planning · Georges River Council
Mortdale plan survives withdrawal push as council chases funding for technical studies
Georges River Council unanimously backed Planning Proposal PP2026/0001 and will seek State and Federal grants, with a 2027/28 Budget allocation on the table if outside funding is not secured.
Mortdale’s centre-planning proposal will continue after Georges River Council unanimously rejected the withdrawal pathway and endorsed further work on Planning Proposal PP2026/0001. The next stage requires technical studies and a funding plan.
Councillors reaffirmed support for the adopted Mortdale Local Centre Master Plan and endorsed Option 1, which keeps the planning proposal active. The proposal must address the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s adequacy assessment before it can progress further.
Council will pursue State and Federal grants for the targeted technical studies identified by the department. If outside funding is not secured within a reasonable timeframe, councillors will consider paying for the studies through the 2027/28 Budget process.
A further report will outline available funding opportunities, the scope and cost of the studies, and a proposed pathway for progressing the proposal. The resolution did not specify when that report must be provided or the total cost of the technical work.
Council also endorsed continued work on Amendment No. 8 to the Georges River Development Control Plan 2021. That work covers character, urban design, public domain, streetscape, active transport and place-making outcomes from the Mortdale master plan where they can be implemented independently of the planning proposal.
The planning proposal drew opposition and support during the public forum. Catherine Ford, Montana Mackie and Spiro Veldekis spoke or lodged submissions against the Mortdale item. The unanimous vote kept the planning pathway open, but tied its next stage to technical evidence and funding.
The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s adequacy assessment is central to the next phase. Council’s resolution also says Mortdale’s future role, housing capacity and planning direction will be considered through future strategic planning work, including the review of the Local Strategic Planning Statement.
Reference minutes
Georges River Council, Council Meeting held on 24 August 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- Georges River Council unanimously endorsed continuing Planning Proposal PP2026/0001.
- The proposal relates to the Mortdale Centre Master Plan.
- Council will seek State and Federal grants for technical studies required by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.
- Council may consider funding the studies through the 2027/28 Budget process if grants are not secured within a reasonable timeframe.
- A further report must outline funding opportunities, study costs and the pathway for progressing the proposal.
- Amendment No. 8 to the Georges River Development Control Plan 2021 will continue where its outcomes can be implemented independently of the planning proposal.
Why it matters
- Mortdale’s centre-planning pathway remains active, but its next stage depends on technical studies funded through external grants or a future Council budget allocation.