Appin, NSW: Inside the planned 'city of the future' that's set to be home to thousands of new residents By Olivia Day For Daily Mail Australia Published: 04:15 BST, 30 August 2024 | Updated: 04:21 BST, 30 August 2024 e-mail View comments A tiny rural town with a population of just 3,000 people could see their population surge by more than 1,000 per cent under a mammoth housing development plan. The NSW Government wants to see 40,000 people eventually settle in the regional town of Appin, located about 70km southwest of Sydney 's CBD. Australia's new 'city of the future' being developed by Walker Corporation will be built near existing infrastructure at the 200-year-old town in the Macarthur region.
Walker will construct 13,000 homes for 40,000 residents by the conclusion of the project, which was signed off by the state's planning minister in June 2023. The government is hopeful the $13billion project will alleviate an increasingly tight housing market in Sydney as well as wider cost-of-living pressures. Walker has promised four new schools, healthcare services, parks, nearly five million squares of conservation land and a lightning-fast NBN connection.
The Wollondilly Shire Council has requested the plans include new infrastructure for the rural town such as roads and a wastewater treatment plant in the plans. 'We need to see that as part of a binding structure plan that is directly linked to the delivery of houses,' Mayor Matt Gould told 7News. Walker has promised four new schools, healthcare services, parks and a lightning-fast NBN connection at the development in Appin ( an artists impression is pictured) Walker has spent $10million on reports to ensure development applications 'accommodate all the critical infrastructure required alongside housing'.
'The wider Macarthur region is excited about our vision to create a high-quality community for families to grow and explore in one of the most unique natural settings in Australia with shops, cafes, schools, parks and public transport, all within walking distance to homes.' A $1.9billion business park would create 10,000 local jobs on top of employment opportunities in new retailers, restaurants, cafés and supermarkets.
The public will have their say on the development in November with Walker chief executive David Gallant hopeful plans will be approved by June 2025. The first batch of 500 homes could commence construction in early 2026. 'Our future communities at Appin will deliver a major boost to NSW's housing supply, unlocking thousands of new homes for future generations to live in vibrant villages connected to scenic bushland and heritage townships, all within 25 minutes of the beautiful beaches of Wollongong,' Walker says on their website.
Four new schools that cater for years K-12 is part of plans to transform the sleepy town of Appin into a residential and business hotspot over the next two decades Appin locals accused Walker of removing about 20 homemade signs protesting the development from public land last February. Read More Take a look at the entire new town of the future that is being built to solve Sydney's housing crisis Local Michelle Maroun claimed Walker had contracted workers to take down the signs that read 'Will you learn as we burn' and 'Koala safety'. 'They weren't even on their private property,' she told the ABC at the time.
'The town is absolutely furious. Now they want to go in harder, I have had people reach out and say they will put the signs on their front fences.' Other concerns have been raised over the Appin site, with environmental groups taking issue with land clearing.
Others have raised doubts over whether there would be an appropriate amount of infrastructure at the site to accommodate residents moving in. Walker says one third of the site has been dedicated to conservation to protect the environment and the local koala population. The government is trying to fix a shortfall of more than 130,000 homes in NSW, as housing supply struggles to keep up with increasing demand (pictured, an artists impression) Koala corridors will be reserved for the species after one of the nation's most emblematic animals was pushed to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss.
The rural town of Appin was one of a number of precincts flagged by the state government for rezoning in November last year. The government is trying to fix a shortfall of more than 130,000 homes in the state, as housing supply struggles to keep up with increasing demand. NSW needs to build 314,000 new dwellings to meet the state's share of the Accord to build one million new homes over five years starting from 2024.
It is falling short by almost 30,000 homes a year. Sydney Share or comment on this article: Appin, NSW: Inside the planned 'city of the future' that's set to be home to thousands of new residents e-mail Add comment.
