Landcom Targets WestConnex Site for Key Worker Housing

Landcom Targets WestConnex Site for Key Worker Housing

August 26, 2025

Render of a proposed 21-storey build-to-rent residential tower on Parramatta Road, Annandale, surrounded by heritage and low-rise buildings.

Landcom has lodged plans for a high-density build-to-rent (BTR) development at the former WestConnex dive site in Annandale. This marks a significant shift in the site’s use from transport infrastructure to residential housing. The proposal is currently on public exhibition and supports a broader government initiative to improve housing affordability for essential workers.

Project Overview and Planning Context

Located at 160-186 Parramatta Road and 79-95 Pyrmont Bridge Road, the 10,850 square metre site previously served as a dive site for WestConnex tunnelling works. Since then, it has remained vacant and underutilised. Landcom now aims to repurpose the land through a Crown State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to deliver 220 BTR apartments in Stage 1 of a multi-stage redevelopment.

Landcom submitted a concurrent State Assessed Rezoning Proposal (SARP) to support the application. This proposal seeks to rezone the land from E4 General Industrial to MU1 Mixed Use. It also requests an increase in floor space ratio from 1:1 to 4.9:1 and a new height limit of 77 metres. Exhibiting both applications together allows for integrated planning assessment.

Build-to-Rent and Essential Worker Housing Model

The proposal aligns with recent updates to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 and the Planning Systems SEPP. These planning instruments identify the site as suitable for BTR housing. Landcom will retain and manage all 220 units and make them available to essential workers at rents capped at 80% of market value.

Eligible tenants include nurses, paramedics, police officers, teachers, and other essential service professionals. Landcom, working with Homes NSW, will manage eligibility criteria and rental subsidies. This approach directly supports the NSW Government’s Housing 2041 strategy and the National Housing Accord.

Stage 1 Design and Development Proposal

Stage 1 will deliver a 21-storey tower with a gross floor area of 18,146 square metres. The project includes 69 studio apartments, 62 one-bedroom, 81 two-bedroom, and 8 three-bedroom units. Communal spaces will appear on levels 1, 3, and 7, featuring landscaped areas, flexible spaces, and rooms for community use.

The ground level will include 866 square metres of commercial and retail space. This is designed to activate the street frontage. Residents will have access to 53 basement car spaces and 240 bicycle spaces. DKO Architecture designed the building, incorporating Indigenous design elements guided by Djinjama’s Country Centred Design Framework.

Artist impression by DKO

Open Space and Public Domain Upgrades

Beyond residential use, the development includes significant public realm improvements. Plans feature a central public plaza and landscaped upgrades. Landcom will realign Bignell Lane to improve safety and connectivity.

The public domain design prioritises solar access, walkability, and visual amenity. The stepped podium form reduces traffic impacts from Parramatta Road. Landscaping includes deep soil zones and tree planting to support urban ecology.

Community and Government Engagement

Landcom worked closely with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, Inner West Council, and the State Design Review Panel. Feedback led to design changes, including increased communal open space and improved façade articulation.

Community engagement also included local residents, business owners, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups. Djinjama provided cultural guidance to embed Indigenous stories into the architecture and landscape.

Economic and Environmental Assessment

The project will create 130 full-time equivalent construction jobs annually and 40 ongoing roles once complete. It includes sustainability measures and has been assessed for impacts such as overshadowing, flooding, transport, and heritage.

To manage flood risks, the design raises ground levels and applies water-sensitive urban planning principles. The project also encourages active transport and leverages existing public transport infrastructure to minimise traffic impacts.