The 2025 Federal Budget’s expanded Help to Buy scheme and the NSW Government’s Stage 2 Low and Mid-Rise Housing Reforms have been heralded as key steps in unlocking housing supply and boosting affordability, but new data suggests a substantial delivery gap remains across Western Sydney.
According to RWC Western Sydney’s latest Residential Development Report, 35,562 DA-approved dwellings remain unconstructed, despite supportive planning and policy settings.
With Sydney’s affordability challenge worsening and Western Sydney earmarked to absorb the majority of future population growth, the issue is no longer about approvals - it’s about execution.
“The planning system has done its part. What we need now is delivery - coordinated, funded, and fast-tracked,” said Peter Vines, Managing Director of RWC Western Sydney.
“Policymakers are making the right moves, but without real on-the-ground acceleration, these reforms risk becoming symbolic.”
The report highlights that the Help to Buy scheme has increased Sydney’s property price cap to $1.3 million, and lifted income thresholds to $100,000 for singles and $160,000 for couples -unlocking broader access for aspirational buyers. However, affordability measures alone won’t suffice without new stock in the right locations.
The NSW Government’s Stage 2 reforms, which aim to deliver greater residential density around transport-oriented corridors, could be transformational - particularly for Western Sydney - but require urgent alignment with infrastructure delivery and developer incentives.
“The opportunity is real, but the window is narrow,” Mr Vines said.
“To deliver meaningful affordability outcomes, we must turn these DA approvals into completed homes. That means fixing supply chain delays, fast-tracking enabling infrastructure, and giving developers the certainty they need to break ground.”
