Box Hill: The Bathla Group townhouse proposal for Hynds Rd, Terry Rd

A semi rural patch in north west Sydney’s outskirts could soon receive 95 new townhouses — but the catch is the proposed development lies in a bushfire prone zone.

A multimillion-dollar residential hub has been earmarked for one of The Hills’ fastest growing suburbs but there’s one catch — the proposal lies in an area mapped as bushfire prone.

Property developer The Bathla Group has lodged plans, valued at just over $32 million, for the construction of 95 townhouses on a 5.3ha site on 41 Hynds Rd to 21 Terry Rd, Box Hill.

The site, currently semi-rural, is part of the North West Priority Growth Area and is located about 700m from Windsor Rd and even less from Box Hill’s CBD.

Planning documents state the townhouses would be include four bedrooms and be up to four-storeys in height, including two car spaces each.

The proposed development, which would be the second stage of a three-part masterplan, is set to also include a 22-space visitor carpark, the construction of a new public road and shared open space.

What it could look like … artist impression of the development application for Hynds Rd.

How the site (outlined in red) currently looks.

“(Our) vision for the site is to provide high-quality urban design … that enriches Box Hill and nearby growth centres,” planning documents state.

“(The proposed housing development) will fit into its built setting without dominating the streetscape and broader landscape.”

Artist impression of the visitor carparking spaces.

If approved, the development will stretch across these three lots of lands.

But a bushfire protection assessment, prepared by Bushfire Planning & Design (BPAD), identifies the site as lying in a bushfire prone region.

This assessment found the proposed development is surrounded by managed rural and residential land located 100m from the site’s boundary.

“(This could) result in the site being exposed to potential radiant heat and ember attack in the future,” the report states.

To comply with bushfire protection regulations, the report recommends the driveways of certain town houses are wider and the two dead end roads are only temporary.

Property developer The Bathla Group did not respond to requests for comment.

Approval for this development is required from the Rural Fire Service as well as the Sydney Central City Planning Panel.