Old Mardi Farm: $53.5M plans lodged for luxury rural residential development west of M1

A sprawling $53 million, 246-lot luxury residential development plan would transform the Old Mardi Farm into a hot new address. Find out more.

A new development application has been lodged with Central Coast Council for a 246-lot subdivision west of the M1 at Mardi to rival anything found at Matcham, Holgate or Picketts Valley.

The plans seek to subdivide five lots, which make up what is collectively known as the Old Mardi Farm at 414 Old Maitland Rd at the base of Ourimbah State Forest, and create two lots.

One lot with an area of 55.68ha would be rezoned as environmental land, with the remaining 168ha further subdivided into 246 residential lots along with sprawling landscaped parks, cycleways, barbecue areas, 3km loop walking trail and a towering “feature fire place”.

The towering “feature fire place” in the heart of the community park planed as part of the sub division. Picture: supplied

The land is owned by Central Coast businessman Laurie Denton and is being developed in partnership with the Stevens Group.

The DA states the residential blocks would be developed over five stages with 70 per cent of the lots more than double the size of the requirement for large rural residential housing at in excess of 1800sq m.

An aerial impression of the proposed 246-lot large rural block subdivision with a landscaped creek running through the middle of it off Old Maitland Rd. Picture: supplied

The land has been the subject of a rezoning proposal since 1999 and went before a NSW Planning Gateway determination in 2013 before being approved in 2018.

However that approval was never acted upon and a new DA was lodged with Central Coast Council last month.

“Whilst the site represents the only residential land west of the motorway, all services are available to future residents within a few kilometres,” the DA states.

The proposed new entry/exit roads into the subdivision along with plans for the extensive community park. Picture: supplied

Under the plans a grand new entry/exit road would be built about 200m north from the farm’s current driveway onto Old Maitland Rd, with earthworks, internal roads, stormwater sewerage and other utilities provided to future residents.

A second emergency access would also be provided towards the south on Old Maitland Road for firefighting purposes.

Artist’s impression of the landscaped park. Picture: supplied

“A walking trail and seating nodes have been provided throughout the development to take advantage of the natural amenity provided by the surrounding E2 lands as well as the extensive complimentary planting proposed within the landscape plans,” the DA states.

The large community park would feature an open ‘kick-around’ lawn area, shelters with picnic settings and barbecues, nature play area with garden, wood logs, mounded turf area, and brushwood climbing equipment, creek line with river rocks and revegetation, seating platform, drinking fountains and 3km walking trail with signage.

The proposed development’s traffic report states it is likely to generate up to a maximum additional 175 vehicle trips per hour in the morning and 192 trips after midday.

The DA will go before the Hunter Central Coast Planning Panel and is currently open for public submissions.

The land is west of the M1 but a short drive to Westfield Tuggerah. Picture: Google