Inner West Council adopted Our Fairer Future in September 2025 and has submitted it to the NSW Government for approval, which has not yet been given. On 15 September 2026 Council resolved to put a draft Our Fairer Future Plan 2 on public exhibition, with feedback open until Wednesday 28 October 2026. The plan proposes around 31,000 new dwellings as a place-based alternative to the State's blanket housing reforms. TOD SEPP controls are already active at four Inner West stations. The question for landowners is not whether change is coming, it is already here. The question is what confirmed controls and the pending SEPP gazettal mean for your property specifically.
Our Fairer Future is not a rejection of housing growth. It is a recalibration. Inner West Council accepts the housing target, the logic of station-adjacent density, and the need for diverse housing types. What it disputes is how and where that growth should be allocated under the State Government's blanket approach, and what that means for heritage, flooding, feasibility and neighbourhood character.
The plan proposes approximately 31,000 new dwellings through two stages of Housing Investigation Areas as a place-based alternative to the State Government's Transport Oriented Development (TOD) and Low and Mid-Rise Housing (LMR) controls. Council adopted the plan at an Extraordinary Meeting in September 2025 and submitted it to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) for approval. Once the State gazettes the SEPP, Our Fairer Future controls will replace the current TOD and LMR provisions across the Inner West.
In the meantime, both the TOD SEPP and LMR controls remain active. Developers are running feasibility on amalgamations and approaching owners now. For property owners, understanding which controls currently apply to their site, and what the gazetted Our Fairer Future controls will confirm, is the starting point for any commercial assessment.
The NSW Government introduced two separate housing reform mechanisms. The Transport Oriented Development SEPP (Chapter 5 of the Housing SEPP) applies mapped controls around identified train and metro stations, enabling residential flat buildings and shop-top housing at heights up to approximately 22 metres (6 storeys) within specified catchments. The Inner West has one Tier 1 accelerated precinct, Bays West, and four Tier 2 stations: Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville. TOD controls commenced at the four Tier 2 stations in January 2025 after the Council's deferral period lapsed without an extension being granted.
The Low and Mid-Rise Housing (LMR) policy (Chapter 6 of the Housing SEPP) came into effect on 28 February 2025. It applies within 800 metres of mapped centres and nominated stations, permitting low to mid-rise housing forms including dual occupancies, terraces and residential flat buildings, subject to certain exclusions and hazards.
Our Fairer Future proposes amendments to the Inner West Local Environmental Plan 2022 through a place-based master planning process across two stages of Housing Investigation Areas (HIAs). Rather than applying uniform controls across a mapped catchment, it channels growth into specific corridors, centres and blocks with graduated heights and FSRs, while leaving the most intact Heritage Conservation Areas largely untouched.
Stage 1 HIAs cover an approximately 800 metre catchment around Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville train stations, and approximately 400 metres around Dulwich Grove, Arlington and Waratah Mills light rail stops. Stage 1 proposes capacity for approximately 22,000 additional dwellings. The Marrickville-Dulwich Hill Master Plan establishes a growth corridor connecting transport nodes and activity centres. The Ashfield-Croydon Master Plan concentrates density within Ashfield Town Centre and a series of north-south and east-west urban spines along Liverpool Road, Norton Street and Elizabeth Street.
Stage 2 HIAs extend the approach to Leichhardt, Petersham, Lewisham, Marrickville, St Peters and Sydenham, proposing capacity for approximately 9,000 additional dwellings, with a focus on light rail station catchments and main street corridors.
The combined proposed capacity of approximately 31,000 dwellings targets housing supply through to 2039, with a short-term National Housing Accord target of 7,800 new homes by 2029.
Council's own feasibility analysis acknowledges that land values, construction costs and the challenge of lot consolidation make the State's blanket controls unlikely to result in significant development in the short to medium term. Our Fairer Future responds to this with a suite of incentives designed to pull projects from theoretically possible to commercially viable.
The plan introduces bonus FSR and height controls for sites that meet minimum site area requirements, with larger amalgamated sites receiving greater incentives on a sliding scale. This directly incentivises neighbouring owners to coordinate, since individual lots may be too narrow or shallow to support larger densities without amalgamation. A separate 5 per cent GFA sustainability bonus applies to projects exceeding baseline SEPP (Sustainable Buildings) requirements. Key Sites in the master plans must deliver plazas, through-site links or park contributions to unlock maximum height and FSR bonuses.
The plan also introduces mandatory affordable housing contributions, starting at 2 per cent of gross floor area for schemes of 2,000 square metres GFA or more, with provisions for this to step up to 3 and then 5 per cent over time, managed through a Tier 1 Community Housing Provider.
