North Rocks Village: $785m plan for 1000 homes, new public library at RIDBC site

A $785 million plan to revolutionise the RIDBC site in northwest Sydney into a residential village with 1000 homes, a public library and sporting field has been confirmed.

A $785 million vision to transform the Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children’s site into a bustling “green village” dotted with a series of parks, major community facilities and dramatically increased tree canopy among 1000 new homes has been revealed.

North Rocks Village by EG.

Developer EG will submit a major planning proposal for the almost 13ha site at North Rocks Rd, North Rocks to Parramatta Council and the NSW Planning Department this week.

The major project — expected to be delivered as part of a 15 to 20-year masterplan — proposes the construction of 14 residential buildings ranging from four to seven storeys on the site.

It would include a 145-home senior housing and aged care facility and 245 townhouses and detached homes.

The submission of the multimillion-dollar plan for the North Rocks site comes as the RIDBC plans to relocate its NextSense Centre of Excellence to Macquarie University in a $74 million development was approved by Planning Minister Rob Stokes this month.

In 2018, RIDBC announced it would place the North Rocks facility on the market, with expectations of a $200 million payday for the site it called home for more than 60 years.

David Workman, EG

EG urban and community planning director David Workman said community expectations for the site continue to be “absolutely critical” in the development of the multimillion-dollar proposal.

“For 60 years the site has been almost exclusively used for the important work done by the RIDBC,” he said.

“But now we have an opportunity to unlock this incredible space for the entire community to create not only a residential village but public spaces and facilities for everyone to enjoy.”

North Rocks Village will see a major community hub and library included in the plans.

Mr Workman said the crowning jewel of the proposal is made up of a major sporting field and pavilion neighbouring North Rocks Rd.

A village square featuring a $25 million community hub and neighbourhood library opposite North Rocks Shopping Centre are also central to the developer’s plans.

“Just over 30 per cent of the entire site will be made available as parkland, with the oval precinct comprising around 1.8ha of land,” he said. “A key feature of the masterplan is to retain a number of important mature trees, and to plant many more within new parks, along site boundaries and local access roads.”

What the North Rocks Village sporting field could look like.

Parramatta Cricket Association executive officer Frank Pitt said the club was supportive of the future plans for increased sporting grounds.

“This is a major positive for community sport, we currently have a shortfall with sporting grounds,” Mr Pitt said. “So many sporting codes are forced to reject kids from joining clubs because of a lack of grounds across Sydney so a new facility like this goes a long way.”

Mr Pitt said the club, alongside other sporting codes, were looking to use the facilities for weekday training and weekend competitions.

EG expects to increase the tree canopy on the 13 hectare site to 40 per cent under plans for North Rocks Village.

The planning proposal also suggests an increase in the total tree canopy on the site from 24 per cent currently to 40 per cent by the completion of the project.

Meanwhile, Mr Workman said Carlingford Rotary Club’s North Rocks Markets, which currently call the RIDBC hub home, will continue to be featured at the new North Rocks Village.

Carlingford Rotary president Michael Morgan said he was thankful the market’s long history will continue at the site.

Rotary Club of Carlingford's weekly Sunday markets at North Rocks will continue on the site. (AAP IMAGE / Troy Snook)

“We have been operating our Sunday market on that site continuously since 1983 and during that time we have donated more than $1 million to the RIDBC and $4 million for rotary,” Mr Morgan said. “We are really pleased that EG have seen the benefit in us remaining on that site.”

Mr Workman said the long history of the RIDBC would play an integral part in the design of the future residential village.

“We have a deep respect for the role that the RIDBC has played and we plan to honour this by creating inclusive sensory gardens as part of the open space network,” he said.

North Rocks Village.

“We’re also planning to deploy the latest sensory design and smart technologies throughout the public domain, along internal roads, within new parks and also in buildings to improve the independence and the quality for people with hearing and sight impairment.”

He said the developer also planned to dedicate homes within North Rocks Village for use by the RIDBC, to support their programs.

“It may be for RIDBC families, staff, and out-of-town visiting families needing to access their new facility at Macquarie Park.”

While RIDBC programs, like the Hear the Children services will continue at the proposed community hub.

Dr Michael Easson, EG

EG chairman, Dr Michael Easson said he was determined to ensure the project was “sensitive, considered and appropriate for North Rocks”.

“We are looking to create housing options that meet the needs of established North Rocks residents who want to remain the local area but downsize to something easier to manage,” Dr Easson said. “We also want to give young couples and families a chance to raise their families in the community.”