On Tuesday 30th September at the extraordinary meeting, the Inner West Council voted 8-7 to endorse its Fairer Futures Plan to increase housing density (8 Labor councillors in favour, and 7 councillors against – 5 Greens, 1 Independent, 1 Liberal). 

With regards to Marrickville, amendments tabled by Councillor Howard were made during the meeting that removed 20% of the uplift. While this is only a small win, it is significant given Marrickville is bearing the brunt of the uplift and dramatic increase in housing.

The reasons cited for removing some areas from uplift included:

• Their distance from Marrickville Train Station
• The presence of existing lower-cost rentals, which would otherwise be under threat.

This is a point we have campaigned on for years. While some of this housing has been spared, much more will still be lost under the plan. For full details of all streets removed, please see Mat Howard's Amendments in the meeting minutes.

You can watch the full meeting on the Inner West Council's webcasts page.

The endorsement of the Plan was a deeply disappointing outcome, with Marrickville treated as the sacrificial lamb of the LGA. Expect to see many changes over the next 10-15 years. Now that Council has adopted the plan, it will proceed to the State Government for the next stage.

For those affected by the rezoning – it is important to remember that no one has to sell! However, we know that many residents are already experiencing pressure from developers, real estate agents, investors, and land bankers. Bullying tactics, high-pressure approaches, and the fear of being the “only house left on the block” are sadly all too common. We encourage everyone to stay in close touch with their neighbours and double-check anything you are told.

Please be especially wary of Option Contracts. Developers may try to lock you into selling at today’s market rate, but you may not receive payment for many years. When this happened in Arthur Street, Marrickville, residents found themselves priced out of the area by the time they were finally paid.