Outcomes in the Inner West will hinge less on broad planning slogans and more on which controls apply to your specific lot, which side of a heritage boundary you sit on, what your lot dimensions and frontage allow, and whether site amalgamation with neighbours is commercially viable. Properties with consolidation value, corner holdings, wide frontages, sites adjacent to Key Sites, lots within active TOD catchments, are attracting the strongest developer interest now, before final controls are confirmed.
Chem Property offers a free site assessment for Inner West property owners. We review your property against both the current TOD SEPP controls and the proposed Our Fairer Future framework, assess current developer demand and the development potential of your specific site, and advise on whether the timing and structure of any potential transaction makes sense.
The full Our Fairer Future Plan and supporting technical studies are available through Inner West Council's Our Fairer Future project page.
Stage 1 HIAs cover an approximately 800m catchment around four train stations. Stage 2 extends the approach to additional Inner West precincts. Active TOD SEPP catchments (400m) are separately in effect at Stage 1 stations.
Stage 1 HIA. TOD SEPP active 10 January 2025 (400m). Our Fairer Future HIA extends to approximately 800m. Ashfield Town Centre identified as key density focus. Liverpool Road and Elizabeth Street urban spines proposed.
Stage 1 HIA. TOD SEPP active 31 January 2025 (400m). Our Fairer Future HIA extends to approximately 800m. Station catchment and north-south spines identified for density uplift.
Stage 1 HIA. TOD SEPP active 10 January 2025 (400m). Dulwich Hill Village and station identified as density focus. Dulwich Grove and Waratah Mills light rail stops also included (400m catchment).
Stage 1 HIA. TOD SEPP active 10 January 2025 (400m). Marrickville Town Centre identified for substantial density uplift. Arlington light rail stop included. HDA applications accepted through 2025.
Stage 2 HIA. Norton Street and Parramatta Road corridors. Our Fairer Future proposes density increases along key arterials.
Stage 2 HIA. Our Fairer Future proposes density uplift along Marrickville Road and Crystal Street corridors. Stage 2 master plan covers light rail station catchments.
Stage 2 HIA. Included in Our Fairer Future Stage 2 master plan area. Light rail station catchment.
Stage 2 HIA. Sydenham Road and Princes Highway corridors. Our Fairer Future proposes density increases along key routes.
Stage 2 HIA. Our Fairer Future Stage 2 covers Sydenham station catchment. Adjacent to Marrickville Stage 1 HIA. Sydenham Road corridor targeted.
Victoria Road corridor. Bays West (TOD Tier 1) precinct adjoins. Active developer interest.
Parramatta Road corridor. Our Fairer Future includes additional Parramatta Road corridor rezoning (non-flood, non-heritage areas).
Specifically excluded from upzoning under Our Fairer Future, consistent with Council's support for State Heritage listing of the suburb.
Stage 1 HIA suburbs shown with border indicator. Stage 1 = Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill, Marrickville (active TOD SEPP + 800m HIA). Stage 2 = Leichhardt, Petersham, Lewisham, St Peters, Sydenham. Source: Our Fairer Future Plan, Inner West Council, May 2025.
| Factor | NSW TOD SEPP | NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing | Our Fairer Future (Proposed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core intent | Enable mid-rise homes near rail and metro stations via mapped catchments and standardised controls. | Expand low to mid-rise housing options within 800m of centres and nominated stations using non-refusal standards. | Deliver equivalent or greater housing through place-based controls tailored to local character, heritage, flooding and feasibility. |
| Where it applies in Inner West | Bays West (Tier 1). Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill, Marrickville (Tier 2). In effect from January 2025. | Residentially zoned land within 800m of mapped centres and nominated stations, subject to exclusions. In effect from 28 February 2025. | Stage 1 HIAs: 800m around Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill, Marrickville and selected light rail stops. Stage 2: Leichhardt, Petersham, Lewisham, St Peters, Sydenham. |
| Typical built form | Residential flat buildings and shop-top housing. Heights up to approximately 22 metres (6 storeys) in station-mapped areas. | Dual occupancies, terraces, multi-dwelling housing and residential flat buildings. Non-refusal standards apply. In effect from 28 February 2025. | R3 Medium Density (up to 6 storeys) and R4 High Density (above 6 storeys) rezonings. Council-set heights and FSR by block with bonuses for amalgamation. |
| Heritage and flooding | Assessed through standard planning process. No specific local exclusions built in. | Explicit exclusions for certain flood, bushfire and noise-affected areas. Heritage items (listed) excluded, but Heritage Conservation Areas can still be subject to LMR controls. | High-value Heritage Conservation Areas excluded from upzoning. Flood-affected sub-areas removed from uplift. Haberfield fully excluded. |
| Amalgamation incentives | Uniform parameters. No specific bonus for larger amalgamated sites. | Non-refusal standards apply regardless of lot configuration. | Bonus FSR and height for sites meeting minimum area requirements, on a sliding scale. Larger amalgamated sites receive greater incentives. |
| Affordable housing | Some contributions referenced; specifics depend on local instruments. | Not the focus of LMR. Can co-exist with local affordable housing schemes. | Mandatory contribution starting at 2% of GFA for schemes 2,000m2 or more, stepping up to 3% and then 5% over time. |
| Public realm | No site-specific plaza or through-link requirements at SEPP level. | Not the focus of LMR. | Key Sites must deliver plazas, through-site links or parks to unlock maximum height and FSR bonuses. Separate land reserved for acquisition. |
| Housing target | Part of NSW-wide program targeting approximately 185,000 homes near stations over 15 years. | Statewide typology reform. No specific Inner West target. | Approximately 30,958 additional dwellings to 2039. 7,800 homes by 2029 under the National Housing Accord target. |
Both sets of rules are currently live in the Inner West. Understanding which applies to your property, and how they differ, is the starting point for any commercial assessment.
