New Sydney real estate plan for development of rural land in Dural for units, townhouses and homes

A PLAN to build 2900 homes, made up of six storey apartment blocks, town houses and homes on rural land at Dural in Sydney’s northwest has “frightened” one community group.

An artist’s impression of part of the proposed South Dural residential development.

SOUTH Dural could become home to 9000 new residents if a new plan to develop the 240 hectare rural area into a mix of townhouses, units and homes goes ahead.

Joint venture developers, Lyon Group Australia and Folkestone Ltd propose to build a new suburb in five stages between 2019 and 2034, retaining 62 hectares of native forest along Georges Creek.

They are offering $295 million for infrastructure, including $158 million for local roads.

An independent economic assessment by MacroPlan Dimasi found potential for the land known as South Dural — bounded by New Line Rd, Old Northern Rd, and Hastings Rd — to “yield up to 2900 new residential dwellings”.

South Dural development artists impression.

“There is a pressing need for more apartments and townhouses in the Hornsby LGA,” their report said. “There have been numerous projects with the Hornsby city centre, but few beyond this location.”

SOUTH DURAL REZONING TO BE FUNDED BY DEVELOPERS, NOT HORNSBY COUNCIL

Residents’ Infrastructure and Planning Alliance (RIPA) spokeswoman Jacqui Goddard said the proposal is “too big and too dense”.

“Up to six storeys on rural lands is quite amazing,” Ms Goddard said. “This is an idea of some developers and others and doesn’t tie in with local council planning or State Government planning.”

The South Dural development would mean that New Line Rd would need to be widened.

The number of new residents this development may draw to the area is “frightening”, she said.

“Getting in and out on New Line Rd will be a nightmare and add that to the new development in Cherrybrook ... it’s concerning,” she said.

Hornsby Mayor Steve Russell said he is open to the area being developed, despite the issues of capacity on New Line Rd, which will be need to be widened regardless.

“I don’t think that New Line Rd should stop us looking at something in South Dural,” Mr Russell said. “If it stacks up, then I’m supportive of it and we need more housing in Sydney.”

“A lot of environmentally sensitive land is preserved and I like that. (But) there’s a long way to go before any decision is made, it’s early days.”

An artists impression of the potential “future character” of the South Dural development.

More of the potential "future character” of the South Dural development.

Hornsby councillor Gurdeep Singh said plans to rezone South Dural have been “going on for decades” and “it’s time we do something about it”.

“We are constantly urging the State Government to do something about traffic on New Line Rd but apart from that concern this South Dural proposal will be of great value to the area and Hornsby residents,” Cr Singh said.

The proposal documents can be seen here.

Public comments on the proposal are open until December 2, via email: [e-mail].

A vision of one of the many homes slated for the rural area development.

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