The historic village of Luddenham, which has been going since 1813, may soon cease to exist.
It may sound like an over the top claim to make, but it’s perfectly true.
Luddenham is the only village in the new Western Sydney aerotropolis development, and it sits in the middle of the agribusiness precinct.
But what sounds like a blessing for the village could also be a fatal curse.
The problem for Luddenham – population just under 500 – is that has suddenly found itself too closely located to the Western Sydney Airport under construction about a kilometre away.
Restrictions on development have been placed around the airport, based on the level of noise that will be generated once it is open for business in 2026.
No more growth in terms of new housing would be the death knell for this charming historic village.
Without new residents, businesses, which are already struggling, will eventually close and that will be the beginning of the end for Luddenham
However, after some agitation from the people of Luddenham, especially its Progress Association led by Wayne Willmington, (pictured) the state government proposed a plan that would allow for substantial residential development north of the Luddenham village – but outside the noise contours earmarked around the airport site.
All stakeholders, from local MPs to the two councils, Liverpool and Penrith, backed the plan.
All except one: Western Sydney Airport Co, the government authority established to facilitate the construction and running of the second Sydney airport.
WSA Co, which says it needs evidence to support the “develop or die’’ approach, lodged an objection to the proposal from NSW Planning, which will make it extremely difficult to gain a green light for residential development in Luddenham.
So just when residents started to think their troubles could soon be over, they were back to square one.
But they are rallying their troops once again for a big fight against WSA Co and their objection to a plan that would guarantee the survival of this slice of Australian history.
One of the key questions for residents is why WSA is opposed to this plan when it is outside the noise contours.
“We are in the dark about the basis for their objection given it meets the requirements of their EIS – in fact goes beyond those requirements – and meets the requirements of the NSW Department of Planning,’’ says Wayne Willmington, whose family Luddenham connections go back to 1850.
“WSA Co did not attend any of the Luddenham community consultation meetings. They will not give the community a copy of their objection. They also did not offer any plan for Luddenham to survive into the future.
“The NSW State Planning team has said that Luddenham Village will die without any new homes.
“Why does WSA Co have the right of veto over everyone’s opinion including residents, local councils, state members and federal members?
“WSA Co has not objected to new homes in Bradfield, which is situated the same distance from Western Sydney Airport as proposed new homes in Luddenham, and therefore would be subject to the same amount of noise.’’
Mr Willmington said the Luddenham Progress Association had tried to meet with Simon Hickey, the CEO of WSA Co, to no avail.
“Nor is the federal minister, Paul Fletcher, willing to speak with us,’’ he says.
“We would like to understand why the Federal Government supports new homes in Bradfield and opposes new homes in Luddenham which are the same distance from the airport and in the same noise contour, and which are positioned similarly beside airport runways (Luddenham to the north and Bradfield to the south).
“Luddenham Progress Association is calling on WSA Co to withdraw their objection to developing Luddenham Village and saving Luddenham.”
Last week, Mr Willmington told the Forum on Western Sydney Airport (FOWSA) Luddenham residents were committed to “doing everything we can to ensure the village survives and thrives’’.
“We are running a campaign that is quickly gaining momentum and broad support from community, industry and government,’’ he said.
“We would prefer to work with WSA to better understand the basis for their objections which simply don’t make sense and are inconsistent with their position on other like areas of the Aerotropolis.
“In the absence of WSA Co coming to the table to resolve this in a constructive and respectful way, I am calling on FOWSA to support the Luddenham residents and ask WSA Co to withdraw their objection to Luddenham Village immediately.’’
