At a glance
- More homes, with a mix of housing types such as dual occupancies, terraces and apartments, close to the new Western Sydney Airport and Bradfield City Centre.
- Better and new access to green and open spaces, such as parks and parts of the Wianamatta-South Creek corridor.
- Thriving public spaces including shops, services and entertainment.
- Improved and new transport connections, including the new Sydney metro - Western Sydney Airport line and Orchard Hills station, cycleways and walkways.
- Better protection from environmental hazards such as bushfires and flooding.
Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
State-shaping precinct: precincts that typically create substantial, additional economic value, and are led by multiple agencies in partnership with local council. These require a significant level of whole-of- NSW government leadership.
Overview
The Dharug people are the Traditional Custodians of the place we now call Orchard Hills.
Orchard Hills sits at the heart of Western Sydney – an area that we expect to grow and change significantly over the coming decades.
The precinct planning process is under way for Orchard Hills. Precinct planning allows us to consider the type of housing, workplaces, open space and transport connections the area will need as well as considering the needs of the existing community.
What's happened so far
We released a discussion paper to collect community and stakeholder feedback on our early findings and ideas. The discussion paper and community responses on the discussion paper identified the things we need to consider when planning for Orchard Hills future.
The discussion paper was available for feedback from 18 November to 16 December 2022. The views and feedback we received are informing preparation of the draft precinct and rezoning plans, which will also be available for public review and comment.
More than 200 residents and landowners attended an online or in person information session on the discussion paper. A recording of the planning for the future of Orchard Hills, online information session is available to view. Frequently asked questions (PDF, 507 KB) on the Orchard Hills discussion paper are now available.
What's happening now
The department is conducting a range of studies to help us to better understand Orchard Hills. These studies will identify infrastructure such as roads, parks and schools needed by the current community and what will be needed for those who will call Orchard Hills home in the future. The studies will also allow us to better protect the land from natural hazards such as flooding and bushfire.
These studies are critical to understanding the Orchard Hills precinct overall, and to inform future land use planning.
To allow for further investigation, the planned exhibition of the Orchard Hills re-zoning package will occur in mid 2024.
We have also adopted a staged approach to re-zoning land in Orchard Hills to better align with the planned delivery of new and upgraded infrastructure to service the precinct. We anticipate the initial development stages will be centred around the new Sydney Metro station, which is planned to open in 2026.
To support the staged approach, we will release a structure plan during public exhibition to indicate ‘zoning intent’ for all land in Orchard Hills. This will inform landowners about intended future zoning, and guide future rezoning and release stages, without officially rezoning land.
PFAS Contamination Investigation
We have received advice from the Commonwealth Department of Defence that there may be per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present in part of the precinct study area. We have also engaged a consultant to carry out soil and water testing work within and adjoining the precinct to confirm the nature and extent of the contamination.
This investigation began in December 2023 and we expect to have the final report in March 2024. The consultant has primarily focused on publicly owned land.
The revised exhibition timing will allow for the soil and water testing work to be completed and its results considered before the public exhibition occurs. The presence of PFAS in the environment does not necessarily mean there is a human health risk and we will work closely with the NSW Environment Protection Authority and the Commonwealth Department of Defence to keep the community informed of the investigation progress.
If you have questions regarding our contamination investigation, or the broader precinct planning process, please contact our Orchard Hills project team via the contact details included at the bottom of this page. For more information, you can also view the PFAS contamination fact sheet (PDF, 228 KB).
The Australian Government has resources available on what PFAS is, how it might affect us and other frequently asked questions. You can access these resources at pfas.gov.au.
If you have questions specifically related to the national PFAS Investigation and Management Program, reach out to the Department of Defence on 1800 333 362 or email [email protected]
What happens next
The technical studies that are currently underway and results of consultation completed to date are informing preparation of the draft planning package for the Orchard Hills Precinct. The department will discuss the outcome of these studies with Council and other NSW Government agencies, to ensure the draft plans meet their needs and expectations.
The draft planning package for the Orchard Hills precinct, including the draft rezoning package for the first stages of development will go on public exhibition in mid 2024 and the community will again be invited to have their say.
Community consultation and the Independent Community Commissioner
The NSW Government has appointed Professor Roberta Ryan as the Independent Community Commissioner to help with planning for the future of Orchard Hills.
The Community Commissioner is independent of government and will help the community understand the planning process and what any proposed changes may mean. Roberta will also raise community issues and concerns with the Government during the process.
