LMR Eligible Suburbs: Complete Sydney List 2025

The NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise (LMR) housing policy designates 171 suburbs across Greater Sydney, Newcastle, and the Central Coast for streamlined development approvals. If your property is in one of these suburbs, and meets other criteria, you may be eligible for 10 day CDC approvals. Here’s the complete list and what it means for property owners.

Understanding LMR Eligibility

Being in an “LMR suburb” is necessary but not sufficient for eligibility. Your specific property must also meet:

1. Station Proximity: Within 800 metres walking distance of an eligible train station
2. Appropriate Zoning: R2, R3, or R4 residential zone
3. No Exclusions: Not affected by heritage, flood, or other planning restrictions

Important: The 800m requirement is walking distance, not straight line distance. Barriers like rivers, railways, and major roads affect actual walking routes.

Sydney Suburbs by Region

Inner West Corridor

This corridor represents some of the highest value LMR opportunities, combining established infrastructure with strong demand:

Suburb	Station	Notes
Burwood	Burwood	Major activity centre, R3/R4 zones
Strathfield	Strathfield	Junction station, extensive R3
Homebush	Homebush	Olympic Park proximity
Rhodes	Rhodes	Waterfront location
Meadowbank	Meadowbank	River views available
Concord West	Concord West	Family oriented area
North Strathfield	North Strathfield	Growing demand
Croydon	Croydon	Inner west convenience
Ashfield	Ashfield	Established retail centre
Summer Hill	Summer Hill	Village atmosphere
Lewisham	Lewisham	Close to city
Petersham	Petersham	Heritage character
Stanmore	Stanmore	Café culture
Newtown	Newtown	Inner city premium

Northern Sydney

Premium suburbs with strong capital growth history:

Suburb	Station	Notes
Chatswood	Chatswood	Major commercial centre
Epping	Epping	Metro and rail interchange
Hornsby	Hornsby	Regional centre
Gordon	Gordon	Upper North Shore
Lindfield	Lindfield	Established prestige
Roseville	Roseville	Family focused
Killara	Killara	Leafy streets
Pymble	Pymble	Large lots available
Turramurra	Turramurra	Bushland setting
Wahroonga	Wahroonga	Heritage character
Waitara	Waitara	Near Hornsby centre
Normanhurst	Normanhurst	Quiet residential
Thornleigh	Thornleigh	Bush proximity
Pennant Hills	Pennant Hills	Growing area
Beecroft	Beecroft	Village atmosphere
Cheltenham	Cheltenham	Emerging opportunities
Eastwood	Eastwood	Multicultural hub
Denistone	Denistone	Quiet residential

Western Sydney

Affordable entry points with strong growth potential:

Suburb	Station	Notes
Parramatta	Parramatta	Sydney’s second CBD
Westmead	Westmead	Hospital precinct
Penrith	Penrith	Regional centre
Blacktown	Blacktown	Major hub
Seven Hills	Seven Hills	Growing area
Toongabbie	Toongabbie	Residential focus
Wentworthville	Wentworthville	Established area
Harris Park	Harris Park	Near Parramatta CBD
Granville	Granville	Transport hub
Merrylands	Merrylands	Growing centre
Guildford	Guildford	Residential area
Yennora	Yennora	Industrial transition
Fairfield	Fairfield	Regional centre
Canley Vale	Canley Vale	Emerging area
Cabramatta	Cabramatta	Cultural precinct
Liverpool	Liverpool	Major regional centre
Mount Druitt	Mount Druitt	Regeneration area
Rooty Hill	Rooty Hill	Western hub
Doonside	Doonside	Affordable entry
Quakers Hill	Quakers Hill	Family area
Schofields	Schofields	Growth corridor
Riverstone	Riverstone	Emerging area

South Sydney

Established suburbs with airport and port proximity:

Suburb	Station	Notes
Hurstville	Hurstville	Major centre
Rockdale	Rockdale	Transport hub
Kogarah	Kogarah	Hospital precinct
Carlton	Carlton	Residential focus
Allawah	Allawah	Quiet area
Penshurst	Penshurst	Established suburb
Mortdale	Mortdale	Village feel
Oatley	Oatley	River proximity
Como	Como	Waterfront potential
Jannali	Jannali	Family area
Sutherland	Sutherland	Regional centre
Kirrawee	Kirrawee	Growing area
Gymea	Gymea	Established suburb
Miranda	Miranda	Major shopping centre
Caringbah	Caringbah	Near beaches
Cronulla	Cronulla	Beach lifestyle
Banksia	Banksia	Residential area
Arncliffe	Arncliffe	Airport proximity
Wolli Creek	Wolli Creek	High density area
Tempe	Tempe	Inner south
Sydenham	Sydenham	Transport hub
Marrickville	Marrickville	Creative precinct
Dulwich Hill	Dulwich Hill	Light rail access

North West Sydney

Metro corridor with rapid growth:

