Thousands of apartments proposed for Fairfield City suburbs as population grows
Thousands of units could be built around several town centres throughout Fairfield City, a process that’s already underway.
- 15-storey development proposed for Cabramatta
- Thousands of homes planned for Cecil Park, Horsley Park
A shift from freestanding homes towards apartment buildings could occur in several Fairfield City suburbs as the area’s population grows in the coming years, a new report reveals.
The Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement, a 20-year-blueprint chartering the future growth of Fairfield City, said three-to-four storey apartments could be built around the town centres of Fairfield, Fairfield Heights, Canley Vale and Cabramatta, adding thousands of units to the suburbs.
Taller apartment buildings still could be built in the actual town centres, such as the 15-storey complex proposed in Cabramatta, the report said.
“The one thing that’s not negotiable is the quality of living for our residents,” Fairfield City Mayor Frank Carbone said.
“We do need to meet (NSW Government housing) targets, but we want to make sure we align them with the right infrastructure.
“We gotta make sure that property developers pay their dues by providing contribution fees.”
Fairfield could accommodate 4000 dwellings on its own, while Villawood and Fairfield Heights could possibly handle 2000, the report said.
The process to pave the way for these developments is already underway for Bonnyrigg, Fairfield Heights and Villawood, the report notes. Three six-storey apartment complexes have already been proposed for Ascot St, a road that plugs into the town centre of Canley Heights.
The majority of housing in Fairfield City is freestanding. Council data reveals about 71 per cent of dwellings are separate houses, while 27 per cent is covered by medium-to-high density housing, such as townhouses and apartment blocks.
But as Fairfield City’s population grows by an estimated 38,709 in the next 20 years, a rise of about 19 per cent, the NSW Government’s Western City District Plan has mandated more housing. In the five years to 2021, more than 3000 homes are to be built.
By 2036, the number of dwellings in Fairfield City is expected to increase to nearly 79,000. This is a 15,300 jump from the 63,500 dwellings recorded in 2016.
The redevelopment of Cecil Park and Horsley Park – still in an embryonic stage of planning – could cover almost all of the proposed targets on its own. In April this year, Fairfield City Council confirmed the semirural suburbs would have from 14,100 to 19,600 homes built.
Meanwhile, the gravitational pull of Western Sydney Airport is drawing development to other Fairfield City suburbs. The same report identified Prairiewood as the best suburb to channel a train line connecting Parramatta to Western Sydney Airport, a potential infrastructure project that would transform its “health, education and commercial hub”, and usher in further development.
The Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement will inform how the local and state governments manage Fairfield City’s future growth. The plan will go on public exhibition from June 26 until August 23.
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