'Biggest rezoning in history' hailed by housing groups

The multi-tiered rezoning plan was unveiled on Thursday as part of a major planning overhaul for 40 transport hubs to cater to 210,000 new dwellings.

David Borger, a former NSW housing minister and chair of advocacy group Housing Now, called it the biggest rezoning in Australia's history.

A template-based approach to rezoning was more efficient than local councils ruling on a case-by-case basis, he said.

"The NIMBYs are in retreat and it's time that the ordinary folk who have been locked out of the housing market take back our city," he said.

Western Sydney councils backed commitments for more housing but stressed jobs and social infrastructure had to be part of the changes.

The mass rezoning also gave "rise to a concern that the more affluent suburbs of the eastern parts of Sydney are not shouldering their fair share of the burden of new housing growth," a Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils spokesman told AAP.

"There's a need for a comprehensive and cooperative approach to addressing the housing crisis in NSW, involving all stakeholders," he said.

Developers backed streamlined pathways for large-scale developments and a $520 million community infrastructure fund for eight major station precincts.

"This decision shows that the Minns government understands that metros are about unlocking housing supply, not meeting random benchmarks for journey times between Parramatta and the city," Urban Taskforce cheif executive Tom Forrest said.

"Historically, NSW has not taken full advantage of city-shaping opportunities for key transport infrastructure in greater Sydney," Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW chief executive Steve Mann said.

The Property Council warned against disrupting planning work already underway in eight precincts across Sydney.

Each area will undergo increased density, stretching 1200 metres from the station in all directions, to deliver 47,800 new homes.

"A year-long master planning process for precincts that have already undergone significant planning work is just too long and will only delay the delivery of urgently needed homes across Sydney," the Property Council's NSW director, Katie Stevenson said.

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the proposal, which was still in its early stages, left a lot of questions unanswered.

"The opposition is in furious agreement with ramping up housing supply and that will involve substantial rezonings along major corridors," he said.

"But it's best to bring communities along and give them the chance to have a say in those upzonings."

Mr Speakman said none of the planning changes would solve housing supply problems in the short-term, saying that could only be achieved by scaling back immigration levels.

Committee for Sydney chief executive Eamon Waterford urged the government to ensure more than 7000 of the 47,800 homes in the accelerated program were affordable.

"It's a great start, but 15 per cent affordable housing is a floor, not a ceiling in many of our global competitors," he said.

"With the cost of housing currently 13.3 times the average salary, we need to push our ambition higher."

Australian Associated Press