PROPOSAL FOR THOUSANDS OF LOCAL JOBS MOVES TO NEXT STAGE AS COUNCIL GIVES CONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR MACARTHUR BUSINESS PARK REZONING

A proposal that the proponent believes could provide up to 20,000 more local jobs is a step closer. At its last meeting Wollondilly Shire Council gave initial support to a planning proposal for the Macarthur Business Park at Moreton Park Road at Douglas Park and Menangle, subject to amendments to ensure delivery of critical infrastructure and conservation of environmentally sensitive land including koala habitat.

Local jobs are a priority for this Council, and the proposed Macarthur Business Park would provide thousands of additional jobs close to home for our community as it grows. Added to the Southern Gateway and Wilton Industrial proposals, this now means proposals for more than 20,000 local jobs are progressing.

The draft proposal, led by Walker Corporation, seeks to enable the development of land for employment purposes, including business industry, commercial office, large format retail and other commercial uses.

Council has welcomed the potential positive community benefits of the proposal, including thousands of local ongoing jobs that would be created, the delivery of critical infrastructure including a new full interchange to the Hume Highway, an east-west link road linking the Hume Highway to Appin Rd, conservation of environmentally sensitive land and protection of a significant portion of koala habitat.

Council has highlighted a number of concerns that need to be addressed for the proposal to progress; in particular having the right infrastructure in place before the precinct is delivered and making sure the surrounding environment is protected. 

Mayor Matt Gould said, “This proposal could deliver thousands of jobs across multiple sectors close to our growth areas, as well as provide critical regional infrastructure, protection of koala habitat and the delivery of social infrastructure and public open space.

“These are potentially significant benefits, and there are also substantive issues that still need to be properly investigated and resolved. Potential jobs do not outweigh the need to get the infrastructure, environmental protections and land-use controls right.

“Council has supported the Planning Proposal to proceed to Gateway with a range of important amendments that set out our expectations and seek answers to the issues that have been raised. We look forward to these matters being comprehensively addressed through the Gateway process.

“Through the preliminary community consultation, the community raised legitimate concerns around insufficient infrastructure, environmental impacts, and the impacts on surrounding villages. There was also general support for new employment opportunities and improvements to infrastructure.

“Council’s conditional support of the proposal is based on a number of amendments to the proposal and dependent on several outstanding issues being addressed through the Gateway process. This includes issues around the zoning framework and retaining the Strategic Conservation Area mapping under the Biodiversity and Conservation State Environmental Planning Policy.”

“The proponent’s proposal to retain the koala corridor is positive, and Council has also amended the proposal to increase the amount of conservation land on the site by approximately 40%.”

“There also needs to be thorough consultation with our Aboriginal knowledge holders to make sure they have meaningful input into the proposal, as well as additional work to protect the Upper Nepean prior to the proposal going to public exhibition.”

“Council’s support was contingent on a number of critical infrastructure issues being fully addressed as part of the Gateway process; including ensuring the necessary road and water infrastructure is funded by the proponent, that a clear, binding infrastructure plan is put in place, that a transport impact assessment that looks at key issues like Douglas Park Gorge is done, and that the full motorway interchange with on and off ramps as well as a link road to Menangle Road is in place from day one.”

Although the site is identified for future employment land in Greater Macarthur 2040 and the Structure Plan released by Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure in November 2022, the site is located outside Greater Macarthur Growth Area boundary as governed by the State Environmental Planning Policy which means the site is subject to the Wollondilly Local Environment Plan 2011.

Mayor Matt Gould added, “The site has already been identified by the State Government for future employment purposes and has the potential to shape the future of our Shire for generations. Conditional support to progress the proposal is not final approval of the rezoning, and it allows Council to continue to have a strong voice in the decision making and work to secure the strongest possible outcomes for our community.”

Council will submit the draft Planning Proposal to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure with a request for a Gateway determination which specifies the necessary additional work and steps required and will include additional community consultation.