Image via NSW Government Planning
The first terrace homes built using the NSW Government’s pre-approved “pattern designs” are now under construction, marking a practical step in the state’s push to increase the supply of affordable suburban housing. The milestone comes as Sydney’s housing affordability continues to deteriorate, with the city’s median house price hovering just below $1.6 million, as earlier reported by the Australian Financial Review.
Seven terrace homes based on the government’s pattern book are being built at Edmondson Park in Sydney’s south-west growth corridor. The pattern book includes 18 architect-designed, pre-approved plans intended to significantly reduce planning approval times for low- and mid-rise developments. Six of the homes, designed by Other Architects, will be sold by state developer Landcom in early 2027, while one will be retained as a demonstration project. Pricing will be set closer to completion.
The initiative directly targets what planners describe as Sydney’s “missing middle”: housing that sits between high-density apartments and traditional detached houses. These terraces are designed to offer more space than most apartments while using land more efficiently than freestanding homes, an increasingly important balance for young families, couples and downsizers.
Affordability pressures remain acute. With a median house price of about $1.28 million in Edmondson Park, even outer suburban areas are becoming difficult to access for first-time buyers. According to December data from Cotality, a dual-income household on average wages cannot afford a house within 30 kilometres of the Sydney CBD without additional income.
At the same time, the expansion of Labor’s flagship first home buyer schemes has intensified competition at the lower end of the market. New buyers and investors are increasingly focused on outer suburban areas where houses offer more space than apartments, pushing prices higher in those locations.
The pattern housing program is one element of a broader urban infill strategy that has sparked political tension, particularly in affluent suburbs such as Woollahra and Mosman. The NSW Government has overridden some local planning controls to allow more low- and mid-rise apartments around 171 town centres, as well as taller developments near major transport hubs.
Planning Minister Paul Scully described the Edmondson Park build as a key proof point for the policy. “This is an exciting milestone, with a number of pattern design applications in the planning system and more about to start construction,” he said. “We hope to see these great designs popping up in streets and suburbs right across the state.”
Further developments using the pattern designs are expected to commence next year, with projects planned in Gymea, Cronulla, Corrimal, Engadine, Chipping Norton, Carlton and Baulkham Hills.
Cost is a central attraction of the scheme. The pattern designs are available for $1000, far below the tens of thousands typically charged for bespoke architectural plans. For the first six months, the designs were offered for just $1, helping drive strong uptake. More than 21,000 designs have been sold since the program was announced.
Landcom chief executive Alex Wendler said the Edmondson Park project demonstrates how pattern designs can translate from concept to construction. “We’re making homes happen by demonstrating the potential of the pattern book designs in our development,” he said.
As approval bottlenecks and construction costs continue to challenge housing supply, the success of these early projects will be closely watched by policymakers, developers and home buyers alike.
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