Wollondilly Shire Council has received a…

Wollondilly Shire Council has received a report providing an update on the planning and delivery of the Wilton Town Centre - which on completion will be the residential, retail, commercial and entertainment core of the Wilton Growth Area and the largest strategic centre in the Shire.

The Wilton Town Centre Precinct will deliver a major retail and commercial centre, approximately 1,600 new homes with a mix of housing types, a new public school, new public open space including sportsfields, protection of 37 hectares of environmentally sensitive land, and improved roads and public transport infrastructure including provision for a central bus terminal.

In February 2023, Council received a $320,000 grant from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) towards the delivery of the Masterplan to help guide the future planning decisions for the Precinct.

Work on the Masterplan was completed in December 2023 and delivered in a final report by McGregor Coxall in July 2024. Several potential changes to the current Structure Plan, made in 2021 by DPHI, were identified. The work also included a series of principles and recommendations for Council to use to respond to proponent planning proposals and neighbourhood plans.

The rezoning of the Precinct came into effect on 30 June 2023. There is currently no Neighbourhood Plan for the Precinct and the location and form of community assets has not been confirmed.

Mayor Matt Gould said, “Commencement of Wilton Town Centre is one of this Council’s key strategic priorities as it will provide the jobs, services and community facilities our community deserves. We’re working hard to make it a reality.”

“The Wilton Town Centre will be an essential part of this growing new community and Wollondilly more broadly.”

“The Masterplan report findings will allow Council to respond to any future landowner-lead planning proposals to amend the Structure Plan and neighbourhood plans.”

“It will also equip us to make informed decisions regarding the delivery of Council’s community assets in the Wilton Town Centre.”

“We face some challenges when it comes to the delivery of infrastructure by the State Government and the delivery of basic services such as wastewater for the Wilton Growth Area. We look forward to seeing these issues resolved.”

A number of changes have occurred since the original planning for the Town Centre commenced, including:

·       The development of NSW Government Connection with Country and Movement and Place frameworks

·       Changes in retail post-Covid

·       Progress of developments around the region such as acceleration of Campbelltown and Greater Macarthur

·       Council’s review of community infrastructure.

One of the key challenges for the delivery of the Town Centre is that State infrastructure has not yet been resolved. State Contributions via the Housing and Productivity Contribution will not fully fund State infrastructure and there is currently no framework for Works in Kind Agreements enabling the delivery of this infrastructure by developers.

There may be changes that the proponent proposes with the current Structure Plan and a Neighbourhood Plan still needs to be prepared and endorsed.

There are also challenges for the delivery of basic services such as wastewater for the Wilton Growth Area and Wollondilly more broadly.

The next steps for the planning and delivery of the Wilton Town Centre are dependent on the landowners, who are currently developing their first Neighbourhood Plan and possible changes to the Structure Plan.