Horses for Houses: NSW Eyes 25,000 Homes for Rosehill

Almost 140 years after it was established, Sydney’s Rosehill Gardens racecourse may be in the final straight as the NSW government considers ways out of the state’s crippling housing crisis.

Under an unsolicited proposal from the Australian Turf Club (ATC), the racecourse, which was established in 1885, would move to make way for up to 25,000 new homes, surrounded by greenspace and a new Sydney Metro West station.

The ATC would retain and develop the Rosehill Gardens site.

The two parties have now signed a memorandum of understanding for the proposal, which includes:

• The ATC retains and develops the Rosehill Gardens site for housing (potentially 25,000 homes), entertainment, green space and a new school

• The NSW government explores the feasibility of a new metro station at Rosehill to deliver public transport for the new Rosehill Gardens community

• A centre of excellence horse training facility at Horsley Park to accommodate the relocation of 300 to 400 horses from Rosehill Gardens stables

• Warwick Farm redeveloped as a state-of-the-art racing, training, member and spectator facility

• Several sites across Sydney investigated for a new, world-class racecourse track and facilities

• Funds from the development invested in racing, training and member and spectator facilities at all racing, training and stabling venues

▲ Rosehill Gardens racecourse would give up its home of 138 years under the proposal.

Many racecourses across Australia have been the focus of development activity as racing clubs look to secure their future.

Brisbane’s Doomben has been one of the first to utilise its holding. This year it added a seniors living development to its $1.5-billion masterplan.

In April, plans for Adelaide’s Morphettville were revealed—a $350-million project to deliver 150 apartments in mixed-use blocks as well as 250 townhouses. 

And in October, the next stages of Melbourne’s $2-billion Moonee Valley racecourse redevelopment were greenlit for a $295-million loan to deliver two residential stages.

‘Biggest single pressure’

The government said housing affordability and availability were at their lowest levels in decades, with the state experiencing the lowest rates of rental vacancies and a slowdown in building approvals and construction activity.

“This is the biggest single pressure facing the people of NSW, with mortgage payments or rent the largest expense for most households,” it said.

Premier Chris Minns said it was a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

“The ATC sees this as a chance to secure the future of racing in NSW. The government sees this as an opportunity to put its money where its mouth is and build more housing, close to transport links, with plenty of green space for new families,” he said.

“This is exactly the type of proposal my government has been talking about during the past six months.

“The fact is we have a housing crisis—we aren’t building enough homes. The more supply we have, the more we can drive down cost of living pressures, whether it’s for renters or those wanting to buy their own home.”

▲ The NSW government says it will enhance the Sydney Metro West network.

As part of the proposal, the NSW government also said the Sydney Metro West project would be “enhanced” with the potential for new stations to help drive new housing supply, including one at Rosehill.

The government said it was moving to link the construction of major new transport infrastructure in Sydney to major new housing uplift, and that this focus will underpin Metro West.

The government had directed Sydney Metro to work on increasing the delivery of new housing supply along the Metro West alignment, to support the government’s plan to build more well-located homes near new and existing transport infrastructure, it said.

Under the move, the project will be reset to a “more sustainable timeline”, with the project expected to be completed by 2032.

“The previous government left a 7km gap between Sydney Olympic Park and Parramatta metro stations. To continue this project without maximising its potential to underpin the construction of thousands of new homes would have been an incredibly wasteful missed opportunity,” a government spokesperson said.

“To that end, the NSW government has directed Sydney Metro to complete scoping studies for up to two new stations to be constructed west of Sydney Olympic Park, along the existing planned route, with a decision made based on their ability to drive greater urban infill housing.”