Development activity at Picton is picking up with $83-million plans for new government buildings revealed for the Wollondilly community cultural and civic precinct.
The region, 90km south-west of Sydney, is expected to grow by 92,102 people in the next 13 years. This application is the next stage of a concept masterplan.
It includes a four-storey government building, two-storey library and public plaza at 60 Menangle Street, Picton.
It follows the stage-one plans for a 350-seat performing arts centre and two-storey children’s services centre approved by the NSW Planning Panel in March.
The design by Williams Ross Architects incorporates buildings from the 1860s and would be built on the 1.3ha site next to Picton Mall.
“The proposed built form and nominated building materials allow the development to interconnect with the existing streetscape and architectural style seamlessly, whilst providing a link to the Wollondilly Shire Hall,” a report by Smec said.
Wollondilly Shire Council had a busy few months rezoning a neighbouring suburb, allowing for 1600 new homes at Wilton Town Centre as well as a new primary school, sports fields and the protection of 37ha of land.
The council also celebrated two openings this week; the refurbishment of the old Picton Post Office to create co-working space and the new Children’s Services Building.
It follows changes to the local environment plan in July that expanded zoning for tourist accommodation in rural areas around the shire.
Despite the major developments in the pipeline for Picton, it was one of the million-dollar dropouts reported by CoreLogic in May.
There were 237 markets that dropped under the mark with median house prices at Picton down 10.2 per cent annually to $909,000.
