Mortdale Master Plan

Mortdale is a suburb on the Illawarra/South Coast line, about 20 kilometres from the CBD. It features low-rise detached housing, with some medium-density apartment blocks near the station.

Georges River Council has identified Mortdale for rejuvenation in its local plans. It is a great place to accommodate increased height and density, but local opposition is dragging these plans down. 

We’re asking Sydney YIMBY members to write to Georges River Councillors (their emails are at the bottom of this post for you to copy + paste) and attend the Council meeting on Monday 23 October to support Option 1A of the Mortdale Local Centre Masterplan.

Mortdale is predominantly two-storey shops and detatched houses. Plans for more housing have been repeatedly stymied by NIMBY opposition.

Council staff and some councillors are arguing for an extra 578 homes in Mortdale. This is known as Option 1A of the Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan. This would increase heights from two to six storeys around the station, and four storeys along Morts Road.

Other councillors are supporting Option 2A - with just 270 extra homes and a limit of four storeys, above shops only. This is hardly meaningful densification. 

Even worse, it’s unlikely that a four-storey limit will generate much change. Four storey controls have applied to the Morts Road area for some time, yet there are just two four-storey developments on Morts Road. Plenty of opportunity, but little change. 

It’s even worse when you look at the history. In 2021, local opposition forced Council to scale back a far more ambitious Master Plan for around 1000 extra homes in Mortdale, which would have permitted six storeys across Mortdale, with extra height for developments that included affordable housing.

Since then, house rents in Mortdale have increased 21% and unit rents have jumped 28%.

The 2021 Mortdale Master Plan (sadly rejected due to NIMBY opposition), Option 1A, and Option 2A.

Option 1A is the compromise option. Adoption of Option 2A would result in a 75% reduction of new housing compared to the 2021 Plan. This shows how damaging NIMBY opposition can be to housing supply. 

Council staff proposed Option 1A at last week’s Environment and Planning Committee meeting, but some councillors amended this to recommend Option 2A instead. That’s despite community consultation indicating equal support for either option. 

There's still hope for a different outcome. The decision now goes to a full Council Meeting at 7pm, Monday 23 October, at the Georges River Council Chambers in McMahon Street, Hurstville.

You are very welcome to join us at the meeting, even just to show your support. Sydney YIMBY will be sending a contingent to speak in favour of Option 1A. If you would also like to speak in favour, you can register on Council’s website. 

You can also write to Georges River Councillors encouraging them to do the right thing and support desperately needed housing supply. 

We hope that a majority of councilors will support Option 1A, to prioritise growth, revitalisation, and increased housing supply.

Councillor emails

For your convenience, just copy and paste the below emails to contact all 15 Georges River Councillors.

bwang@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; cjamieson@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; csymington@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; eborg@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; klandsberry@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; lkonjarski@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; nliu@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; nmort@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; nkatris@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; nsmerdely@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; pmahoney@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; selmir@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; sstratikopoulos@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; aambihaipahar@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au; vficarra@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au