Mandalay Precinct, Nowra

The NSW Government announced a priority to deliver more homes in partnership with Shoalhaven City Council along Nowra’s Riverfront Precinct. Council is currently working on the masterplan for the area.

Homes NSW has recently submitted a rezoning proposal for the Mandalay Precinct to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) to allow for future growth in Nowra.

Rezoning the Mandalay precinct is the first step towards a longer-term vision for redevelopment of the local area. Future development plans include up to 380 new social, affordable and private homes on land owned by Homes NSW within the Mandalay Precinct. This will increase housing options in Nowra and ensure more families live closer to schools, jobs and essential services.

The rezoning proposal seeks to amend the current planning controls in the Shoalhaven Local Environmental Plan 2014 by:

• increasing the maximum building heights from 7.5m and 11m to 22m, to allow buildings of up to 6-storeys
• introducing a floor space ratio of 2.2:1.

Key features of the proposal include:

• Potential for renewal of existing 25 Homes NSW lots and 11 privately owned lots into modern apartment buildings comprising approximately 537 dwellings including a mix of social, affordable and private market housing. Of the 537 residential apartments, approx. 381 dwellings will be provided on Homes NSW land including a minimum of 30% social and affordable housing
• improved pedestrian connections including a new shared path providing an east-west through site connection between Mandalay Avenue and the adjoining open space
• more opportunities for families to live closer to schools, jobs and essential services.

Have your say on the rezoning application

You can have your say by lodging a formal submission through the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s Planning Portal by 5pm on Wednesday 17 December 2025.

The portal is the official way to have your say and makes sure your comments can be properly reviewed to inform the finalisation of the proposal. 

Contact the Department with questions about the planning pathway via phone 1300 305 695 or email rezoningpathways@dpie.nsw.gov.au.

To review the plans and submit your feedback, visit planningportal.nsw.gov.au/mandalay-precinct.

Contact Homes NSW

For more information or to speak to a member of the Homes NSW Community Engagement team:

• email communityengagement@homes.nsw.gov.au
• call us on 1800 738 718 and leave a message on our voicemail so we can call you back.