Stakeholder and community consultation

Consultation helped shape the concept proposal

In 2019 we consulted the community to get feedback on our draft concept proposal for Hills Showground. The community could provide further feedback during public exhibition of the concept proposal.

Twenty-seven submissions were received during the exhibition; 12 from government authorities and 15 from the public or organisations. Key issues raised in the submissions included:

• concern about the building height and scale of buildings
• ensuring buildings showcase design excellence
• concern about traffic impacts and parking provision
• improving the relationship between the concept proposal and Hills Shire Council’s Castle Hill Showground masterplan
• clarification about compliance with minimum lot size and set back planning controls
• infrastructure provision and the capacity of utility services to support new development.

In response to feedback, we made the following changes to the concept proposal:

• reduced overall density, bulk and scale (in particular in Precinct East) with less residential space (from 1,900 homes to 1,620 homes)
• increased retail and commercial space
• improved connection to public space and reduced bulk and scale of buildings in the Doran Drive Precinct with increased maximum building storeys from 20 to 21 storeys which still complies with the permissible 68 metre height limit
• increased building setbacks and a three metre outdoor dining setback in the Doran Drive Precinct and Precinct West to improve the links to public areas
• fewer one bedroom homes (from 35% to 25% of the housing mix) and more three bedrooms homes (from 10% to 20%) to improve housing diversity
• better integrating the Castle Hill Showground masterplan with the concept proposal
• strengthening the Urban Design Guidelines, to guide future development applications in design excellence.

The concept proposal was approved by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces in January 2020.

Future consultation

The community will have more opportunities to comment on future development proposals when our development partners submit detailed designs for each precinct. These applications will comply with the approved concept proposal.