It depends on your suburb and how close you are to a Stage 1 or Stage 2 Housing Investigation Area. Stage 1 covers an approximately 800 metre catchment around Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville stations, plus 400 metres around Dulwich Grove, Arlington and Waratah Mills light rail stops. Stage 2 extends to Leichhardt, Petersham, Lewisham, St Peters and Sydenham. Haberfield is specifically excluded from upzoning. Chem Property offers a free site assessment that confirms exactly which controls apply to your address.
Right now, the TOD SEPP and the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy are both active and can be used to lodge a development application, while Our Fairer Future is still awaiting SEPP gazettal from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. TOD SEPP has applied at Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville stations since January 2025, and the LMR policy has applied within 800 metres of mapped centres since 28 February 2025.
Once Our Fairer Future is gazetted, it will replace these controls with Council's place-based version, so the position an owner is in today can change once that happens.
There is no single right answer, and it depends on your site and your own timeline. Selling now means transacting under the certainty of the currently active TOD SEPP and LMR controls, while developers are still assessing feasibility ahead of gazettal. Waiting until Our Fairer Future is gazetted can produce a clearer, potentially higher value where the adopted plan grants more generous height or FSR than the current state controls, but it also means competing with every other site in your Housing Investigation Area once demand catches up. Chem Property can model both scenarios against your specific site before you decide.
Developer approaches in Inner West have increased sharply since the TOD SEPP and LMR controls took effect in early 2025, and Our Fairer Future's amalgamation incentives have sharpened that interest further. Before responding to any approach or signing anything, it is worth understanding what your site is genuinely worth under the controls that currently apply, and whether the offer already assumes an amalgamation with a neighbouring property. Chem Property provides an independent, no-obligation assessment so you can compare any offer against your site's real development potential.
In many cases, yes, and Our Fairer Future is explicitly designed to reward it. The plan introduces bonus FSR and height controls for sites that meet minimum site area requirements, with larger amalgamated sites receiving greater incentives on a sliding scale, because many individual Inner West lots are too narrow or shallow to support higher density alone.
Chem Property models the collective value of an amalgamated site against each owner's individual value and manages the alignment process between neighbours from initial conversations through to a coordinated sale.
On 15 September 2026 Inner West Council resolved to put a draft of Our Fairer Future Plan 2 on public exhibition. Council describes it as its response to the NSW Government's proposal, aiming to deliver housing through selective density increases around town centres and transport hubs, with changes to building height limits in select areas and a proposed Iron Cove to Ashfield GreenWay. Feedback is open until Wednesday 28 October 2026 through Your Say Inner West, which includes an interactive map showing how the proposals may affect specific properties.
The plan Council adopted in September 2025 (Plan 1) is still with the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure awaiting approval, and Council cautions that its mapping should not be relied on for property or development matters until that approval is given. If your property sits near a proposed height change, a submission before 28 October is the way to put your position on record. Chem Property can review your site against both plans and the TOD SEPP controls that already apply.
Stage 1 Housing Investigation Areas cover Ashfield, Croydon, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville, where TOD SEPP controls are already active and Our Fairer Future proposes capacity for approximately 22,000 additional dwellings. Stage 2 extends the approach to Leichhardt, Petersham, Lewisham, St Peters and Sydenham, proposing capacity for a further approximately 9,000 dwellings. Rozelle, Annandale and Haberfield sit outside the two-stage HIA structure with their own specific treatment. Chem Property can confirm exactly where your property sits and what that means for timing.
Our Fairer Future has been adopted and submitted to the NSW Government, and the draft Plan 2 is on exhibition until 28 October 2026. If a developer has approached you, or you want to know what your site is worth, Chem Property offers a free, no-obligation assessment for Inner West owners, reviewing your site against active TOD SEPP controls, the adopted Our Fairer Future framework, and current developer demand across Stage 1 and Stage 2 HIA areas. Read our owner guides first if you prefer.