Boos and cheers as controversial housing plan for Inner West Sydney gets green light

Sydney's Inner West Council's controversial high-rise housing plan is one step closer to reality, after a heated meeting last night.

The "Fairer Future" plan is designed to significantly increase housing density across the region, and aims to construct between 20,000 and 30,000 new homes over the next 15 years, primarily in medium and high-rise buildings ranging from six to 22 storeys. 

"The infrastructure that we desperately need is housing," Mayor Darcy Byrne said.

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The developments are slated for areas surrounding Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, and Ashfield train stations, light rail stops, and shopping precincts.

The plan is a substantial increase over the NSW government's existing re-zoning targets for the Inner West. 

The proposal was put to a vote at last night's council meeting, where it passed by just a single vote after some concessions.

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"A reduction of approximately 5000 homes from Marrickville and Ashfield to Parramatta Road is a way that we can redistribute some of the density," Byrne said.

However, the final decision on whether the plan proceeds rests with the state planning department, and community groups opposed to the development are vowing to continue the fight to stop it from going ahead.

"Five times as many people wanted a reduction in height and bulk as wanted an increas," Hall Greenland from the Better Future Coalition said.

"We will also lobby the state government over these plans, they are over the top literally socially and environmentally," he added.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.