The landowners, within the 590-hectare Vineyard Precinct, are anticipating the department’s decision by mid-year.
Once rezoned and with new planning controls in force the precinct has the potential for approximately 2500 new dwellings for 7000 new residents.
However, the Department of Planning & Environment said the timing of development would depend also on a number of other factors including the market, the provision of essential infrastructure such as water and sewer servicing, power and roads.
The precinct, located in the Hawkesbury local government area, is part of the North West Growth Centre, a key location for new urban development to meet housing demand in the Sydney Metropolitan Region.
The North West Growth Centre Structure Plan identifies the majority of the precinct for urban residential development, together with open space, schools, shops and employment land required to meet the needs of future residents.
In August 2013, the government announced the formal start of planning investigations to rezone the precinct about eight kilometres from Windsor and bordered by Commercial Road and Menin Road to the north, Boundary Road to the east, Windsor Road and Bandon Road to the south, and portions of lots to the west
At workshops in June, 89 landowners discussed a range of issues to develop a vision and planning direction for the precinct.
Planning for the site has taken into account the character of the precinct due to its location in relation to rural and industrial land surrounding the area, and its close proximity to rezoned areas such as the Box Hill and Box Hill Industrial Precincts and the Riverstone Precinct.
The issue of a relocation of the Vineyard train station southwards is yet to be resolved.
A department community update in November stated the existing station lies within the Riverstone Precinct, which was rezoned in May 2010.
“Development around the existing and proposed station sites would depend on what the land owners’ intentions are, as well as the feasibility of developing according to the nominated new land uses,” the document said.
No funding for a possible relocation is available.
