Written by
30/10/2023
Georges River Council has identified Mortdale for rejuvenation in its local strategic plans.
Mortdale is a suburb on the Illawarra/South Coast line about 20km from the Sydney CBD. It features low-rise detached housing with some medium density apartment blocks near the station and is strategically located to accommodate increased height and density but is being held back by local opposition.
To guide future development in Mortdale over the next 20 years, a draft master plan was prepared in early 2021. Local opposition forced Council to scale back an ambitious master plan for about 1000 new homes in Mortdale, which would have permitted 6 x storey buildings near the station with extra height allowed for projects featuring affordable housing.
The master plan was subsequently amended to incorporate two options:
Option 1A is a compromise, whereas Option 2A would result in a 75% reduction of new housing when compared to the 2021 plan and is devoid of any meaningful densification.
2021 Mortdale Master Plan
On 23 October 2023, a meeting was held with the Environment Planning Committee at Council on the Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan. Council resolved to adopt a varied version of Option 1A, which will see heights amended along Victoria Avenue to 13 metres (i.e. 4-storey developments). If these controls are eventually adopted, Mortdale will not generate much change, as these controls have applied to sites along Morts Road for some time and yet there are only a couple 4 x storey developments.
Since Council scaled back its plan from 1000 homes in 2021, house and apartment rents have increased by 21% and 28% respectively.
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