THE state government has rezoned almost 1300 hectares of land in north-west Sydney to allow construction of houses, schools and parks for 45,000 future residents.
Planning Minister Tony Kelly visited Riverstone last week to announce that the Riverstone and Alex Avenue precincts, two of 16 in the north-west growth centre, will also receive upgraded transport and community infrastructure.
The Alex Avenue precinct is between Riverstone and Quakers Hill on land bounded by Schofields Road, Ridger Road and the Blacktown/Richmond railway line.
``The growth centres represent the biggest and best co-ordinated land release in the state's history,'' he said.
``These precincts will have capacity for more than 15,000 new homes for 45,000 people, six new schools, parks, playing fields and two large conservation reserves.''
Riverstone MP John Aquilina said he welcomed the announcement.
``These precincts are the foundations of the region's long-term future,'' he said.
``It is also important that these attractive, well-planned residential communities will be near future employment precincts in Riverstone West, Marsden Park and Box Hill.
``All identified sites for homes, employment zones, conservation areas, town centres, schools and leisure facilities will have to meet sustainability criteria.''
Mr Kelly said the new housing sites would be close to employment areas.
``If people spend less time commuting, it will improve family and community life and is more environmentally sustainable.
``We have been planning for sustainable growth on Sydney's fringes since 2005, when we established the north-west and south-west growth centres, covering some 27,000 hectares.
``Over the next 25-30 years, the growth centres will jointly accommodate more than 180,000 new homes and 500,000 people in 34 precincts.
``These rezonings are the next stage of that plan, and bring to eight the number of precincts rezoned since 2005.
``We have now rezoned enough land in both growth centres to develop more than 38,000 new homes for 113,000 people and employment land for more than 23,000 jobs.
``Planning is under way to rezone a further seven precincts to provide land for an additional 38,600 homes and more than 500 hectares of employment land.
``This means almost half of the 34 growth centre precincts have now been rezoned or released.
``And we are not just rezoning land in isolation,'' he said. ``In Riverstone and Alex Avenue, for example, stage one of the Quakers Hill to Vineyard rail duplication is being constructed with a new railway station planned for the Alex Avenue town centre.''
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