Frequently asked questions
Orchard Hills is a priority precinct identified for growth in the Greater Penrith to Eastern Creek Strategic Framework. This framework identifies areas where there is capacity for new housing and urban renewal and supports growth that aligns with infrastructure investment.
Orchard Hills is identified as a priority urban release area in the short term, meaning precinct planning will be undertaken within 1 to 5 years. The focus of strategic planning efforts within Orchard Hills is to rezone land to support a new mixed-use centre. This centre will capitalise on the new Metro Station and provide diverse housing, supporting infrastructure, new employment opportunities, retail and local services, and support the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan.
The department is in the process of preparing a draft precinct plan and rezoning package for Orchard Hills.
In late 2022, the department released a discussion paper to collect community and stakeholder feedback on the early findings and ideas for planning in Orchard Hills. The feedback provided by the community and stakeholders on this discussion paper has informed the ongoing development of the draft Orchard Hills precinct plan.
The department is preparing a range of technical studies and investigations to support the precinct planning process and intends to publicly exhibit the draft rezoning in mid 2024, pending the outcome of these technical studies and investigations.
In response to concerns about impacts on land values and rates prior to development being able to occur, we are investigating a staged approach to the rezoning to ensure costs of infrastructure and potential impacts are managed and timely. This will be achieved through staged releases of land, with the first stages of development expected to occur around the new Metro station.
We are continuing to engage with other agencies and organisations, including Sydney Water, Transport for NSW and Penrith City Council (Council) to ensure development will be supported by the necessary infrastructure and services required.
To enable the community to understand the potential future land uses across the wider precinct, the department will also release a structure plan as part of the public exhibition. The structure plan will provide the ‘zoning intent’ for all land in Orchard Hills, so landowners can see expected future land uses in their ‘neighbourhood’.
The department has received advice from the Commonwealth Department of Defence that there may be per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present in part of the precinct study area. In addition to our ongoing technical studies relating to issues such as transport, urban design, biodiversity and stormwater management, we have also engaged a consultant to carry out survey and soil testing work within and adjoining the precinct to confirm the nature and extent of the contamination.
The results of this testing are needed to inform the draft plan that will go on public exhibition for community feedback.
The impact on the value of land is difficult to determine at this early stage. A draft precinct planning package will be exhibited in mid 2024 at which point more information will be available to determine the future land use potential of individual sites.
Generally, land values increase after a rezoning that permits more intensive and profitable land uses. Even if land is not rezoned, the value of the property may also benefit from improved access to infrastructure and services, such as the provision of a new Metro station.
As the precinct plan is developed, some land may be identified for public purposes that would require acquisition. In most cases acquisition occurs through negotiation and the timing for acquisition can be flexible, depending on the proposed land use and the rate of development in the area. As the plan for the area is developed those areas required for facilities like schools, electricity infrastructure, parks and community uses will be identified along with clarification regarding any acquisition.
More information regarding property acquisition is available at Property Acquisition NSW.
The NSW Government has appointed Professor Roberta Ryan as the Independent Community Commissioner to help with planning for the future of Orchard Hills.
The Community Commissioner is independent of government. Professor Ryan’s role in Orchard Hills is to:
- help the community understand the planning process and what any proposed changes may mean, and
- help to raise any community issues and concerns with the Government during the process.
If you need to contact the Independent Community Commissioner, please be in touch with Kate Robinson from her office by email at [email protected] or phone 0408 115 467.
We are still considering the inclusion of part of The Vines in the staged precinct planning process for the wider Orchard Hills area. This consideration will ensure the area is fully integrated in the future of Orchard Hills and that The Vines residents can easily access the facilities and services Orchard Hills will have in the future, including the new metro stration.
There is no simple solution to managing or reducing the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley’s high flood risk. The NSW Government is delivering the Flood Strategy program, together with local councils, businesses, and the community. Managing existing and future flood risk in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley requires an integrated approach to infrastructure, land use and emergency management planning.
The NSW Government is committed to delivering growth in the right places putting the safety and resilience of the community at the heart of decision making, whilst providing opportunities for new jobs, housing, and public spaces in Orchard Hills.
We will continue to work closely with state agencies and flood experts to align the planning for Orchard Hills with the recommendations of the NSW Flood Inquiry and the NSW Government’s response.
- For further questions about Orchard Hills, email the team at [email protected] or phone 1300 420 596, Monday to Friday (9 am to 5 pm), and select option 2.
- For translation and interpreting services phone 13 14 50 and ask for an interpreter in your language to connect you to 1300 420 596. When connected to 1300 420 596 ask to speak to the Orchard Hills planning team.