Mosman Masterplan

PLANNING FOR MOSMAN'S FUTURE

Mosman Council is committed to providing its share of homes under the National Housing Accord and delivering well-planned, sustainable housing outcomes.

The NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy (LMR) is one of several tools introduced that aim to speed up housing delivery.

In Mosman, the LMR has sparked a rush of developer interest, 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.

The number of dwellings in any new masterplan must be equivalent to or greater than the capacity under the LMR. However, the community-led masterplan approach will develop local controls and redistribute density with consideration of Mosman’s unique urban character.

Council is preparing a placed-based masterplan so future growth better reflects local priorities, infrastructure needs, and importantly respects Mosman’s unique character.

A masterplan guided by community input means we can be more thoughtful about where and how new housing is located – making sure it lines up with transport, schools, open space, and services, while protecting what people value about Mosman, including its scale, design, heritage, environment, and distinctive feel.

This place-based approach will aim to deliver housing that’s well integrated, sustainable, and shaped by community input, not a one-size-fits-all model.

EARLY COMMUNITY CONSULTATION

Community feedback on seven masterplan principles and two options – ‘low and wide’ and ‘high and narrow’ was sought during early community consultation from 28 April - 24 May 2026.

The engagement generated an exceptional level of participation (approximately 11% of the LGA's adult population).

The program totalled 4000 instances of engagement through a variety of touch points, including:

• 2680 online survey responses
• 121 live webinar attendees and 330 webinar views on Council’s website
• 309 community drop-in participants
• 250+ community pop-up participants
• 45 business breakfast participants
• 30 stakeholder briefing participants
• 257 written submissions.

Consultation touch points

MASTERPLAN PRINCIPLES

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

Instead of a one-size-fits-all model, 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.

Following early community consultation and the Extraordinary Council Meeting in June, the masterplan principles were further refined.

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

	Protect and enhance the established character The masterplan will retain and strengthen the distinctive qualities of Mosman’s character – scale, design, views, trees, landscape setting, heritage. New development should reinforce, not dilute, local identity through context-led design.
	Celebrate heritage The masterplan will ensure heritage significance is protected through appropriate curtilage, setting and visual relationships, including controls for setbacks, height transition, and interface design where higher density occurs nearby.
	Protect local amenity and liveability The masterplan will safeguard public and private amenity by managing key impacts such as overlooking, overshadowing, wind, traffic, noise, and loss of tree canopy.
	Bring the community on the journey We’ll make it easy to stay informed, have your say, and see what changes as a result, especially in areas with the biggest change.
	Protect the environment Mosman's environmental assets are foundational to its identity and liveability. The masterplan will protect and enhance sensitive landscapes and set strong environmental standards for new development.
	Plan and advocate for community needs and infrastructure The masterplan will be informed by integrated community, transport and infrastructure planning aligned to projected growth. It will address local transport capacity, traffic congestion, and infrastructure needs, while ensuring growth respects local character and is supported by timely investment and delivery of this infrastructure so growth supports genuine community benefit.
	Plan for diverse and affordable housing Support the delivery of a diverse range of housing types and tenures to meet the needs of current and future residents, including families, young people, older people and key workers. Encourage housing choice, affordability and adaptability through a mix of dwelling types, with convenient access to services, transport, open space and employment.
	Leverage value to deliver opportunities for all By capturing a share of the value created through increased, development potential, the masterplan will reinvest this uplift into essential community outcomes - such as new open spaces, local infrastructure, and affordable housing.

Based on community and stakeholder feedback, Council's consultants have further developed and strengthened key elements of the masterplan, including public benefits, built form outcomes, infrastructure provision and movement networks.

While these matters were identified at a strategic level in the consultation material, the feedback received has allowed for greater detail and clarity to be incorporated into the preferred masterplan option.

The enhanced framework provides Council and the community with increased certainty and guidance regarding the long-term vision for the masterplan, ensuring greater certainty of building heights and demonstration of the integration of the delivery of housing, infrastructure, public spaces and transport connections.

Following the Extraordinary Council Meeting in late June, the masterplan is now further refined and will be reported to Council during an Extraordinary Council Meeting in late August/early September.