The State Government has walked back plans for mass rezoning along the Sydenham to Bankstown line, with rezoning powers to be handed back to the local community and local councils.
This is a tremendous win for local residents, resident community groups including Save Dully and Save Marrickville, and for Labor-led councils that have opposed the plans.
The NSW Labor Opposition promised to rip up the plans if elected in March 2019, but still the Government had pressed on with plans for up to 100,000 extra people along the line.
Labor MP's, including Jo Haylen, had slammed the plans as reaching too high and too far into inner west suburbs, and for the lack of affordable housing and community infrastructure like schools, hospitals and childcare centres.
The decision also takes a wrecking ball to plans by Mirvac for up to 35 storey apartments along Carrington Road, Marrickville.
Rather than the mass rezoning proposed by the Government, communities will instead be asked to absorb growth figures as spelled out by the Greater Sydney Commission, with responsibility for any rezoning in the hands of elected councils.
Quotes from Jo Haylen, Member for Summer Hill
"This is a huge win for our community and I am proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with locals opposing these plans since their inception over 3 years ago.
"Our community has stared down developers and their soul mates in the Liberal Party.
"It was clear from the very beginning that this was the wrong plan for our suburbs and the Government now needs to explain why they've put the local homeowners through 3 years of pain and uncertainty.
"The Government has wasted valuable time and resources, which should have been spent planning for affordable housing and improved education and health services.
"The Government has wasted valuable time and resources, which should have been spent planning for affordable housing and improved education and health services.
"I'm proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with local residents opposed to this mass rezoning and will continue to work with residents to grow our suburbs in a way that nurtures everything we love about the inner west.
"It was clear from the very beginning that this was the wrong plan for our suburbs. Together, we've won the argument that people should always come before profit when it comes to planning."
"It was clear from the very beginning that this was the wrong plan for our suburbs. Together, we've won the argument that people should always come before profit when it comes to planning."