The Hills Shire Council has officially submitted its feedback on the proposed "mini city" development at Bella Vista and Kellyville Metro Stations, urging the NSW Government to reconsider its rushed plans and adopt a more measured approach to ensure the project's success.
During the Council Meeting on August 13, Councillors unanimously backed a submission to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure, raising significant concerns about the proposed rezoning of land around the Kellyville and Bella Vista Metro Stations.
This submission was prompted by the Department's exhibition of its Transport Oriented Development (TOD) plan for the Bella Vista and Kellyville Metro Stations, which are open for public comment until Friday, August 23, 2024.
Council's submission highlights serious issues with the proposal, including inadequate infrastructure, insufficient road upgrades, environmental impacts, and increased flooding risks. These concerns are particularly pressing given that if these plans are approved, these precincts would have the capacity to be home to 100,000 additional people. This population is more than some of Sydney's Local Government Areas.
General Manager of The Hills Shire Council, Michael Edgar, emphasised the importance of thoroughly planning these precincts.
"These suburbs will become highly congested if these plans are implemented," Mr Edgar said.
"TODs should ensure that the walkable catchment from residents' homes to services and public transport are safe, accessible, and inviting. However, the current plan relies on the Metro and a very busy road for commuting to work, school, playing fields, and essential services.
"The impact on Old Windsor Road, which runs through the centre of the walkable area, cannot be ignored. It's hard to see how this plan does anything but worsen the situation. The proposed public domain for urban outcomes must be exceptional.
"Council sees fundamental gaps in the proposed plans and the conclusions made about critical infrastructure, including road upgrades, sports fields, playgrounds, and essential services like SES, Police, and Fire & Rescue, is a long way short of what is needed.
"Given the scale of the project, the plan should be publicly displayed along with comprehensive infrastructure plans and future development standards and be exhibited as an entire package.
"Council's concern is that the Department's TODs deviate from long-established benchmarks for major road performance and other essential infrastructure that government agencies have long upheld.
"These precincts can only succeed if the NSW Government delivers a well-planned, liveable community that genuinely enhances the quality of life. Pushing large-scale development without necessary infrastructure is unacceptable.
"Unless revised, these plans will leave our current and future residents with a precinct that feels overdeveloped and inadequate, leading to widespread dissatisfaction."
Mr Edgar encouraged residents to review the plans and submit their own feedback, just as the Council has done.
"Now is the time to let the NSW Government hear what you think; once this plan is made, it will be difficult it to be rewound."
"Our submission reflects Council's deep concerns about the impacts of an additional 100,000 residents in these precincts, on top of the current population.
"While we recognise the urgency of addressing the housing crisis, rushing these plans through without proper assessment and infrastructure will lead to a quality-of-life crisis.
"Both Blacktown City and The Hills Shire Councils are very competent at planning and accommodating growth, and this plan differs from what we would expect if Council prepared it. Chances are it would not have seen a gateway approval from the NSW Government without significant re-work," he added.
Key concerns outlined by Council include:
Flooding Risks: The area near Elizabeth Macarthur Creek is prone to flooding. Council recommends that no rezoning decisions be made until the Department's flood assessment is complete.
Growth Distribution: Of the 47,800 additional dwellings planned across eight TOD Accelerated Precincts, 43% are concentrated in just two precincts, including Bella Vista and Kellyville. This concentration exceeds the current population of several Sydney suburbs.
Employment Land Use: Council insists that rezoning must preserve the area's job capacity and employment potential. Old Windsor Road is a crucial arterial link for businesses and commuters, and it will struggle to support the incoming population without significant upgrades.
Built Form and Scale: Further urban design analysis is needed to assess the impacts on the Elizabeth Macarthur Creek corridor and nearby low-density areas. Council recommends reducing building heights, increasing setbacks, and minimising overshadowing to ensure adequate sunlight for open spaces and streets.
Ecologically Sustainable Development: An updated flora and fauna study is required to consider potential heritage and ecological impacts before finalising the rezoning.
Building Certification: Council highlighted ongoing issues with private certification, which have led to significant defects in some developments. Council urges the NSW Government to overhaul the certification system to restore consumer confidence and provide better certification protections for people living in strata complexes.
Traffic: The plan fails to account for the contribution of the arterial road network to regional traffic and productivity. Detailed traffic modelling should be commissioned to determine the necessary upgrades to support additional growth.
Public Transport: Council calls for more bus services, additional commuter parking spaces, and bus priority measures to improve access to Metro stations.
Open Space and Community Facilities: The plan provides insufficient funding for social infrastructure. All residents should have access to a local park within 400 metres, and the area needs more than a dozen new playing fields. The additional community centre and library space must also be funded.
Schools: Despite plans to further upzone the land to accommodate an additional 43,000 residents, no new school sites have been identified. Council stresses the urgency of planning and delivering new schools, including a high school on government land south of Sanctuary Drive.
Emergency Services: The NSW Government should honour its commitment to secure a site for a future SES headquarters within the Bella Vista-Kellyville Metro corridor, especially given the increasing frequency of natural disasters. The plan also lacks provisions for Fire & Rescue, Police, or local courts to service the new population.
For more information and to listen to the 13 August Council Meeting visit: www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/Council/Meeting-Agendas-Minutes/Meeting-Agendas-Minutes.
To have your say on the plans: https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/draftplans/exhibition/kellyville-and-bella-vista-state-led-rezoning-proposal?fbclid=IwY2xjawEyDbNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHTRw9Tgbwd0l-aFl7aa9EqBnsGzwE7tO-1iDD2GGzPRZ1sC5XdF1f_tNag_aem_O_hyVr8_hxI7mWXIxbX6BA.
