Overseas developer buys 12.5ha convent site at Baulkham Hills

A 12.5ha parcel of land in Baulkham Hills, has been bought by Chinese development company Aqualand.

Cows graze in the grounds of St Josephs Convent, Mckilliop Drive Baulkham Hills

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A HUGE parcel of land, the major portion of the St Joseph’s Convent site on Mackillop Drive, Baulkham Hills, has been bought by Chinese development company Aqualand.

The prime real estate was one of the biggest plots of available land in the area and is a 10 minute walk from the Norwest station, which is currently under construction.

Real estate Agent JLL Sydney confirmed that 25 expressions of interest had been lodged for the 12.5ha site from both overseas and Australian Interests.

The selling price has not yet been disclosed but contracts were exchanged just before Christmas.

Managing Director of Aqualand, Mr Jin Lin said: “Large scale residential community opportunities are rare in Sydney, so we jumped on this sought after site.”

Work is expected to commence in late 2017.

Mr Lin said the focus of Aqualand since it began operations in March 2014 was building “elegant residential projects” in the most desirable locations.

It is currently developing properties in Lindfield, Pyrmont and Turramurra.

The site, at 64 MacKillop Drive, has been owned by the Sisters of St Joseph since 1952. The centre was built a few years later.

The sale does not include the whole site.

The sign on the site inviting expressions of interest.

The Sisters of St Joseph still own the land surrounding the St Joseph’s Centre for Reflective Living, which is used by various groups for retreats, conferences, seminars, workshops and functions.

The Spirituality Centre will continue to be operated by the Sisters of St Joseph.

The 12.5ha site for sale was sold with development application approval for 71 large residential lots (799sq m on average) and 75 medium-density lots.

The plans were unanimously approved by the Joint Regional Planning Panel in 2013.

The site is historically significant, featuring a heritage-listed interwar Californian bungalow built around 1928.

The building will need to be preserved and incorporated into the design of the new housing estate.

Hills Shire Councillor Michelle Byrne, a ward councillor for the area, said she would be pushing to ensure that the open space, as designated in the approved DA, came to fruition.

She said it would have been “great” to have included the site in council’s open space network for potential use as sporting fields, parks and open space.

“We need more open space and areas for the community to enjoy particularly as the population continues to soar.

“There is increasing pressure on our current open space network and we need to find ways to provide more open space as well as improving our current network by providing further facilities such as playgrounds, barbecues and exercise equipment,” she said.

St Joseph's Centre for Reflective Living was established in 1953