The NSW Housing Pattern Book of low-rise designs has been launched, alongside a world-first new Complying Development pathway, aimed at speeding up the delivery of new homes significantly.
Planning and Public Spaces minister Paul Scully said housing remained the single biggest cost of living pressure people across NSW are facing with a recent NSW Productivity Commission report finding that Sydney is losing twice as many young people as it is gaining, putting us at risk of becoming a city with no grandchildren.
“The NSW Housing Pattern Book allows people to select an architect designed home, that comes with a landscape plan and an approval pathway that only takes a week to complete so they can start building almost immediately,” the minister said.
“Much of Sydney was built on pattern books. They look great, they’re simple and cost-effective. We’re accelerating these designs with their own approval pathway so those wishing to build can get an approval in one week.
“The NSW Housing Pattern Book takes the guesswork and the delay out of home-building. These designs are high-quality, easy to build, and for the first six months, they’ll cost $1.
“These designs offer choice, with less complexity, making it easier to build homes in NSW.”
Following the launch of an international pattern book design competition in 2024, the Government Architect has now endorsed eight terrace, townhouse and manorhouse designs for families, young people and downsizers that will be available for $1,000 a design.
However, for the first six months, the Government is significantly subsidising access to these world class designs with each pattern being made available to everyone for $1 per pattern.
The price for each design is a significant discount on the professional fees that potential builders or homeowners would usually pay for a custom architecturally designed home that could be estimated to cost over $20,000.
The Pattern Book was created to be affordable, easy to build, and sustainable. With each design to be adaptable for different family sizes and housing needs, this includes different room formations and layout, helping to create vibrant, diverse communities that reflect the people who live in them.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said every purchase of a design, also comes with a complimentary Landscape Pattern to help new home-owners design their own garden that maximises biodiversity and suits the climate they’re living in.
“For too long, too many people in NSW have been locked out of the housing market by rising costs and a system that made it too hard to build. We’re changing that.
“This Pattern Book is about giving people more choice, faster approvals, and affordable, high-quality homes – whether you’re a young person trying to get in, a family needing more space, or a downsizer looking to stay close to the community you know.
“This is a practical step to make the housing system fairer – and make sure NSW remains a place where the next generation can afford to live and thrive.”
A new ten-day approval pathway has been developed by the NSW Government alongside the Pattern Book to fast-track these high-quality homes, cutting major costs and delays that normally plague home-builders.
This new, fast-tracked pathway will create the opportunity for these architect designed homes to commence construction within ten days of an application being made, subject to all appropriate assessments being completed.
The Complying Development pathway will be available from 30 July 2025.
Government Architect NSW Abbie Galvin said she was excited to be able to share these patterns that can be used by the development industry, architects, planners, councils and communities.
“The pattern book offers practical and sustainable designs that can be adapted to suit many neighbourhoods, positively contributing to the character of a street.
“We are making it quicker and easier to build new low-rise homes that offer housing diversity for the whole community.”
The delivery of homes through the NSW Housing Pattern Book is further supported by the Minns Labor Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms that have made terraces, townhouses and manorhouses broadly permissable across NSW.
This laid the groundwork for the arrival of the Pattern Book, unlocking expansive opportunities for the designs to be adopted and built around transport hubs and town centres.
The NSW Housing Pattern Book will be advertised to potential home-buyers and builders through an advertising campaign, highlighting the benefits of using a pattern book design.
The NSW Housing Pattern Book, together with the Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, is designed to make the housing system fairer by increasing housing supply, giving people more choice in where they want to live and supporting communities that have been locked out of housing for too long, held back by rising costs and a planning system that made it too hard to build homes.
This is all part of the Minns Government’s plan to build a better and fairer NSW with more homes and services, so young people, families and downsizers have somewhere to live in the communities they choose.
To choose a home, please visit – www.planning.nsw.gov.au/nsw-housing-pattern-book
