Smithfield RSL Club plans hotel for masterplan with 436 units
A southwest Sydney RSL club has revealed ambitious plans for its hotel and residential precinct, set to host more than 400 apartments across towers up to 14 storeys tall. See more here.
Smithfield RSL is the latest club to reveal ambitious plans for a 168-room hotel in a precinct that will include hundreds of apartments.
Fairfield Council has approved the 10-storey hotel in a precinct to be called Chisholm Place - a nod to the suburb’s original name of Chisholm’s Bush.
Along with the hotel, the masterplan allows for up to 436 residential apartments between four and 14 storeys tall, a medical centre and convenience shops, a large outdoor community space for events, and a park for fitness and play facilities.
Club chief executive Shane Atkins said the concept was in his sights for more than 30 years.
“The proposal is about contributing much-needed uses and homes for Smithfield, and these also make excellent sense for our diversification strategy as a community club,’’ he said.
“The significance of the opportunity for the Fairfield local government area is tremendous,’’ Mr Atkins said.
Most of the club will remain unchanged in the masterplan apart from upgrades to the main lobby and the edges of the club along Neville St.
A total of 15 organisations have contributed to shaping the masterplan, including Innova Capital and Benson McCormack Architects.
Smithfield RSL Club chief operating officer Wesley Komorowski expects workers in the industrial zone to keep hotel demand strong.
“It’s a benefit to the community but the industrial area is one of the biggest around,’’ he said.
“It’s adjacent to us and Wetherill Park, and with the airport coming between Liverpool and Parramatta, there’s nothing around that area so the hotel would help out.’’
Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone has welcomed the hotel.
“We don’t want to lose the expenditure to other areas and we want to keep the jobs locally,’’ he said.
“This is about making Fairfield a destination spot. We are not far from the airport and we are not far from Parramatta.’’
He said the hotel would also coincide with the redevelopment of Fairfield Showground and would offer beds for festival-goers visiting Fairfield.
“We’ve got our major festivals all year round but on top of that, we do 20 or 40 festivals at the showground all year and people come from all over NSW to go to festivals,’’ he said.
“This is about city building, providing jobs for the community and to make sure our city continues to grown and provide our city and invites people in our own backyard.’’
The project announcement comes as the nearby $230m Cabravale Club Resort opened with a 140-room Novotel hotel this month.
Business Western Sydney and other lobby groups have called for government construction reforms to fast track hotel approvals in the region, with demand expected to soar when the airport opens in late 2026.
Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said while five hotels were in development at Parramatta, they remained far from the airport and more accommodation facilities were needed in the city’s southwest.
At Oran Park, the 184-room, six-storey Atura Hotel is under construction and is expected to open in 2026.
The NSW Planning Department will ultimately decide if the Smithfield hotel proposal is approved. If the government supports the project, it is likely to go on public exhibition for community feedback in mid-2026.
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Originally published as Smithfield RSL Club plans hotel for masterplan with 436 units
