The Hills Shire Council has raised serious concerns with the State Government's secretive Housing Delivery Authority's (HDA) decisions to fast-track 5,936 additional homes in our major centres, which could reduce vital land for business and worsen the infrastructure crisis.
The HDA has drastically increased housing density in Castle Hill, Norwest, Rouse Hill, and Baulkham Hills, with some high-rise developments doubling to almost 40-storeys in height - all without any commitment from the NSW Government to fund the roads, schools, and sports facilities needed to support the extra people that will live in them.
It comes as 20,000 NSW residents signed a petition to the NSW Legislative Assembly to demand stronger investment in roads, parks and schools across The Hills Shire.
Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Michelle Byrne, said the NSW Government is blatantly disregarding the community's needs through the HDA which effectively sidelines the community, council and our planning controls.
"This fast-tracked approach will force another 12,000 residents into our already strained town centres, which are buckling under overburdened roads, schools and community facilities," Mayor Byrne said.
"We already have the highest housing targets in the state, and now the Government is using the housing crisis as a trojan horse to pile on thousands more dwellings without delivering the essential infrastructure to support them. These are largely unplanned and are on top of our already zoned supply."
Council highlighted one proposal at 34-46 Brookhollow Avenue, Norwest, as a stark example of the HDA's overreach.
The developer's original proposal to Council was for a commercial-focused development with 76 apartments. After applying through the HDA, this plan has ballooned into an 800-dwelling development, on top of the combined retail space.
The developer has since applied to withdraw their original application from Council, which sought a far more appropriate built form for the site, as the state-level process now supersedes local assessment.
"Brookhollow Avenue already faces heavy peak-time traffic. A multi-storey development here will worsen congestion and overshadow nearby homes," Mayor Byrne said.
"This is a perfect example of the HDA's approach: ignoring local infrastructure needs and bypassing proper planning in the name of housing supply."
Since its establishment just seven months ago, the HDA has considered 21 expressions of interest in The Hills and fast-tracked 14 of them as State Significant Development.
"Significant local planning decisions are being made behind closed doors by a secret state panel, with no details provided to Council or the community until they choose to," Mayor Byrne said.
"The Minns Government has a track record of removing all strategic and town planning in the state. The community and Council have been sidelined, and developers are being allowed to bypass Council and local planning policies that were put in place for a reason. They're probably rubbing their hands with glee.
"While we acknowledge the need for more housing, this growth must be matched by infrastructure. Without a holistic approach, the result will be overdevelopment. Our community will suffer, and we are seeing our vital business land devoted to high-rise units."
The HDA is one of several reforms the NSW Government has introduced to increase housing across the state. To counter the NSW Government's one-size-fits-all approach to housing, Council launched the Fight for a Fairer Hills Future campaign. The campaign demands action on the region's significant infrastructure deficit and calls on the NSW and Australian Governments to commit to vital projects, including:
- Funding for 40 additional sports fields
- Upgrades to 45 key regional roads
- Delivery of 13 new public schools
- Addressing the $207 million infrastructure deficit in Box Hill
The campaign's petition recently hit a significant milestone of 20,000 signatures, triggering a debate on the issue in NSW Parliament in the coming months.
Residents and stakeholders are still encouraged to sign the petition before it closes on Friday, 5 September. To sign and learn more, visit: www.fairerhillsfuture.com.au.
