Colourful terraces, retro row homes and modern manor houses are now able to be built across NSW with the launch of the state’s much-hyped Housing Pattern Book.
The NSW government has officially launched its Housing Pattern Book and fast-tracked approval pathway to expedite the delivery of new homes across the state.
Both are part of the state government’s plan to remove the bottleneck of costs and planning, which can cause significant delays when building a home.
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An exterior view of Semis 02. Picture: Sibling Architecture
The pattern book features eight approved townhouse, terrace and manor house designs available from $1000 per design. But for the next six months, the state government is offering each pattern at the low price of just one dollar per design.
The government said this is a significant discount on the professional fees potential builders or homeowners would pay for a custom home, which could be over $20,000.
Each design is adaptable and includes different layouts for various needs. Every purchase of a design also comes with a landscape pattern to help homeowners design their gardens.
The Complying Development pathway, which kicks off on 30 July, 2025, is designed to fast-track these designs, potentially allowing those wishing to build to start construction within ten days of an application being made.
NSW premier Chris Minns said the launch of the book and approval pathway will address the state’s pain points in delivering new housing.
“This Pattern Book is about giving people more choice, faster approvals, and affordable, high-quality homes – whether you’re a young person trying to get in, a family needing more space, or a downsizer looking to stay close to the community you know,” Mr Minns said.
“This is a practical step to make the housing system fairer – and make sure NSW remains a place where the next generation can afford to live and thrive.”
Take a look at the eight designs below.
An exterior view of Manor Homes 01. Picture: Studio Johnston
The launch of the pattern book follows a lengthy review process, which involved an international design competition in 2024, resulting in five plans, and a further 13 architects selected to contribute to the book in February 2025.
It also follows the state’s low and mid-rise housing reforms that came into effect in February 2025 allowing for more townhouses, apartments, terraces and dual occupancies to be built within 800 metres from town centres and transport hubs across Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Lower Hunter and Newcastle and Illawarra-Shoalhaven.
Minister for planning and public spaces Paul Scully said much of Sydney itself has been built thanks to similar pattern books from decades past.
“Much of Sydney was built on pattern books. They look great, they’re simple and cost-effective. We’re accelerating these designs with their own approval pathway so those wishing to build can get an approval in one week,” he said.
“The NSW Housing Pattern Book takes the guesswork and the delay out of home-building. These designs are high-quality, easy to build, and for the first six months, they’ll cost $1.
“These designs offer choice, with less complexity, making it easier to build homes in NSW.”
The Housing Pattern Book is available to potential homeowners and builders now.
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