid-Rise policy comes into effect
The new reforms change planning controls within 400/800 metres, or 10-minute walk, around 171 town centres and stations, which includes areas of Edgecliff, Paddington, Bondi Junction, Darlinghurst, Kings Cross and Woollahra. Dual-occupancies, terraces, townhouses and residential flat buildings across areas of metropolitan Sydney, the Central Coast, Illawarra-Shoalhaven and Hunter regions will be permitted.
The NSW Government’s changes will remove the restriction on developing terraces, townhouses and low-rise residential flat buildings on R1 and R2 zoned land, while also removing the restriction on delivering medium rise residential flat buildings on R3 and R4 zoned land in these areas.
The policy will come into effect on 28 February 2025.
Read the NSW Government Press Release.
For more information visit the Planning NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy webpage.
Frequently asked questions Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy
View the Low and Mid-Rise Policy indicative map.
3 April 2024
Have your say on the NSW Government’s proposal to implement significant changes to housing in our area. The NSW Government’s proposed changes to planning for low and mid-rise housing highlight a complete lack of regard for existing housing density, local character, heritage conservation and local planning controls. If implemented, the reforms would allow much larger, denser developments than are currently permitted within identified town centres such as Double Bay, Rose Bay and Edgecliff.
We encourage residents who would like to give feedback on the proposed changes to visit the Woollahra Council website to learn more and make a submission.
