A NSW Government rezoning of 16.5 hectares of vacant Government-owned land in East Tamworth (former TAFE NSW, Crown and Council parcels) is on public exhibition from 1 May to 29 May 2026. Approximately 213 new homes, with a minimum 30% dedicated to social and affordable housing managed by a community housing provider, and building heights between one and three storeys.
On 1 May 2026, the NSW Government placed a rezoning proposal for 16.5 hectares of vacant Government-owned land in East Tamworth on public exhibition. The site sits approximately 1.5 kilometres from Tamworth CBD and aggregates former TAFE NSW land with adjoining Crown and Council-owned parcels. The proposal forms part of the $6.6 billion Building Homes for NSW program.
The proposal in numbers
- 16.5 hectares of vacant Government-owned land.
- Approximately 213 new homes.
- Minimum 30% social and affordable housing, managed by a community housing provider.
- Building heights between one and three storeys.
- 1.5 kilometres from Tamworth CBD.
Site composition and connectivity
The site is an aggregation of three landholders (former TAFE NSW land, Crown land, and Council-owned parcels) being rezoned together. The proposal includes new shared pathways connecting to the Victoria Park precinct, TAFE NSW and Oxley High School, plus new and improved community open spaces.
Public exhibition
The proposal is on public exhibition for 28 days. Submissions close on 29 May 2026 and are lodged through the NSW Planning Portal.
Where this fits in the program
The Building Homes for NSW program is a $6.6 billion package, and East Tamworth is a relatively modest project within it. The 30% social-and-affordable floor is the substantive feature: it sets a higher inclusionary baseline than the 3% TOD threshold, reflecting the public-land starting point and the community-housing-provider delivery model. The proposal also signals continued use of the State-assessed pathway for Government-led residential rezonings outside the metropolitan area.
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