Lendlease, Jordan Springs: 2000 promised jobs not provided as developer plans 500 extra homes
A major property developer’s commitment to generate thousands of jobs within a Western Sydney housing estate has fallen dramatically short of 2020 forecasts, as they work to scrap employment land for more housing.
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It was the controversial plan for thousands of homes in Western Sydney while also originally promising to generate a job for every worker living there.
But property developer Lendlease has revealed is has fallen dramatically short of jobs targets earmarked for its ever expanding Jordan Springs and Ropes Crossing estates — providing just 744 of the promised 2770 jobs within the precinct.
The revelations come as the developer calls on the NSW Government to scrap plans for a major employment zone between the Jordan Springs East, Dunheved Business Park and Ropes Crossing estates, replacing it with another 500 homes in the Jordan Springs, Ropes Crossing development precinct.
This month, Planning Minister Rob Stokes announced the fast-tracked determination of a $126 million planning proposal by Lendlease to rezone the site, also known as the ADI site in St Mary’s, adding 500 new homes and create 250 jobs.
Lendlease called on the minister to rezone “approximately 38.4 hectares of land within the Central Precinct from Employment zone to Urban (residential)” as part of a swathe of amendments including the proposal of a 1.2ha regional park expansion.
However, the Sydney Regional Environmental Plan guiding the development of the major site since 2001 details Lendlease’s strategy to generate over 5000 ongoing new jobs, “equating to one job for every resident worker”.
The NSW Planning Department reviewed the plans in 2015, finding a one job for one working resident ratio wasn’t appropriate, with the revised projections earmarking the creation of 2770 jobs on site by 2020.
During the review, a Lendlease planner argued “employment zoned land would be better located within strategic centres which are adequetly located close to public transport and major transport infrastructure”.
A Lendlease spokesman told The Penrith Press the company was “awaiting rezoning approval on a 38-hectare parcel of land in St Marys, from employment to urban.
“If approved, (the development) would create an anticipated 500 new lots for housing,” the spokesman said. “As part of this application, an additional 1.2 hectares is also proposed for rezoning for regional parklands.”
Despite promises of 2770 jobs within the precinct by this year, Lendlease data suggests a total of 744 jobs have been created.
The developer’s St Marys Skilling and Employment Centre has facilitated in over 5800 job placements.
Former ADI residents Action Group convenor, Geoff Brown said residents had a “crystal ball moment” in 2003, forecasting a major lack of jobs would be provided to the Penrith and St Marys communities within the Lendlease development.
“We were promised jobs as part of the sale of the site and the community would rather have those jobs than extra houses,” Mr Brown told The Press.
“This is a betrayal of the NSW Government giving a massive leg up to the developer at the expense of long-promised jobs for the people of Penrith and St Marys.
“There will be very little input provided back into the community through this broken promise.”