Suburb	Station	Notes
Macquarie Park	Macquarie Park	Business precinct
North Ryde	North Ryde	Corporate hub
Ryde	-	Bus based eligibility TBC
West Ryde	West Ryde	Residential focus
Meadowbank	Meadowbank	River precinct
Castle Hill	Castle Hill	Metro station
Hills Showground	Hills Showground	Metro station
Kellyville	Kellyville	Metro station
Bella Vista	Bella Vista	Metro station
Norwest	Norwest	Business park
Cherrybrook	Cherrybrook	Metro station
Tallawong	Tallawong	Metro terminus
Rouse Hill	Rouse Hill	Town centre

Newcastle Region

Regional city with strong rental demand:

Suburb	Station	Notes
Newcastle	Newcastle	CBD renewal
Hamilton	Hamilton	Near CBD
Broadmeadow	Broadmeadow	Sports precinct
Adamstown	Adamstown	Residential
Kotara	Kotara	Shopping centre
Charlestown	Charlestown	Regional centre
Belmont	Belmont	Lake proximity
Morisset	Morisset	Lake Macquarie
Wyong	Wyong	Regional centre
Tuggerah	Tuggerah	Commercial hub

Central Coast

Lifestyle region with Sydney commuters:

Suburb	Station	Notes
Gosford	Gosford	Regional capital
Woy Woy	Woy Woy	Peninsula location
Umina Beach	Woy Woy	Beach proximity
Ettalong Beach	-	Near Woy Woy
Point Clare	Point Clare	Waterfront
Tascott	Tascott	Quiet area
Kariong	-	Near Gosford
Niagara Park	Niagara Park	Residential
Lisarow	Lisarow	Growing area
Ourimbah	Ourimbah	University precinct
Tuggerah	Tuggerah	Commercial centre
Wyong	Wyong	Regional centre

High-Opportunity Suburbs

Based on our analysis, these suburbs offer particularly strong LMR development potential:

Premium Value Play

• Chatswood - Strong demand, premium rents
• Burwood - Established market, diverse buyers
• Strathfield - Family focused, consistent demand
• Epping - Transport hub, growth corridor

Affordability + Growth

• Parramatta - Second CBD transformation
• Penrith - Western Sydney hub
• Blacktown - Infrastructure investment
• Liverpool - Regional centre growth

Emerging Markets

• Rhodes - Waterfront premium
• Meadowbank - River precinct renewal
• Castle Hill - Metro driven growth
• Gosford - Regional city potential

Checking Your Property’s Eligibility

Step 1: Confirm Suburb Listing

Is your suburb in the list above? If not, your property doesn’t qualify for LMR fast track approval (you may still be able to develop via traditional DA).

Step 2: Measure Station Distance

Use NSW planning maps or Google Maps (walking directions) to measure the actual walking route from your property to the nearest eligible station. Must be under 800 metres.

Step 3: Verify Zoning

Check your Section 10.7 Planning Certificate (available from council) to confirm residential zoning (R2, R3, or R4).

Step 4: Identify Constraints

Check for heritage listings, flood affectation, bushfire risk, or other constraints that might affect development potential.

Step 5: Professional Assessment

For definitive eligibility confirmation and development potential analysis, professional assessment is recommended.

What LMR Eligibility Means

If Your Property Qualifies

Development Rights:

• 2-4 storey residential development
• Townhouses, terraces, dual occupancies, or apartments
• Pattern Book designs available
• 10 day CDC approval pathway

Value Implications:

• Development potential adds value
• Higher value as development site than single dwelling
• Attractive to developers and investors

Options:

• Develop yourself (with professional support)
• Sell to developer at development site pricing
• Partner with development manager

If Your Property Doesn’t Qualify

Why Sites Miss Out:

• More than 800m from station (most common)
• Wrong zoning (industrial, rural, business)
• Heritage or conservation restrictions
• Flood or bushfire affectation

Alternative Pathways:

• Traditional DA approval (longer timeline)
• Different development type (granny flat, subdivision)
• Hold for potential future policy changes
• Sell or use as residential

Frequently Asked Questions

Will more suburbs be added to the LMR list?

The NSW Government has indicated potential expansion, but no specific timeline or suburbs have been confirmed. Current focus is on the 171 designated suburbs.

What if I’m just outside the 800m radius?

Unfortunately, the 800m walking distance is a hard boundary. Properties beyond this distance don’t qualify for LMR fast track approval but may still be developable via traditional DA.

Can LMR eligibility be removed from a suburb?

The policy is embedded in State Environmental Planning Policy. Changes would require formal policy amendment. Currently, there’s no indication of suburbs being removed.

Are all properties in eligible suburbs automatically approved for development?

No. Each property must be individually assessed for compliance with all requirements including station distance, zoning, and absence of constraints. LMR eligibility doesn’t guarantee approval.

How do I find out the exact boundaries of the 800m zone?

NSW Planning Portal mapping shows LMR areas. We also provide precise eligibility assessment including walking distance calculation as part of our free feasibility analysis.

Check Your Property’s Eligibility

The fastest way to confirm your property’s LMR status is professional assessment. Our free eligibility check includes:

• Suburb and station distance verification
• Zoning confirmation
• Constraint identification
• Development potential analysis
• Pattern Book design matching

Check your property’s LMR eligibility and discover what you could build.