Rezonings

Woodville Road: Unloved Sydney Highway to Housing

By Charbel Abousleiman

March 13, 2025
Less than 4 minute read

#1 Place for Development in Sydney

Woodville Road Corridor is a key area in Western Sydney. It is set for huge change under a new planning proposal flying under the radar in the marketplace.

Identified for revitalisation by Parramatta Council in 2015 and subsequently incorporated into Cumberland Council following the 2016 jurisdictional boundary changes, the Corridor is poised to benefit from targeted development initiatives. These plans aim to enhance both the built environment and the community’s amenity, providing a comprehensive framework for urban renewal.

31 sites across three distinct precincts have been identified for rezoning – Woodville North, Merrylands East and Woodville South. This ambitious planning outcome seeks to deliver a wide range of urban improvements, including new residential dwellings, retail spaces and public infrastructure. The plan envisions 3,617 new dwellings with a blend of medium and high-density living.

The rezoning introduces several significant changes:

Land Use Zoning – the existing R2 Low Density Residential zoning will be changed to R4 High Density Residential and E1 Local Centre along Woodville Road to facilitate apartment and commercial development. R2 zoning along parts of Lansdowne Street will be converted to R3 Medium Density Residential.
Building Heights – new height controls are proposed, with 9-12 storeys along Woodville Road and 3-4 storeys in areas further away from the road.
Lot Size – changes to minimum lot sizes are being introduced, reducing requirements to 900 sqm or N/A to align with the new R4 and E1 zones.

Woodville Road Corridor has undergone several changes in zoning and land use over the past two decades. Initially, the Corridor was part of the R2 Low Density Residential zone, a designation that limited its potential for growth. In 2001, under the Parramatta LEP 2001, the Corridor was rezoned for mixed-use development.

Subsequent rezoning efforts, particularly with the implementation of Parramatta LEP 2011, resulted in a return to a lower density form, limiting development opportunities. In 2015, Parramatta Council began preparing the Woodville Road Planning Strategy, which was later exhibited publicly in early 2016. This strategy laid the groundwork for the current proposal, which was formalised after Cumberland Council took over the area following the 2016 local government boundary changes.

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