The New South Wales construction industry is set to face tighter regulations as the premier prepares to transform Sydney into a "dense, urban living" environment.
Premier Chris Minns says he's fulfilling an election campaign promise to set up a building commission to oversee and regulate the construction industry, by the end of the year.
The state government on Tuesday announced the commission will ensure quality buildings as it moves to increase supply in the current housing crisis.
"New South Wales will have greater density and more apartments," Mr Minns said.
"To do that properly there needs to be greater confidence in buildings in New South Wales."
The previous Coalition government appointed David Chandler as Building Commissioner two and half years ago, after the well-publicised cracks in the Opal and Mascot Towers apartment buildings.
The defects in those two buildings lifted the lid on structural and safety defects plaguing some developments across the state.
The premier says developing the commission will help scale up the work Mr Chandler has been undertaking.
Mr Chandler, who as commissioner was tasked with cleaning up the construction industry, has welcomed the announcement.
"We've got fantastic momentum to build on," Mr Chandler said.
"So this will bring the pieces, that are currently not as connected as they could be, together."
Mr Chandler says buyers have lost confidence in apartment buildings, and as a result only about 15,000 apartments are being built in New South Wales each year.
"We really need to get back to about 30,000 apartments year-on-year being constructed in New South Wales," Mr Chandler said.
The premier's vision to address Sydney's housing shortage is to stop urban sprawl in the west, and have more densely populated suburbs.
He also wants the population growth and increase in housing supply to be "rebalanced", so it also occurs east of Parramatta.
Land audit ordered for new housing space
On Monday, the state government announced it had ordered an urgent audit of public land to find new sites for housing.
They are likely to be along the city's rail corridor and would be sold off to private developers.
Each new block would have to include 30 per cent social, affordable or inclusive housing.
Mr Minns says selling off the land for housing was a commitment he made in the lead up to the March election.
"It's not privatisation even by the loosest definition of it," he said.
"We were very consistent and clear about our plans in relation to Government land prior to the last election."
