The updated masterplan for the $1.8 billion Ivanhoe Estate, referred to as Australia’s largest social housing project, is on public exhibition.
The first stage of the project would comprise 740 total dwellings, including 259 social homes, and a childcare centre on the corner of Herring Road and Epping Road in Macquarie Park.
NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) has been working with the Aspire Consortium — developers Frasers Property Australia and Mission Australia Housing — on transforming the 8.2-hectare site.
Plans for the Ivanhoe Estate will see it developed into an integrated community of around 3000 to 3500 homes.
Ivanhoe Estate, the first major project proposed under the Future Directions policy and Communities Plus program, will also include 950 social housing units and 128 affordable rental units across the next 10 to 12 years, along with delivering new support services and public facilities.
As a result of community feedback received last year, the latest masterplan has increased the amount of open space, revised building setbacks, made changes to building heights and expanded the bushland setting along Epping Road and Shipton’s Creek.
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The updated masterplan also includes the retention of 119 additional trees after being called an “ecological disaster” by Ryde mayor Jerome Laxale earlier this year.
Laxale called for a significant revision of the concept design in February, asking for a reduction in the development’s size, scale and density.
“The Ivanhoe Estate is a prime example of the State Government’s overdevelopment agenda.
“This is state-owned land that this government wants to overdevelop with 3500 units,” Laxale said.
The department’s executive director of key sites & industry assessments Anthea Sargeant says the department is seeking community’s views on both the Response to Submissions for the concept proposal and the EIS for stage one construction.
“Community input is essential to help us make a thorough and rigorous assessment,” Sargeant said.
Redevelopment plans along with stage one development applications are on public exhibition until 19 June.