Wests Group Macarthur’s retirement village plans thwarted

Plans for a premium multimillion-dollar retirement village overlooking the idyllic Lakeside Golf Course Camden have been thwarted.

An artist’s impression of the thwarted retirement village proposal.

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Plans for a premium multimillion-dollar retirement village overlooking the idyllic Lakeside Golf Course Camden have been thwarted.

Sydney Western City Planning Panel stopped dead Wests Group Macarthur’s vision to create a retirement oasis of about 100 villas and apartments.

The retirement village proposal was rejected at its first step.

The village would have included a cafe, community hall and three two-storey apartment buildings.

The panel rejected a site compatibility certificate for the 1.4ha site earlier this month, deeming it “not suitable for intensive development”.

Wests League Club Campbelltown CEO Tony Mathew. Picture: Angelo Velardo

Wests Group Macarthur CEO Tony Mathew said it was a frustrating outcome.

“We have to respect the process,” he said. “We will look at the issues raised and consider our position. I am very confident we can address the issues raised.

“We firmly believe it would be a wonderful spot as a retirement village on the golf course.”

The panel denied the certificate for a number of reasons including poor access to public transport, lack of internal road network and the unknown access to utilities.

Mr Mathew said it would most likely be a number of years before new plans were submitted for the retirement village.

Wests Group Macarthur has also proposed a hotel, up to seven-storeys high, on the Lakeside Golf Club Camden site. The organisation last year received the green light for The Greens golf club, located on the grounds of the former El Caballo Blanco theme park.