Bella Vista Hero Banner

Bella Vista

Indicative artist impression, subject to change and subject to approvals

Approved concept

The concept State Significant Development Application was approved by the Minister for Planning in December 2022.

The approved concept proposal includes around:

  • 3,800 homes, including a minimum of 5% Affordable Housing for very low, low and middle income earners such as teachers, nurses, cleaners and retail workers
  • 151,000mcommercial gross floor area
  • 15,000mof retail gross floor area
  • 15,000m2 of community gross area, including a new community facility and new school site
  • 56,000m2 of public open space including a new town centre, network of open spaces along the western side of Elizabeth Macarthur Creek, and a district park.

Community feedback shaped the concept

In June 2019 the community were invited to an information session to provide feedback on the draft concept proposal. After considering feedback from the community and other stakeholders, we lodged the concept State Significant Development Application in October 2019, and it was on public exhibition from late October to late November 2019.

The public exhibition provided an additional opportunity for the community to provide feedback. Some of the feedback included:

  • concerns about overdevelopment in the local area
  • requests to consider building design excellence
  • requests to consider the visual and privacy impacts of new buildings
  • concern about the ability of the proposed infrastructure upgrades and car parking rates to support the development
  • requests to consider how the concept reflects the lifestyle and character of the local area
  • questions about compliance with height, scale and setback controls
  • concerns about construction impacts.

In July 2020, we responded to feedback received during the public exhibition in the Response to Submissions package.

Some of the updates to the concept proposal included:

  • changes to the concept proposal layout and the site links to break up the built form and improve connections
  • increased public open space
  • changes to building setbacks and separations to reflect the intended character of the area
  • revised lot sizes to allow for taller buildings
  • revised car parking rates to encourage public transport use
  • the inclusion of terraces to provide greater housing diversity
  • the inclusion of retail uses close to the proposed primary school site
  • updates to the tree planting strategy to achieve a minimum 40% tree canopy coverage.