More than 2,000 people live in Bingara Gorge, the master planned community located off the Hume Highway and Picton Road.
But with 4,000 more expected to call Bingara Gorge home in the next two years, current residents are starting to worry their meagre retail offerings – which are already at full capacity – will be completely inadequate.
Indeed Michael Maher, a committee member of the Bingara Gorge Community Association, says current residents are already being forced to travel to retail centres such as Campbelltown and Picton to meet their needs.
“We need more retail services now, it’s as simple as that,’’ says Mr Maher, who has lived in Bingara Gorge for 10 years.
If you live in Bingara Gorge, shopping locally means a small grocery store, medical centre, pizza outlet, café, bottle shop and a Chinese restaurant that can’t keep up with the increasing demand.
A development application for a much larger retail centre was lodged with Wollondilly Shire Council in July by Metro Property Development (Metro) – and which the residents support.
According to the development application for Bingarra Gorge Village (pictured above and below), the proposed centre would mean residents will have their own full-line supermarket, 13 specialty tenancies, a climate-controlled plaza along ground level, outdoor and indoor dining, public amenities and 200 parking spaces.
“We would love to see this approved, it’s exactly what we need,’’ Mr Maher tells the South West Voice in Macarthur.
But the Bingara Gorge Community Association is worried that the council may reject the application because it recently commissioned a review of the Wilton Growth Area Commercial Centre Study (CCS) which appears to prioritise the growth of Wilton Town Centre over local centres such as Bingara Gorge.
“Yes, that is the reason we are worried the application for Bingara Gorge Village may be knocked back,’’ says Mr Maher.
Another Bingara Gorge Association committee member, Chris Khalil, believes the draft CCS in flawed.
“The paragraph showing demand modelling for Bingara Gorge is considered sufficiently provisioned to service its community and no further development is required because of the existence of Wilton Plaza is not correct,’’ says Khalil.
“A full format supermarket is required to properly service the community, particularly given the expansion plans.
“The proposed retail centre by Metro is one of the most substantial and exciting developments in the estate and has been embraced unanimously by local residents, not only in Bingara Gorge but also those in the greater Wilton area.”
The South West Voice asked Wollondilly Council what stage Bingara Gorge Village application is in currently.
The council said the DA was lodged on July 12.
“A preliminary assessment identified a number of issues to be resolved and Council asked for some more information from the applicant in a letter on 16 August 2022,” council said in its response.
“The applicant has requested an extension of time (until December) to provide the requested information. Feedback from the community is also welcome.”
If there’s one thing Bingara Gorge residents want council to know is that they are desperate for more local retail facilities.
“Residents require more retail options now, not in 2040,” says Mr Maher.
