A small rural town with a population of just 3,000 could see its population increase by more than 1,000 percent thanks to a giant housing development scheme.
The New South Wales government wants 40,000 people to eventually settle in the regional town of Appin, located about 70 kilometres southwest of central Sydney.
Australia’s new “city of the future” being developed by Walker Corporation will be built close to existing infrastructure in the 200-year-old city in the MacArthur region.
Walker will build 13,000 homes for 40,000 residents upon completion of the project, which was approved by the state planning minister in June 2023.
The government hopes the $13 billion project will ease Sydney’s increasingly tight housing market as well as broader cost-of-living pressures.
Walker has promised four new schools, health services, parks, almost five million square meters of conservation land and a superfast NBN connection.
Wollondilly County Council has requested that the plans include new infrastructure for the rural town, such as roads and a wastewater treatment plant.
“We need to see this as part of a binding structure plan that is directly linked to the delivery of homes,” Mayor Matt Gould told 7News.
Walker has promised four new schools, healthcare services, parks and a superfast NBN connection at the development in Appin (an artist’s impression is pictured).
Walker has spent $10 million on reports to ensure development applications “accommodate all required critical infrastructure along with housing.”
‘The wider Macarthur region is excited about our vision to create a high-quality community for families to grow and explore in one of Australia’s most unique natural environments, with shops, cafes, schools, parks and public transport all within walking distance of the homes.’
A $1.9 billion business park would create 10,000 local jobs, plus employment opportunities in new retailers, restaurants, cafes and supermarkets.
The public will have their say on the development in November and Walker chief executive David Gallant hopes the plans will be approved by June 2025.
The first batch of 500 homes could begin construction in early 2026.
“Our future communities in Appin will provide a major boost to NSW’s housing supply, unlocking thousands of new homes for future generations to live in vibrant villages connected to picturesque bushland and heritage townships, all within 25 minutes of Wollongong’s beautiful beaches,” Walker says on its website.
Four new schools serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade are part of plans to transform the sleepy town of Appin into a residential and commercial hub over the next two decades.
Appin residents accused Walker of removing about 20 homemade signs protesting development on public land last February.
Local resident Michelle Maroun said Walker had hired workers to remove signs reading “Will you learn while we burn?” and “Koala safety”.
“They weren’t even on their private property,” he said. alphabet At the moment.
“The city is furious. Now they want to go further. I’ve had people contact me and say they’ll put the posters on their fences.”
Other concerns have been raised about the Appin site, with environmental groups taking issue with land clearing.
Others have raised questions about whether there will be an adequate amount of infrastructure on site to accommodate the residents who will move there.
Walker says a third of the site has been dedicated to conservation to protect the environment and the local koala population.
The government is trying to address a shortage of more than 130,000 homes in New South Wales as housing supply struggles to meet rising demand (pictured, an artist’s impression)
Koala corridors will be reserved for the species after one of the country’s most iconic animals was driven to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss.
The rural town of Appin was one of several districts earmarked for rezoning by the state government in November last year.
The government is trying to address a shortage of more than 130,000 homes in the state as housing supply struggles to meet rising demand.
New South Wales needs to build 314,000 new homes to meet the state’s share of the Deal to build one million new homes over five years from 2024.
It is falling short by almost 30,000 homes a year.