Land rezoning off the cards for council taking in 76,000 extra homes in 40 years
A further 76,000 homes are expected to be built across greenfield development sites and Sydney Metro northwest station suburbs in The Hills over the next 40 years.
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The Hills Shire Council is preparing to take in an extra 76,000 homes over the next forty years, but says it won’t be rezoning any more land to make it happen.
A newly released Hills Shire Council housing strategy revealed council planners believe there is enough land zoned or identified for housing growth in the Shire to meet future housing targets.
"The future housing growth will be a mix of greenfield development and urban renewal and over the coming decades, more of the supply is likely to be in urban renewal areas around centres and Metro Stations," the council report said.
The massive increase in housing, which is expected to accommodate 290,000 people across The Hills by 2036, is a result of greenfield development sites such as Kellyville and Box Hill, as well as the expectation of increased housing along the Sydney Metro northwest corridor.
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The new strategy by council highlights the need for a range of diverse housing options across The Hills, “in the right locations, supported by sufficient services and infrastructure”.
Hills Shire Mayor Michelle Byrne said council’s focus was to ensure the right mix of housing is provided: “to suit the needs of our residents, as well as ensuring residents have access to infrastructure, jobs, and recreational opportunities to support the development of active, healthy and inclusive communities”.
“We need to focus on the regional transport links in order to create well planned, connected, sustainable communities and centres,” Cr Byrne told The Times.
Infrastructure projects including the Norwest Parramatta Mass Transit Link, North South Rail Link, Box Hill-Rouse Hill public transport corridor, Outer Sydney Orbital, a grade separation at Seven Hills and Windsor roads, Baulkham Hills and Annangrove Road Arterial and Bypass have been proposed by The Hills Shire Council to cater for 76,000 new homes.
“Local Government cannot deliver this infrastructure alone, we will need the assistance of the State and Federal Governments in delivering this important infrastructure to support a rapidly growing population into the future and ensuring we set up our community for success rather than failure in decades to come,” Cr Byrne said.
Housing target set out in the future planning report earmarks more than 3100 more homes added to the Balmoral Road Release Area by 2036, with a further 2000 expected following, North Kellyville Release Area will see an extra 6500 homes introduced in the same time with 700 extra homes expected in the next 40 years.
The Box Hill Release Area is earmarked to introduce a further 5800 homes by 2036, with an extra 9900 required in the 20 years that follow, while the Box Hill North Release Area is expected to see a further 3203 homes in the next 20 years and 1,800 by 2056.
According to the report, a total of 33000 homes are expected in the four release areas in the north of The Hills Shire over the next 40 years.
Meanwhile in station precincts, Castle Hill will be required to introduce a total of 6500 by 2036, with a further 3000 in the 20 years to follow, while the Hills Showground precinct is earmarked to cater for an extra 7000 homes in 20 years and 3800 in the next 40 years.
In Bella Vista and Kellyville a further 9100 homes are earmarked for the next four decades, while Norwest Business Park will be required to accommodate for 5500 during the same amount of time.
Cherrybrook will be required to introduce 400 extra homes by 2036 and a massive 4200 in the next 40 years, while, Baulkham Hills Town Centre, despite not benefiting from a Sydney Metro station will be required to allocate another 1900 homes in the next 40 years.
A total of 43,100 homes will be built throughout suburbs along the Sydney Metro northwest corridor in the next 40 years.
In response to the rising housing numbers, Baulkham Hills state Liberal MP David Elliott said: “We’ve only got one chance to get this right”.
“Which is why I’m working to have the Rouse Hill Hospital, Memorial Ave, NorthConnex, North Rocks and Excelsior Schools and Metro extension to the city all completed before we even consider starting on an increase in sustainable development,” he said.
“The a Premier has committed to maintaining the character of our suburbs so I would expect the majority of those homes to be low and medium density on greenfield sites.”
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