‘Great opportunity’ to redevelop Rosehill racecourse hangs in balance, Premier Chris Minns concedes

Premier Chris Minns reveals the “great opportunity” to sell off the racetrack for 25,000 new homes is in the hands of Australian Turf Club members. It won’t get out of the gate unless they back it.

Premier Chris Minns says the proposal to redevelop Rosehill Racecourse into 25,000 new homes lays in the hands of the members of the Australian Turf Club, adding the project would be a “great opportunity for NSW” as it hangs in the balance.

The Premier on Wednesday emphasised the unsolicited proposal from the Australian Turf Club – which would see the racecourse given up for housing in a deal which could net the ATC $5 billion – was far from a done deal.

In the most recent details aired on the proposal since Mr Minns announced it with much fanfare in December, the Premier said members of the ATC had to back the proposal, while if there was “irreconcilable differences” the plans could fall over.

“If it were to come to fruition it would be a great opportunity for NSW, again (I) made it clear on the date, at the time when the announcement was made that this is not a done deal. This has to go through the ATC. The NSW Government has to be comfortable with the proposal,” he said.

Premier Chris Minns has revealed the Rosehill Gardens proposal to sell off the track for housing will be decided by the ATC. He wants it go ahead, but it's up to the members. Pictures: News Corp.

The site has been slated for another Metro station on the Metro West line as part of the proposal, but if the ATC members were to vote against the proposal, that could throw plans for that station – and the line as a whole – into disarray.

“There may well be as part of the negotiations between the ATC and the government irreconcilable differences, particularly in relation to the disposal of property, the size of the rezoning, the density of housing, how much open space is available, what the links are … with the Metro line … that may be a deal breaker for one or both of those sides.”

Premier Chris Minns in December announced the proposal to shift racing from Rosehill, opening up space for 25,000 new homes. Picture by Max Mason-Hubers

It comes after Sydney’s Hall of Fame trainers Gai Waterhouse and Chris Waller earlier this month torched the proposal, with racing legend Waterhouse describing it as a “disgrace”.

The NSW Government sees the plans as a boon which would open up a major parcel of connected, uncontaminated land for desperately needed housing in a central location.

Liberal Upper House MP Damien Tudehope queried in budget estimates why an Memorandum of Understanding had been signed between the government and the ATC while the project was in its infancy, claiming the Premier had been a “cheerleader” for the proposal.

“I said they’re going to present a plan to the NSW Government. We’ll assess it at that time. But I want to make it clear I think this would be great for the state if everybody can align,” Mr Minns said.

The Premier confirmed that even if the proposal fell over, it wouldn’t impact the housing targets the NSW Government is striving towards.

Business Sydney Executive Director Paul Nicolaou said the Premier was being “refreshingly open”, saying the NSW Government should pursue other options for major housing uplift like along Parramatta Road.

“If Sydney ultimately gets the Rosehill Gardens mini-city with 25,000 homes and a Metro station that would be a bonus,” he said.

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