[+] Castle Hill Pipeline Nears Density Cap

Plans to transform one of Sydney’s oldest suburbs is reaching its limits as the development pipeline hits 90 per cent of its density cap. Almost a dozen development projects are in the works for the rapidly growing Castle Hill Showground Station Precinct, which was rezoned in 2017 to deliver 5000 new homes over 20 years. To date 4504 new homes have been approved, including concept plans to construct five residential buildings on almost an entire low-density suburban block. Castle Hill Panorama, led by George Tisseverasinghe and Paul Miron, submitted new detailed plans with additional apartments for the 12,400sq m site with The Hills Shire Council this month. The $94-million concept plans were first approved by the Sydney Central City Planning Panel in early 2020 for 228 apartments across buildings ranging from three- to seven-storeys at 7-23 Cadman Crescent and 18-24 Hughes Avenue, Castle Hill. In July 2021, Castle Hill Panorama sought to remove the cap and increase the plan to 315 apartments—a gross floor area of 26,112sq m—however the amendments were refused. ▲ The 811 dwelling plans on a 32,641sq m designed by Tony Owen Partners for APP Corporation Pty Limited at 20-36 Carrington Avenue, Castle Hill The new detailed proposal adds 27 apartments, rooftop communal space, 60sq m of retail and an additional two-storeys to the approved concept by architecture firm MHNDU. The proposal includes a biodiverse pool with natural filtration and a 3m waterfall. Trees reaching 8-storeys have been retained from the original low-density housing by Turf Design Studio. According to the developer, the proposal would be one of the world’s first bio-diverse pools in a high-density residential setting. While the Castle Hill Showground Station Precinct has the capacity to accommodate more than 9000 homes, the 5000-home cap was introduced to give the state government time to resolve schooling infrastructure provisions. So far, development activity has picked up rapidly, including Landcom’s plans for 1620 homes next to the new Hills Showground Station, which was approved in February 2021. The project, to be developed by Deicorp, has 13 towers up to 21 storeys on Doran Drive. Other projects in the precinct include Combined Projects plans for 272 apartments, approved in mid-2020 , and a proposal from 112 landholders to build 811 homes across their properties, which is currently under assessment. ▲ An aerial image of Castle Hill Showground Precinct, approved development is highlighted in red, yellow areas are under assessment. Image: Castle Hill Panorama (1). Castle Hill Panorama development manager George Tisseverasinghe said supply in the area was limited until the planning was amended and the railway station opened. “I grew up in the Hills and for more than 20 years lived in Castle Hill, and attending Baulkham Hills High School,” he said. “My own family had to relocate from the area due to the lack of transport and appropriate housing options. “When we started working on this project more than five years ago we understood the impact the new rail would have and appreciated the latent demand from local downsizers at the time the rezoning was originally proposed. “Considering that, we understood that there was a gap in the market and formulated the best team to design the project to a standard far beyond where the market was at that time.” Tisseverasinghe said it was a hard suburb to buy into, with 80 per cent of the homes owned outright and a quarter of its residents aged between 50 to 69, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. “Residents are hesitant to relocate outside of their shire—60 per cent of households in the Hills did not change address between 2011-2016, which is significantly higher compared to the City of Sydney, for example, at 27.5 per cent,” he said. “Reading between the lines it is apparent that there is a large wave of cashed-up downsizers who are not likely to move outside the area who are waiting for the right product for them locally.” ▲ The bio diverse pool and original trees at Cadman Crescent between earthy coloured apartment buildings in Castle Hill. The Hills Shire mayor Peter Gangemi said providing high-quality, well-built buildings was important for the area. “Residents have told us [that] they want a range of housing options, from homes that provide a good quality of life for families to apartments allowing a range of price points within the Hills,” he said. “The council’s own housing diversity provisions create these opportunities, however, around multi-level buildings a community must be created and how that might be achieved needs careful consideration.” You are currently experiencing The Urban Developer Plus (TUD+), our premium membership for property professionals. Click here to learn more.

[+] Castle Hill Pipeline Nears Density Cap

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