Developer’s plan to build a high-rise apartment building every year until 2024
A LAGOON and outdoor cinema among a 1300-apartment complex are planned for a development overlooking Castle Hill golf course. But there will also be something that’s the first of its kind in Australia. Take a look at what’s planned.
Hills Shire
Don't miss out on the headlines from Hills Shire. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A LAGOON, an outdoor cinema and parkland stretching across a 1300-apartment complex are just some of the planned drawcards for a new development overlooking Castle Hill golf course.
Sekisui House has revealed its ambitious plans to develop a high-rise apartment building between six and 12-storeys high every year until 2024 — with The Orchards project valued at more than $1 billion.
Sekisui sales and marketing operations manager Paul Wainwright said the seven-stage masterplan would pay homage to one of the first citrus orchards of Australia, which was founded in the Hills Shire in the early 1800s.
“It is truly a masterplanned community because we can tell our residents what is happening in five and six years’ time and the kind of amenities we will provide to future residents,’’ Mr Wainwright said.
He said construction on the first stage of the development had started.
Features are to include an indoor heated swimming pool, a gymnasium, cycleways along an established creek, a function centre, children’s playground, a rooftop cinema, a lagoon swimming pool and “skypark’’ playgrounds on top of buildings, which Mr Wainwright said would be a first in Australia.
“Community spaces, such as the rooftop cinema is a great addition to our masterplan,’’ Mr Wainwright said.
“It will be a place for the community to come together in spring and summer and the school holidays.
“We wanted to provide an area for residents at all different stages of life to come together and enjoy each others company.’’
He said The Orchards community was “all about flexibility, in and outside the home”.
“We had a vision to include flexi-spaces to make our apartments more suitable for families and continued that vision in our community spaces as well,’’ he said.
The complex is the first venture for Sekisui House in the northwest.
The site is about 500m from the Sydney Metro Norwest station and includes the development of Spurway Drive to Windsor Rd.
“This key piece of infrastructure will completely revolutionise the way that people living in Norwest commute to and from work beyond the Hills region,” Mr Wainwright said.
“This new element of convenience has enabled many to now consider Baulkham Hills and its surrounding suburbs as somewhere to call home.”
Sekisui House Australia chief executive and managing director Toru Abe said there was demand from the community for a new versatile product with surrounding infrastructure.
“It is this strategic planning and alignment of The Orchards to be completed almost in sync with the long awaited new rail line servicing the north west, that has captured the imagination and interest of locals and those further afield, who now see a very convenient means soon available to them to commute well beyond the Hills District,” he said.
The stage two development application for The Orchards masterplan is currently being assessed by council before being determined by the Joint Regional Planning’s Sydney North Panel.
