Sydneysiders are more likely to back more residences in their own neighbourhood than they were two years ago, but many are unconvinced by apartment living.
Sydneysiders are more likely to back more residences in their own neighbourhood than they were two years ago, but many are unconvinced by apartment living.
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By Megan Gorrey
February 4, 2025 — 4.05am
Support for higher density housing in suburban areas is climbing among Sydneysiders who are more likely to approve of ramped-up development in their own neighbourhoods than they were two years ago, although half of residents still believe apartments are inappropriate places to raise families.
A new survey shows 46 per cent of Sydney residents would back increased density in their suburb, compared to 39 per cent in 2023, as housing and living costs dwarf other problems as the most pressing concerns confronting voters in the NSW capital in the run-up to the federal election.
The survey of 1000 Sydneysiders, conducted by Ipsos and the Committee for Sydney think tank, showed that of those who backed rising urban density in their area in the next decade, 15 per cent were strongly supportive. About 16 per cent were neutral and 18 per cent were strongly opposed.
Committee for Sydney head of corporate affairs Matt Levinson said the results showed growing support for increasing density in every part of Sydney compared to a year ago, but “the knockout is the increasing support for density when we ask people about their own suburbs”.
“This is not a ‘yes, but in someone else’s backyard’ response. It is people really seeing the benefits of density in their own area,” Levinson said.
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“The great Australian dream of owning your own home is clearly sticky, but what and where that is – that’s something we’re seeing really open up.”
The results from this year’s annual Life in Sydney survey will be revealed at the Sydney Summit, hosted by the committee and supported by the Herald, on Tuesday.
It found 58 per cent of Sydney residents supported higher density development in outer suburbs and satellite centres, such as Chatswood and Parramatta, up from 50 per cent for suburbs and 47 per cent for satellite centres in 2023. One in five people expressed strong support.
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There was also a 10 per cent jump in support for intensifying development in Sydney’s CBD and in inner-city suburbs in the past two years.
The results showed more people in Sydney were open to apartment living: 37 per cent said they would consider living in an apartment in the future, up from 33 per cent a year ago.
One of the most significant shifts in attitudes was in Sydney’s northern suburbs, where 52 per cent of residents said they would consider living in a unit, compared to 40 per cent last year.
Despite this, half of Sydneysiders did not believe apartments were an appropriate place to raise a family, compared to 35 per cent who did and 15 per cent who were unsure.
Levinson said: “When you dig into their reasons – not enough space to raise a family, not enough space for children to play and make friends, privacy, pets – all those issues could be addressed upfront in design or through regulatory reform. We think these are eminently solvable problems.”
Access to public transport, proximity to family and friends, and a nice street were the attributes people most wanted in their neighbourhood, as well as proximity to jobs, schools, sports fields and parks.
Levinson said these priorities highlighted the importance of “density done well”, particularly as the NSW government planned to build more apartments around train stations – a policy that had drawn a mixed response from councils and residents in some areas.
“People are happy to make that move to density, but they want all those things that make it a good area,” he said. “If we’re serious about driving that move to more dense urban areas around train stations, we’ve got to make sure we’re hitting all these targets.”
The report found younger Sydneysiders were increasingly reaching for the Australian dream of owning their own home, despite the city’s stubbornly high property prices. It found 53 per cent of Gen X respondents cited homeownership as important or essential, up from 40 per cent last year.
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Levinson said while the reason for Gen X’s desire to buy a home was unclear, Sydney had to contend with its emphasis on ownership and create better conditions for renters.
“If this is a generation that is most likely to be renting for life, we need to set suitable controls that make renting an aspirational option for people like it is in other countries.”
The survey also asked Sydneysiders to pinpoint the most critical matters facing the city in 2025.
About 65 per cent of people cited inflation and the cost of living, while 57 per cent chose housing affordability. Those issues were trailed by the economy, healthcare, hospitals and transport.
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Megan Gorrey is the Sydney editor at The Sydney Morning Herald, covering urban affairs.Connect via Twitter or email.
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