By Alexandra Smith and Chris Roots
NSW Premier Chris Minns has conceded that the ambitious plan to turn Rosehill Racecourse into a mini-city of 25,000 homes complete with an extra metro station might never get off the ground.
Minns acknowledged the plan for the Australian Turf Club to relocate its Rosehill track to make way for a significant housing development, along with an additional station on the Metro West line from the Sydney CBD to Westmead, “was not a done deal”.
Premier Chris Minns at estimates on Wednesday.Credit: Rhett Wyman
Minns announced the bold plan – taken to the government as an unsolicited proposal by the ATC – in December, describing it as a “once in a generation” opportunity for NSW.
In what was billed as the long-awaited plan to tackle Sydney’s housing crisis, the racecourse would be shifted to another upgraded racecourse, with the ATC expecting to raise $5 billion from the development to invest in racing, training, and member and spectator facilities at all of its venues.
The premier on Wednesday told budget estimates he was “hopeful” that the government could progress negotiations with the ATC, but conceded “irreconcilable differences” could stop the ambitious plans for Rosehill.
Minns said the government “had to be comfortable with the proposal”.
Premier Chris Minns, with Australian Turf Club chair Peter McGauran, at Rosehill Racecourse in December.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
“There may well be, as part of the negotiations between ATC and the government, irreconcilable differences particularly in relation to the disposal of property, the size of the rezoning or the density of housing, how much open space is available, what the links are and contact with the metro line,” Minns said.
“There may be a dealbreaker for one or both of those sides, but in fairness to the government, we made that clear when the announcement was made.”
Regardless of the government’s position, racing members could also scuttle the deal, with prominent trainers rubbishing the proposal and demanding details about alternative sites for the sport’s future.
A heated meeting of ATC members at Rosehill last week revealed deep opposition to the plan to sell the prized 60-hectare site to developers.
Among those who oppose the ATC’s plans are Hall of Fame trainer Gai Waterhouse, Rosehill-based Chris Waller – trainer of the legendary Winx – and Lee Curtis, another prominent Rosehill trainer.
An ATC spokesman said: “The ATC remains committed to working closely with the NSW government, our club’s members, trainers and stakeholders on this proposal.”
Waller said Parramatta was the “heart of Sydney” and needed a “community facility like Rosehill to bring people well into the future”.
“We have an outstanding Premier, who is right to be focusing on housing, but he is also street-wise,” Waller said. “He realises that a racetrack is not just about racing, but it is about bringing people together from all walks of life.”
Racing NSW and its chief executive, Peter V’Landys, declined to comment.
Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou said Minns was being “refreshingly open” in acknowledging the mini-city concept might not proceed.
Nicolaou said other options to help solve Sydney’s housing crisis should now be on the table.
“Business Sydney has for some time advocated a ‘three roads solution’ where higher density housing development along Parramatta Road, Victoria Road and the Great Western Highway could deliver 75,000 homes,” he said.
“With Rosehill Gardens still far from being a done deal, redevelopment of Parramatta Road comes into sharper focus. The revitalisation of Parramatta Road has broad support with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese among those supporting higher density housing along this major corridor.”
Minns said ultimately the Rosehill plan could not progress without the support of the ATC’s members.
“That decision will have to be decided by members of the ATC, not the government,” he said.
Minns said the government’s targets to build 378,000 houses by July 2029 would not be affected if the Rosehill proposal collapsed.