New planning controls have taken effect around Cherrybrook Metro Station, creating capacity for almost 10,000 new homes and a mixed-use town centre in Sydney’s northwest.
The NSW Government finalised the Cherrybrook Precinct rezoning on 7 August 2026 following public consultation and revisions to the original proposal.
Amendments have now been made to the Hornsby Local Environmental Plan 2013 and The Hills Local Environmental Plan 2019, meaning development applications can be lodged and assessed under the new controls.
The rezoning creates development capacity but does not approve the construction of 10,000 homes. Individual developments will still require planning assessment, financing, land consolidation and construction approval before they can proceed.
Higher housing capacity near the metro
The final planning controls allow for almost 10,000 additional homes within walking distance of Cherrybrook Metro Station.
That figure has increased from the 9,350-home capacity included in the proposal exhibited for public consultation in late 2025.
The Department of Planning increased density and permitted heights on sites closest to the station and on some sites previously assigned lower-density controls.
The new capacity represents the maximum amount of housing that could potentially be developed under the planning framework.
It should not be interpreted as a forecast that all 10,000 homes will be built immediately or within a fixed short-term period.
Development will occur gradually and will depend on market conditions, construction costs, infrastructure delivery and the ability of landowners to consolidate suitable sites.
Affordable housing contributions included
New residential developments within the precinct may be required to make mandatory affordable rental housing contributions.
The applicable rate will generally be 5 per cent across the precinct, rising to 10 per cent within the new town centre.
The Department estimates the scheme could result in up to approximately 535 affordable rental homes.
The requirement applies to qualifying developments that create at least 200 square metres of additional residential floor space.
Detached houses and dual occupancies are not intended to be subject to the same contribution.
The affordable housing will need to comply with the NSW Ministerial Guidelines on Affordable Housing and is intended for eligible low- and moderate-income households.
The final number delivered may vary depending on which sites are developed and the amount of additional floor space ultimately approved.
New town centre beside Cherrybrook Metro
The rezoning supports the development of a new town centre adjacent to Cherrybrook Metro Station.
The centre is expected to include cafes, shops, retail space and local services, creating more activity around the existing transport hub.
A library and community facility of at least 3,000 square metres is also planned.
The NSW Government expects the commercial development to support more than 200 retail jobs once the town centre is established.
These jobs are projected outcomes associated with the completed precinct rather than positions that have already been created.
The timing of the town centre and community facilities will depend on future development applications, infrastructure agreements and construction programs.
Five new parks and expanded open space
The finalised plan provides approximately 4.6 hectares of new public open space across five local parks.
An expansion of the existing Robert Road Park was added following public consultation.
New playing fields are also proposed in both the Hornsby and The Hills local government areas.
Land for parks, local roads and pedestrian connections may be delivered progressively as redevelopment occurs.
In some cases, developers may dedicate land for public infrastructure in exchange for access to incentive height and floor-space controls.
The government is working with both councils on contribution plans intended to collect funding for local infrastructure.
Blue Gum High Forest to be preserved
The precinct contains areas of Blue Gum High Forest, an endangered ecological community found in northern Sydney.
The final planning framework seeks to preserve the forest by incorporating important vegetation into new public open-space areas.
Development controls will also guide tree retention, landscaping and the transition between higher-density development and surrounding residential neighbourhoods.
The existence of protective planning controls does not mean every environmental impact has already been resolved.
Individual proposals will still need to assess vegetation, biodiversity, stormwater, land stability and other site-specific environmental issues.
Heights concentrated near the station
Building heights will generally be concentrated around the metro station and new town centre.
The tallest buildings may reach 27 storeys in the central area.
Heights will then transition towards lower-scale development, reaching approximately six storeys near the edges of the precinct.
The final controls are intended to place the highest density closest to public transport while providing a transition towards surrounding neighbourhoods.
Some higher-density outcomes will depend on landowners combining properties into designated key sites.
Where properties are held through community-title ownership structures, all relevant owners may need to agree before land can be amalgamated and redeveloped.
This means the theoretical capacity allowed by the zoning may be more difficult to achieve on some sites.
Primary school provision added after consultation
Following community feedback, the final plan includes provision for a new public primary school beyond 2041.
The Department of Education has advised that upgrades to existing schools may be used to manage demand in the shorter term.
The school provision does not mean a new Cherrybrook primary school has received construction funding or a confirmed opening date.
The government will need to monitor enrolment growth and make a later infrastructure and investment decision.
Across northwest Sydney, the NSW Government has separately committed more than $1 billion to new education infrastructure, including new primary schools, high schools and public preschools.
Roads and active transport revised
The final plan includes changes to local roads, pedestrian connections and cycling routes following feedback received during public exhibition.
The number of proposed new roads has been reduced, while some routes have been widened and additional through-site links introduced.
Approximately six kilometres of new walkable streets, cycleways and paths are proposed to improve access to the metro station, town centre and parks.
Traffic studies have also identified possible upgrades to major intersections.
Some state and regional infrastructure may be funded through the Housing and Productivity Contribution, while local works will rely on council contribution plans and land dedications associated with development.
The rezoning does not mean every road or cycling project is already funded or scheduled for immediate construction.
Planning controls are now in effect
The Cherrybrook rezoning has progressed beyond the proposal and consultation stages.
New planning controls are now legally in effect, and development applications may be submitted under them.
Existing applications will generally continue to be assessed under the controls that applied when they were lodged.
Future developments will still need to address matters including:
- Building and urban design
- Traffic and parking
- Infrastructure capacity
- Affordable housing contributions
- Biodiversity and tree retention
- Stormwater and flooding
- Land stability
- Public-space delivery
- Construction impacts
Planning approval for an individual building should therefore be distinguished from the broader precinct rezoning.
Delivery will occur over time
The finalisation of the rezoning provides greater certainty about what may be built across the precinct.
It does not guarantee that developers will immediately deliver the maximum housing capacity.
The pace of development will depend on:
- Landowner participation and site amalgamation
- Commercial feasibility
- Construction and financing costs
- Housing demand
- Infrastructure sequencing
- Development assessment
- Builder and workforce capacity
The immediate milestone is that the statutory planning framework has been changed.
The longer-term test will be whether the rezoning produces completed homes, affordable housing, parks and community infrastructure at a pace that matches population growth.