Will stormwater infrastructure be integrated with walking paths?

As we progress the early stages of design and further technical studies for the stormwater infrastructure, we will explore the possibility of integrating walking paths with the stormwater system, ensuring that we collaborate closely with Council to meet all necessary safety requirements and design specifications. We will keep this suggestion in mind as we refine the plans through this process.

Will there be a delay in sewer infrastructure resulting in temporary solutions?

We understand the concern around the timing of sewer infrastructure. We are working with DPHI and Sydney Water to ensure reliable services are in place before homes are built. Our desire is for Sydney Water to design and deliver the Upper Nepean Advanced Water Recycling Centre however we also willing to work with Government and Sydney Water to explore interim wastewater solutions to help accelerate the delivery of infrastructure until a long-term solution can and be resolved.

Will Ingham Property deliver the entire site?

Yes. The Ingham family has lived and worked in southwest Sydney for over a century, and this land has been in their ownership since the 1960’s. The fourth generation of Ingham’s are keen to see their family’s Appin landholding evolve from what was once the largest poultry operations in the southern hemisphere, to a residential community that honours Appin’s rural character, protects the environment and strengthens the connection to the existing Appin Township. Given the family’s deep ties within the community, they are committed to building a neighbourhood that honours and reflects local values.

When will the medium density product be put on the market?

It is likely to go last.  This is because the Greater Macarthur Transit Corridor is not scheduled to be delivered until beyond 2040 at the earliest and those dates are likely to slip due to State budget prioritisation.  Housing around this piece of infrastructure will be convenient, so it will earn a price point that will make this product feasible.  In our experience, medium density product only begins to arrive at a feasible price point when all of the surrounding detached homes are sold out.  Medium density product struggles to compete with detached housing on a head-to-head consumer price point.  While we wait, these areas will be reserved public open space.

When will the Greater Macarthur Transit Corridor be delivered?

The last indication we have from Transport for NSW is delivery in the 2040 timeframe.  These are long dated estimates and they are subject to annual revision depending on the status of the business cases supporting their inclusion in a future NSW State budget.  These business cases require firm population growth to justify the NSW government’s investment.  As development gains momentum in the Greater Macarthur Growth Area, the government will review their infrastructure investment priorities.

Will the Greater Macarthur Transit Corridor have a fast bus route?

Fast buses are one of the options along with driverless busses and light rail.  These options are being evaluated by Transport for NSW.  These options are also being assessed for the same type of fast transport solution for the Liverpool to Western Sydney International Airport Fifteenth Avenue Airport Transport Corridor.  We expect that work will be leveraged in the analysis of the best solution for the Greater Macarthur Transit Corridor if it is not left as a simple Appin Road duplicate for vehicle traffic.

 How does the 2,499 dwelling cap work and who is subject to it?

The 2,499 dwelling cap originated in the analysis of the Walker Corporation Appin Development Traffic Report that was based on their project’s required TMAP traffic modelling.  The figure can be found in the table at the top of page 191 in the report titled Appin Precinct Transport Management & Accessibility Plan (TMAP) that is exhibited on the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure website (DPHI Planning Portal).  Therefore, this figure is directly applicable to the Walker Corporation Appin Development.  As new Greater Macarthur Growth Area developments are proposed and analysed, their contributions to road transport infrastructure upgrades will also be modelled to assess revisions to traffic volume limits. For example, as more of the planned Appin Road upgrades reach completion (some punctually delivered by private industry), Transport for NSW and the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure will reassess the cap.  We should mention that road transport infrastructure is not what we consider to be the limiting factor in Greater Macarthur Growth Area development.  The private sector is more than capable to deliver the required road transport infrastructure and upgrades.  Instead, the limiting factor is wastewater treatment due to the tardy delivery of the Upper Nepean Advanced Water Recycling Centre.  We are working with Sydney Water to accelerate part of this new plant’s infrastructure called the Glenfield Brine Line.  When delivered, Sydney Water indicated to Infrastructure NSW on 31 July 2025 that this accelerated infrastructure will enable connection of 15,000 new homes across Greater Macarthur.

How did our project become a State-Led Planning Proposal?

Toward the end of COVID, the NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, issued a call to action for Western Sydney stimulus projects that could help get the NSW economy kickstarted.  He was particularly interested in shovel-ready construction projects that deliver residential housing since the construction industry is one of NSW’s largest employers and the state is in an acute housing shortage.  We submitted our cleared 345 Appin Road, Appin project since it had very few issues to transition from cattle grazing to a 3,000 lot housing estate in the Greater Macarthur Growth Corridor which had been identified and planned since 1968.  The Department of Planning and Environment, toured the site and asked us for a “Planning Proposal light” to assess the project’s viability.  We submitted this proposal which was well-received on merit.  We were invited to be one of three State-led Planning Proposals in the Greater Macarthur Growth Area and a full Planning Proposal was requested.  The complete report was submitted to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for public exhibition in June 2024.

What size lots will we offer on average and what is our smallest lot?

