Derriwong Rd, Dural: NSW Planning Department refuse bid for 181 homes
It is the controversial plan that saw a group of Sydney councillors thumb their noses at planning panel members — but the fate of plans for a massive 181 lot housing estate has been decided.
Hills Shire
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The fate of a controversial plan to build more than 180 homes in a rural suburb in The Hills has been decided on by the NSW Planning Department, almost a year after The Hills Shire Council voted to approve the development.
The planning proposal for 181 homes — refused by the NSW Planning Department on Monday — earmarked the creation of a series of residential lots ranging from 700sq m to 2 hectares at two different site in the rural suburb of Dural, including at landholdings in Derriwong and Old Northern roads.
The refusal of the project by the NSW Planning Department comes just days after the Urban Taskforce of Australia, describing the project as “shovel-ready”, called for the development to be fast-tracked to construction.
A representative of the proponent said the land was not currently used for agricultural purposes and rezoning the site for future redevelopment would support the “continued growth of Round Corner”.
Despite the proponent arguing the development was “consistent with the urban character of the area”, a Planning Minister delegate determined the proposal wouldn’t proceed as it was “inconsistent with the strategic planning framework”.
The delegate said the proposal was inconsistent with planning surrounding rural zoning, heritage conservation, residential zones and planning for bushfire protection.
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“Provisions are not justified as it proposes to introduce additional rural residential
opportunities in the rural zone, adjacent to heritage items, within a bushfire prone
area,” the delegate said.
“I also note there are no plans or funding to increase capacity on the surrounding road
network to facilitate this proposal and the site, in isolation, cannot adequately secure
the scale of improvement required to the road network.”
The delegate also called for Hills and Hornsby councils to “develop a strategic approach” for the area — highlighting the need for road infrastructure improvements.