Sydney Lifts Granny Flat Ban Near New Airport for 1,500 Families

Lisa Osborn spent five years living in a caravan behind her son's property, waiting for the day she could build a proper home. Last week, that day finally arrived when New South Wales lifted its ban on granny flats near Western Sydney International Airport.

The government reversed a 2020 restriction that blocked secondary dwellings in five areas around the airport. Families in Wollondilly, Fairfield, Camden, Liverpool and Penrith can now build homes up to 85 square metres in lower noise zones.

The original ban aimed to stop people from moving into high-noise areas and then complaining about aircraft sounds. But once officials mapped the exact flight paths and noise zones, the restriction became unnecessary in quieter areas.

Planning Minister Paul Scully says the change gives families real options in one of Australia's fastest-growing regions. Parents can bring aging relatives closer, young adults can gain independence without leaving completely, and everyone gets more affordable housing choices.

The new rules require noise-proofing measures like double-glazed windows. Areas closest to the airport, including Luddenham, Bringelly and Badgery's Creek, still can't build secondary dwellings because they'll experience the loudest aircraft noise.

For Osborn, the news meant freedom after spending over $100,000 in legal fees fighting the restriction. "I felt such a load lift off my shoulders," the 56-year-old said, adding she didn't want to face another winter in the caravan.

Lina Semenec can now move her elderly mother onto her six-hectare property outside Silverdale. Her mom can sell her Sydney house, reduce financial stress, and help raise her granddaughter. "I really like that old mentality of it taking a village to raise a family," Semenec said.

The Ripple Effect

This policy shift does more than help individual families. It addresses housing affordability in Western Sydney without compromising safety or quality of life. Multigenerational living reduces isolation for seniors while giving young adults affordable stepping stones to independence.

The change also shows good governance in action. Officials created a temporary restriction to protect residents, studied the actual impacts, then adjusted the rules based on evidence rather than keeping an outdated ban in place.

Independent MP Judy Hannan, who championed the change after years of community advocacy, wants to expand the size limits further for larger properties. For now, though, families like the Osborns finally have their property rights restored and their housing dreams within reach.

Fifteen hundred families can now build the homes they need, proving that smart planning and community voices really do make a difference.