The average size lot for a detached home will be approximately 300 square metres. The average size lot for a terrace dwelling with rear laneway access will be approximately 200 square metres. We are required to offer a diversity of lot sizes that meet a range of price points. There is emphasis on creating product that meets first-homebuyer price points in the $800,000 to $1,100,000 price range (house and land) to help the next generation start the home ownership journey.  This product requires smaller and efficient lots.  Further to these regulatory requirements, we believe that as homeowners ourselves and as part of our social license to operate, we have a moral obligation to help future generations become homeowners and enjoy the benefits of homeownership.  Homeownership offers enormous social and financial benefits. Our mix of lot sizes also provides housing choice for upgraders, downsizers and empty nesters who wish to stay close to family, friends, and their support networks.  It’s the right thing to do.

Must we have lots below 10 meter wide frontage?

Yes we do.  These lots are designed to hit price points on the more affordable end of the market, which includes first homebuyers and downsizers.  This housing product will give the next generation, downsizers and empty nesters a choice to live near family and amenity in Appin (eg retail, schools and medical facilities). 

Do you have to construct swales in the roadway because they don’t get maintained and end up collecting trash and flooding?

We completed a number of constructive review meetings with Wollondilly Shire Council officers where we raised the issues of swale maintenance and function.  Community feedback is also helpful.  In the end we want a Shire design requirement that meets the functional needs of the community, the environment, Council’s maintenance budget and other commercial constraints.  There is more work to do with both the community and Council on this issue.

Will there be ample off-street parking for families with adult kids and more than two cars?

We are working with Wollondilly Shire Council officers to assess the functional performance of their different design requirements.  This includes conducting a functional design review of the solutions recently deployed in new Shire developments.  Our interests are aligned and the ongoing discussions are constructive.  There is more work to do with both the community and Council on this issue.

Will the footpath be at the kerb or will we have to stumble through a landscape strip to get to our cars parked on the street?

This is an issue in a number of Greater Sydney Councils that are trialling new stormwater absorption solutions.  We agree there is a public safety requirement to be prioritised.  We are working with Wollondilly Shire Council officers to assess the functional performance of their different design requirements.  This includes conducting a functional design review of the solutions recently deployed in new Shire developments.  Our interests are aligned and the ongoing discussions are constructive.  There is more work to do with both the community and Council on this issue.

How will you roll out the stages across the site?

Put simply, from east to west.  There are a few exceptions toward the middle of the site where we will leapfrog areas to capture infrastructure and earthworks efficiencies.  We plan to deliver the retail centre early in the project.  Everyone likes to see their supermarket and shops under construction rather than a “Coming Soon” sign when they are buying their new home.  We have strong interest in the public school site from both the public and private sector.  The private sector would start building the school tomorrow if the regulatory approvals were in place!

How many mature (100 to 200 year old trees) will you have to remove?

Our land has been cleared since the late 1800s, so there are very few mature trees outside of the areas we will protect in perpetuity to enshrine our side of the Ousedale Creek koala corridor into state law.  There are some large trees marking the laneway at our front entrance, around the old dairy farmhouse and a few near the ridgeline.  The rest of the paddock trees are small and immature.  Part of our landscape-led approach means that our project will end up with more trees of the right indigenous species than exist today.  We think this is an exciting prospect and it will be part of the project’s identity and legacy.

Do we have to develop the area around the old farm six at the back of the project or can this be given back to the Mallaty Creek Koala corridor?

We are returning a further 1.22 hectares of land to regeneration at the top of this area.  This will help buffer and expand the Mallaty Creek mature tree stands.  We thought that Mallaty Creek, like Ousedale Creek, was a koala corridor, but the Department of Climate Change, Energy Environment and Water corrected us on our understanding of the science.  While controversial amongst local environmental groups, Mallaty Creek is not a designated koala corridor according to the experts that make the rules.  In our view, Farm Six has been cleared for nearly 140 years so development in this area will not impact the designated Ousedale Creek koala corridor which we are helping to project by adding a further 18.4 hectares of land for expansion.  This means the Ousedale Creek koala corridor will be two to three times the NSW Chief Scientist’s required minimum.  That is a great outcome.  In total, we are setting aside 27 per cent or 80 hectares of our 300 hectare land for conservation.  That is a big commitment. 

How will you keep us informed about the project going forward?

At registration, you gave us your details which will go into a database that we will use for regular communication on project updates.  This also includes publishing all of the queries we get at the Display and Discuss sessions with answers.  If you did not attend one of our Display and Discuss sessions, please register your details on the contact us section or email us directly at info@northappincommunity.com.au.

Will the land be flattened in order to provide housing?

While there will be detailed investigations to determine the level of cut and fill of the land, the structure plan and collector roads have been designed around the north-south ridgeline that dissects our land – anchoring the sky to the land using the natural environment. The site will be shaped by the natural features, taking advantage of the open landscapes and strengthening the connection to the existing Appin Township.

What are you doing the protect the Koalas?

Nearly 60 hectares of bushland will be protected under environmental conservation zoning. Approximately 67 hectares of this bushland will be allocated for the koala corridor. This includes the contribution of an additional 18.4 hectares of our site for regeneration to increase the connectivity of the koala corridor between patches of vegetation, resulting in expanding the width of our side of the Ousedale Creek Koala Corridor over the NSW Chief Scientists recommended minimum. There will also be a fauna underpass constructed with the upgrade of Appin Road, near the Brian Road intersection that links to the Koala corridor adjacent to the southern boundary of our site.