FAQs

Council is committed to providing its share of 377,000 homes by 2029 under the National Housing Accord and delivering well-planned, sustainable housing outcomes. The NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy (LMR), one of several tools introduced that aim to speed up housing delivery, has sparked a rush of developer interest in Mosman, but this one-size-fits-all approach has created community concern about pressures on infrastructure, local character, heritage and the environment.  

In response, Council has worked collaboratively with the State Government, securing agreement to prepare a long-term strategic Mosman Masterplan. A community-led masterplan will develop local controls and redistribute density with consideration of Mosman’s unique urban character.

Council has made every effort to secure an exclusion from the LMR while we develop the Mosman Masterplan. This included obtaining legal advice on Council's ability to challenge the state's policy, meetings with the Minister for Planning, submissions from Mosman Mayor Ann Marie Kimber to the Minister, as well as multiple requests in meetings and in writing from Council staff to the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure.

To date, Council's requests have been denied. Therefore, our focus has remained on delivering the Mosman Masterplan as quickly as possible to try to reduce impacts from the LMR in Mosman. 

The number of dwellings in any new masterplan must be equivalent to or greater than the capacity under the LMR. Council and the Department have agreed that the housing capacity under the LMR is 950,000 square metres, which translates to around 4,700 new dwellings. 

This growth is expected to occur over future decades.

Council has engaged Atlas Economics to develop an Affordable Housing Policy and Contributions Scheme. Work has been progressing on this project, concurrent to the masterplan, with Council having met with Community Housing Providers (CHPs) and a housing needs and feasibility analysis having been undertaken. Council staff are currently reviewing the economics of various affordable housing models to determine what approach would work best in Mosman. This could include financial contributions from developers in some areas, while in others, the delivery of affordable units within their developments in perpetuity. We are also considering Affordable Housing on Council’s own sites.

Council has engaged SGS Economics to report on the impacts of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy on Mosman’s infrastructure and provide an infrastructure needs analysis. This work will inform both the Mosman Masterplan project and a new higher-percentage developer contributions plan that Council intends to implement. A key part of the masterplan is assessing local infrastructure capacity to identify where improvements may be needed to support any future growth and ensure that livability remains high. 

Our place-based masterplan is guided by key principles that reflect community values and aspirations. 

Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, it looks closely at things that shape daily life here and local details that make Mosman unique – from our streets and buildings to heritage, landscape, how people move around, and environmental considerations. 

These seven principles will guide how decisions are made in developing the masterplan. 

Together, these principles help ensure future changes fit the local context, reflect community values and aspirations and lead to better social and environmental outcomes. 

Two options are proposed under the Mosman Masterplan: Option 1 – Low and wide; and Option 2 – High and narrow. 

Option 1 – Low and wide proposes a reduced area of change with housing redistributed within and around the local centre. This option emphasises more gradual height transitions and a balanced response to surrounding neighbourhood character.

Option 2 – High and narrow proposes a tightly-focused approach that concentrates higher uplift along the Military and Spit Road corridor and at Spit Junction. This option concentrates change in a reduced area.

The two options impact a reduced area of 13% and 9% respectively – less than half the area impacted by the LMR. 

The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has indicated that the in-fill affordable housing bonus provisions under the Housing State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) will continue to apply in Mosman Local Government Area and would be, subject to merits assessment, in addition to the heights specified for each option. These provisions allow for a 20–30% increase in floor space ratio and building height for developments that provide at least 10–15% of gross floor area as affordable housing.

State Significant Development (SSD) applications may currently be lodged anywhere within the Mosman Local Government Area, and this will continue following the adoption of the Mosman Masterplan. It should be noted that SSD applications rely on a separate planning pathway, with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure acting as the consent authority, rather than Council.

There are multiple opportunities to get involved:

• Complete the online survey
• Attend the webinar on 7 May
• Attend a drop-in session on 8, 9, 12 or 14 May
• Attend the Business Breakfast on 12 May

Council will use community feedback to finalise the draft Masterplan. This draft will be presented to Council for endorsement. Finally, the Masterplan will need to be submitted to the NSW State Government for endorsement. The State Government will require Council to undertake formal public exhibition prior to their final endorsement of the Masterplan. 

Council is providing updates through its dedicated Mosman Masterplan project page newsletters, social media, local notices, and engagement events. You can also sign up for project alerts on the Masterplan page.