They have been years in the making, but finally plans for Leppington Town Centre have gone on public exhibition.
And as everyone has expected, this will be a huge new development that could even rival traditional centres such as Liverpool, Camden and Campbelltown.
If it gets the green light, the draft proposal would pave the way for up to 11,000 new apartments and townhouses over the next 20 years, around 11,000 jobs, new and expanded community facilities and schools, new urban streets and plazas, cycleways, busways and pedestrian laneways.
High rise towers, town squares and sports fields are just some of the features of the draft Leppington Town Centre planning proposal, put together by Camden and Liverpool Councils.
State member for Leppington, Nathan Hagarty, pictured, has welcomed the public exhibition of the draft plans.
“These plans reflect that Leppington’s status as an important strategic centre,’’ he said.
“With these plans set to provide for almost 11,000 dwellings, it’s important that the community have input on the kind of town centre they want.
“I strongly encourage residents around the Leppington area to have their say.
“This is an important step in the process of building Leppington into a vibrant and welcoming community.
“I am looking forward to seeing long-needed essential services delivered alongside population growth,” Mr Hagarty said.
To answer any questions and receive community feedback, Camden and Liverpool councils will carry out an extensive program of community engagement activities, with full details available at the link below.
The background to the draft plans is that in 2019, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) requested Camden and Liverpool councils conduct a review on potential future development of Leppington, noting its identification as a strategic centre in the NSW Government’s Greater Sydney Region Plan and Western City District Plan.
The councils commissioned a range of background studies to better understand market demand and feasibility for residential and retail uses and employment development over time.
Those studies underpinned the zoning and other planning controls in the draft proposal.
Initial consultation was undertaken in 2021 to help inform the vision.
Both councils submitted the planning proposal in November last year.
In August this year, the DPE issued a favourable Gateway Determination, enabling the planning proposal to proceed to public exhibition.
Mayor of Camden, Cr Ashleigh Cagney said there was a very exciting time ahead for Leppington.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a vibrant, attractive town centre that will be a home for generations.
“This draft proposal will help make Leppington a destination for locals and visitors to our area.
“The vision is for Leppington to become a thriving town centre with a mix of homes, shops, open space and community facilities, connected to the Aerotropolis and located within the heart of the Western Parkland City,’’ Cr Cagney said.
Mayor of Liverpool Ned Mannoun said it was an exciting time for Sydney’s south-west as it grows into the economic powerhouse of the region.
“With 400 people moving to the south-west every week this will provide much needed jobs and housing,” he said.
“The draft proposal, if adopted, will see Leppington Town centre transformed into a vibrant area. We have seen the success of Edmondson Park – we need Leppington to be better than that, in order to cater to the needs of a rapidly growing population.”
The draft Leppington Town Centre Planning Proposal will be on public exhibition until February 6. For more information, and to share your thoughts, visit https://yourvoice.camden.nsw.gov.au/leppington-planning-proposal
