Wollondilly Council is continuing to see…

Wollondilly Council is continuing to seek a commitment to enabling infrastructure and an assurance on bushfire safety to support the state-led Appin growth area, with the NSW Government’s decision to accelerate rezoning of Appin for 13,000 additional homes coming into effect in December 2023.

Council’s position is that housing development in Appin is premature without a fully funded, binding infrastructure delivery plan linked to the delivery of housing.

Council has written to NSW Premier, The Hon Chris Minns MP, Minister for Western Sydney The Hon Prue Carr MP, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces The Hon Paul Scully MP and the Minister for Environment and Water Hon Tanya Plibersek MP to reiterate its position on the rezoning and seek a commitment to infrastructure.

Mayor Matt Gould said, “Wollondilly is meeting and exceeding our housing targets, has ample zoned land in Wilton ready to support the NSW Government’s push for more housing, and remains firm in the view that given the enormity of the infrastructure gaps in both growth areas any development in Appin should occur after Wilton and not before 2036, unless binding funds to fully meet the infrastructure needs of both areas can be guaranteed.”

“The demand for infrastructure is already stretched in Wollondilly, with developers in Wilton struggling to access essential services such as water, waste water and roads so that houses can be built.”

“This is what is holding up housing delivery in our Shire and there is a real risk that the development at Appin may further slow delivery in Wilton as the two growth areas compete for limited infrastructure funds. Any growth at Appin will face similar challenges, such as its current lack of a water infrastructure plan, and these needs have to be addressed early.”

Wollondilly Council has repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of a binding plan for utilities and basic infrastructure for the Appin development, seeking clarification on what the plan would look like, how it will be funded and how the community can have certainty that it will be delivered.

The Wollondilly Shire has limited road infrastructure to support the growth expected. There are key corridors that are the responsibility of Transport for NSW and Council is aware of the cost burden that this places on an already overcommitted agency.

Appin, and the Wollondilly community more broadly, has a long history of suffering from significant fires, and while Council understands that mass evacuation is not a strategy generally encouraged by the RFS, there is significant community concern around the capacity of the existing infrastructure to facilitate this should it become needed.

Both Council’s HAEMS study and Walker Corp’s Bushfire Evacuation Traffic Study show that it would likely take in excess of eight hours for Appin to be evacuated in a serious bushfire situation.

Council is concerned that the lack of commitment to upgrade roads, supported by plans and funding, will see Appin’s existing and future residents placed at risk should the road infrastructure not be provided early.

Council is also seeking assurance from the RFS, as the responsible agency, that appropriate infrastructure will be in place at every stage of the development for the Appin area, and that such infrastructure allows for reasonable evacuation times and sufficient access to firefighting water so that there is not an unacceptable risk to life during an emergency. Council is seeking a commitment to prioritise the wellbeing and safety of its residents.

Letter to Minister