Luddenham residents want new homes built despite airport decree

A village next to Sydney’s new airport has been told by a federal government corporation it shouldn’t build new homes — but Luddenham locals say a building ban would kill the town.

It’s the little village on the edge of Sydney that doesn’t want to die. Luddenham wants new homes and the breath of life they would bring.

But the company delivering the $11 billion Western Sydney International Airport says putting those homes so close to the 24/7 facility, is not the way.

While rural towns often fight housing developments, Luddenham residents are crying out for the people the homes would bring to ensure their historic village isn’t lost forever, a victim of a population draining away and existing homes being consumed by airport and road infrastructure.

Retiree Patrick Darley-Jones and wife Trudy moved their property on The Northern Rd 39 years ago, attracted by the rural outlook and the potential growth of the area.

They have since watched the town remain frozen in time, with development restricted because of the prospect of a new airport.

Patrick Darley-Jones and wife Trudy in the 80's when they moved to Luddenham.

Retiree Patrick Darley-Jones and wife Trudy want growth in their area. Picture: Tim Hunter

There’s an IGA, a school opened in 1860, chemist, butcher, florist, cafe, showground and a few service stations.

The fruit shop has been with the same family for more than 100 years, however the local pie shop shut just before Christmas.

Now the company appointed by the federal government to run the airport wants to stop all future residential development in the town — which has a settlement history older than Camden and Penrith.

Residents say the change would be devastating for the estimated 150 village landowners, who fear townsfolk will abandon the area.

“The town will die if there is no residential development allowed here,” Mr Darley-Jones said.

“The school is already losing students and there are less people than what there used to be.

“We are totally flabbergasted that they would come up with this decision.”

The main road through Luddenham.

The Western Sydney Airport company’s submission to the NSW Department of Planning, obtained exclusively by The Sunday Telegraph, has shocked those looking to develop around the airport.

It has also caused Planning Minister Anthony Roberts to say he’s “concerned”, Western Sydney Minister Stuart Ayres to back the community’s view, and Mulgoa state Liberal MP Tanya Davies to say WSA “is completely out of line with what they are demanding”.

WSA airport planning and design general manager Scott Ifield said “people residing in close proximity to the airport will be impacted by the noise and other cumulative impacts from the 24/7 operations of a major international airport and Aerotropolis agribusiness precinct”.

Mr Ifield said potential scenarios could see the village’s population expand by “almost 750 per cent”.

The area would fall under the threshold for aircraft noise, being below ANEC 20, meaning homes would not be required to achieve construction standards to mitigate noise impacts from aircraft.

“Accordingly, under existing legislation it would be up to the dwelling vendor to elect to incorporate construction standards to reduce noise impacts indoors,” he said.

Luddenham’s historic church. .

The WSA points out that in some parts Luddenham is only 400m from the new airport, however much of the high-noise area is already quarantined for commercial use only.

But locals say WSA raised no objections to the development of the city of Bradfield, located within the airport, which has similar projections for aircraft noise.

“Why is the WSA not opposed to residential development on government land at Bradfield, which is the same distance from the airport and has the same aircraft noise projections?” one resident, who did not want to be named, said.

“We’ve lost 150 homes to the airport and road infrastructure. We want to bring them back.”

During early stages of airport planning, Luddenham was touted as the heart of the new agribusiness precinct.

This gave locals hope that the region would not simply become an industrial zone.

“Money and land value is not the issue here. We just want our town to survive – and for that to happen we need people,” the resident said.

Rob Knox and his wife Anna at their business, David's Stall Fruit Shop, which has been run by Rob's family for more than 100 years. Picture: Tim Hunter

The WSA submission is also likely to cause political problems for Lindsay Federal Liberal MP Melissa McIntosh.

In the lead up to the federal election, she is sitting on a 5 per cent margin.

Mr Darley-Jones said he has spoken to rusted on Liberal voters who have told him “we will vote for anyone but them – we feel betrayed”.

Rob Knox’s family have been in Luddenham since 1860. The main street of Wilmington Rd – renamed after The Northern Road bypass was opened in December 2020 – was named after his family.

“There are all these pictures in the government’s brochures of a vibrant main street, but where are these people going to come from if there are no houses?” Mr Knox, whose family has run David’s Stall Fruit Shop for more than 100 years, said.

“Luddenham has been in a time bubble. I had a perfect childhood here and I want that for the next generation.

“There are plenty of spots where new homes can go.”

Set to begin operations in late 2026, WSI will eventually grow to become the largest gateway to Australia, with a projected capacity of 82 million annual passengers in the 2060s.

That is contingent on a second runway which is not yet finalised.

The completion of the NSW’s Government’s precinct plan is due in the coming weeks.

However, WSA’s objection will draw out a final decision on the town’s future.

The Thistle Inn at Luddenham around 1880.

A WSA spokeswoman said “in raising concerns about the idea of growing from around 450 people to thousands living immediately next door to a major airport, we’re thinking about the community now and decades into the future”.

A spokesman for Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher said “as a government business enterprise, WSACo maintains operational independence and is required to act in the best interest of the airport”.

Mulgoa state Liberal MP Tanya Davies said WSA is “completely out of line with what they are demanding”.

“Homes have already been lost in Luddenham and we need to not only retain those homes but also bring more in so that the village has a future,” she said.

“The Luddenham community’s wishes need to be respected.”

Planning Minister Anthony Roberts declined to comment, however a Department of Planning spokeswoman said ”the minister is concerned about the future of Luddenham village”.

“Due to stakeholder concerns regarding potential noise impacts on future residents, we need to do more work and we’ll continue talking to the community to finalise the future plans,” she said.

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Originally published as Luddenham residents want new homes built despite airport decree