At long last, justice and victory for long-suffering landowners in Riverstone

FRUSTRATED  landowners in Riverstone’s Scheduled Lands Precinct A will finally be able to either develop or sell their small plots of land following the recent signing of a release order by Planning Minister Rob Stokes.

MP Kevin Conolly in Riverstone. Picture; Isabella Lettini

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QUICK FACTS:

■ What: NSW Government gives go ahead for work to proceed in the Riverstone Scheduled Lands Development Plan Precinct A (Stages 1-3).

■ Whom it will pact: Initially more than 50 but eventually, if all goes well, more than 300 landowners

■ Numbers: There are around 1,900 lots held by over 320 landowner groups across the Riverstone Scheduled Lands, with around 280 lots and 50 landowner groups within Precinct A (Stages 1-3).

■ Timeline: Local landowners have been fighting for this for more than 30 years

■ What’s next: UrbanGrowth to submit DA to Blacktown Council shortly and work to provide essential services could start by mid-2017

FRUSTRATED  landowners in Riverstone’s Scheduled Lands Precinct A will finally be able to either develop or sell their small plots of land following the recent signing of a release order by Planning Minister Rob Stokes

Michael Croghan, the president of the Vineyard, Riverstone, Marsden Park Developments community group, said it was their “Cathy Freeman moment” and their members are jubilant at their win for “a land that time forgot”.

UrbanGrowth NSW is due to submit a development application to Blacktown Council by the end of the year, with Riverstone state Liberal MP Kevin Conolly saying he expects work to provide all services, including roads, water, drains, sewerage and electricity, should start by the middle of next year.

Riverstone has been neglected for decades and is losing out the rapid development going around it.

A map of the Riverstone Scheduled Lands. Picture courtesy: UrbanGrowth NSW

Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali said it was “a ­victory for common sense ... it shows what can be achieved when residents, the local council, developers and the State Government work together”.

Mr Croghan told the Times there was a “sense of ­relief and jubilation” among landowners.

“This has never been done before and it’s a sense of relief and jubilation,” Mr Croghan said.

“It’s a not-for-profit organisation and taken many years but it’s like running a marathon, you train so hard and you don’t want to give up.

“This will unlock the potential of the area and it’s a perfect example of having UrbanGrowth on board because otherwise it would have not gone ahead.

“We now hope the government will keep UrbanGrowth for the other stages of the development.”

Like many of his family members and other members, Mr Croghan has sold his land and moved outside the area, due to the lack of progress.

“I was born and bred in Riverstone and my dad lived there for more than 50 years,” Mr Croghan said.

Riverstone state Liberal MP Kevin Conolly.

Earlier this year, the State Government held a second ballot to break the deadlock because the first ballot in 2014 did not receive the required 60 per cent majority with some postal votes arriving too late.

The second ballot in March 2016, however, showed overwhelming approval for the development from 80 per cent landowners representing almost 90 per cent of the property.

Mr Conolly said: “It’s a happy new start for the landowners as we had a false start 18 months ago with the first ballot.”

Blacktown mayor Stephen Bali.

Mayor Bali, calling it, “another first for Blacktown City, and indeed NSW,” said: “The first subdivision certificate gives significant hope and a future to other ‘scheduled lands’ property owners.

“This decision clears the way for areas of Riverstone that have long lain dormant to become thriving residential streets.”

■ UrbanGrowth, formerly known as Landcom, will get the owners to pay for the services either with cash or by giving a portion of their land.