Hills mayor welcomes $360m, 90-home deal in Castle Hill

Hills mayor Michelle Byrne believes plans to sell 90 Castle Hill homes in a single deal represents a “golden opportunity” for suburb planning.

Artist's impression Orange Blossom Heights estate, Castle Hill

HILLS mayor Michelle Byrne believes plans to sell 90 Castle Hill homes in a single deal represents a “golden opportunity” for suburb planning.

The Hills Shire Timesrevealed exclusively this morning that 90 Castle Hill homeowners near the future Showground station were banding together to sell their homes, and could reap up to a $360 million, or $4 million per lot, payday.

Homeowners John Allen, Lisa Stokan, Jerome Wicks. Picture: Phil Rogers

Residents will use their group power to lobby state and local government to change the land’s zoning from the current townhouse-friendly zone to allow for higher density development.

Cr Byrne says the aggregation of 90 single lots into one nine-hectare site, named Orange Blossom Heights, represents an opportunity for better masterplanning.

“This site south of the new Showground Station in Castle Hill forms part of a Priority Precinct being planned by the State Government, not The Hills Shire Council,” Cr Byrne said.

“Council supports the aggregation of lots which will ultimately lead to better masterplanning rather than a fragmented land ownership pattern.

The area of Castle Hill around the future Showground station, ecompassing the streets invcolved in the sale. Source: GOOGLE

Homeowner John Allen, who is helping lead the charge, said the plan would lead to an “almost greenfield site” that would allow for a more attractive, masterplanned development, which could also include 1.5ha for parkland or a school.

Cr Byrne said this is not about zoning and densities but rather the opportunity to potentially deal with one land owner to deliver an outcome that provides greater certainty for all stakeholders over a significant parcel of land in a very special part of The Hills.

“This is a golden opportunity to work with the Planning Minister to ensure we are outcome driven,” she said.

Two of the streets involved in the sale.

“Clearly 90 home owners joining together to create one large development site should result in a masterplanned outcome that will lead to better diversity of housing, greater open space, better urban design and public domain.

“The masterplanning that would come by creating a site of this size should lead to efficiencies in open space, efficiencies in infrastructure and efficiencies in planning and we will work with the new owner to keep it real for the future residents of the Sydney Hills.”

She said it was crucial though that any zoning changes only occur once an agreeable development outcome is assured.