Unspoilt village with 250 people to be transformed into a ‘supersized suburb’ after whole town was snapped up by Chinese developer in $1.5billion deal
- Chinese Developer wants to build 5,250 homes in Menangle Park
- The NSW Government wants to house 1.7 million new people in Sydney by 2056
- Residents worried the development with destroy the town’s character
A tiny town on the far south-western outskirts of Sydney is set to be transformed forever after a Chinese developer released plans to build more than 5,000 new homes.
But the $1.5 billion master plan – that will see the population soar from about 250 to well over 10,000 – has divided locals of Menangle Park, who fear their way of life will be lost forever.
Kerry Ge, who bought her property with her husband 15 years ago with the view of selling the investment once it was approved for sub-division, is now concerned about how elements of the town would be preserved.
‘The council doesn’t seem to have a clear plan for the existing township, which residents are unhappy about,’ she said.
‘Menangle Park is probably not the right fit for this development, but Sydney is growing, so it will spread up and out.’
Menangle Park (pictured) is the subject of $1.5 Billion master plan from Chinese developer Dahua Group
Chinese developer Dahua Group has proposed building 5,250 new dwellings – using a mix of apartments and houses. They have also applied to life the building height from 15 to 24 metres to house more people.
This is more far more than the company’s original successful tender to build 1,850 in the projects in Menangle Park and Edmondson Park.
The new Menangle Park Country Club, which is set to open in January, could benefit from the Dahua Group master plan
The new communuity will have four new playing fields, a new school and a one hectare park connecting the development with the Nepean River and the Mt Annan Botanical Gardens.
The master plan is part of the state government’s strategy of building 725,000 new homes to house an additional 1.7 million residents in Sydney by 2056.
Club Menangle Chief Executive Bruce Christison (pictured) has said it is important the master plan benefits the right areas
Bruce Christison, the chief executive of Club Menangle, which is opening a new Country Club near the development in January, said the development had to fit in with the already established community.
‘We are obviously happy to see more people coming to the area from a club point of view,’ he said.
‘I don’t really have a problem with it personally if it is done in the right place.
A future report on the planning proposal will be tabled before the Council for its consideration which will include the advice provided by the Local Planning Panel.