Grenville Street Development Residential Development

Landcom recognise that development is unlikely to occur in the Scheduled Lands unless landowners work co-operatively together. With this in mind, we believe a key part of our work should be aimed at getting landholders to work closely with each other. We also think that any development solution for the Scheduled Lands should be developed with landowners.

Starting in 2005, Landcom began working with local landowners group the Vineyard Riverstone Marsden Park Development Inc (VRMPD) to find a way to make development happen.

In late 2006 we widened this discussion to include all landowners in the Scheduled Lands. Since that time we have provided information through a regular landholder newsletter, this website and an information phone line. We have also continued to seek landowner feedback through a series of landholder surveys.

Landcom is interested in talking to landowners in the Scheduled Lands with land now identified as Low density R2 residential. We are keen to hear your views about the future development of your land.

If you have not already completed a survey, could you please click on the link below and fill out the survey form.

Landowner Survey

Copies of landowner newsletters are available by clicking on the links below.

Landholder newsletters

September 2008 Newsletter click here [PDF 316KB]

May 2008 Newsletter click here [PDF 690KB]

December 2008 Newsletter click here [PDF 1.5MB]

April 2009 Newsletter click here [PDF 1.5MB]

To access Landcom presentation material click here

Frequently Asked Questions

Landcom and the Scheduled Lands

1.  Who is Landcom?
  • A State-owned Corporation that develops land in NSW.  We develop land on behalf of Government.  Part of our charter is to assist Government with strategic and complex projects.

2.  What’s Landcom’s role in Riverstone?
  • To work with landowners to help them find a way to unlock the development potential of their land to enable orderly development to take place.

3.  Why is Landcom involved?
  • The Scheduled Lands are located in a strategic position in the North West Growth Sector.
  • Landcom is identified in the Metropolitan Strategy as a body with the skills and expertise to help facilitate development.

4.  Who owns the land?
  • It is mainly held by private landowners. There are around 3,600 lots held by over 500 landowner groups.
  • Landcom is not a landowner in the Scheduled Lands.

5.  What work has Landcom done to date?
  • We have entered into an agreement to work with the landowner representative group Vineyard, Riverstone, Marsden Park Developments Inc (VRMPD) to identify means of facilitating the development of the area.
  • We have considered various potential development models with VRMPD and are currently finalizing a preferred model with landowners.
Developing Your Land

6. Why can’t I just build on my block as it is?
  • The Department of Planning has rezoned  the Scheduled Lands to allow urban development. It is likely that Blacktown Council will not allow development in the area to proceed unless sewer, water and electricity capable of servicing all of the new development area is available.

    Details should be obtained from Blacktown City Council   (www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au)

7. When can I develop my land?
  • When development can be programmed with the knowledge that the infrastructure necessary to support it will be made available. 

    Details should be obtained from Blacktown City Council   (www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au)

8. What infrastructure is needed?
  • The existing rural roads and limited water services are not adequate to serve a new urban neighbourhood.  These will need to be replaced with new water, sewer, road, power and other services. 
  • The large new development area will need to be supported by new schools, public transport and community services.
9. What are the costs associated with developing my land?
  • Government fees and levies:
    • Section 94 fees
    • Statel infrastructure Contribution
  • Costs normally associated with developing private land such as:
10. What are the government fees and charges I will have to pay?
  •  State infrastructure Contribution:
    • The whole of the North West Growth Centre, within which the Scheduled Lands are located, is subject to the regional infrastructure levy administered by the Growth Centres Commission.
    • The levy will help contribute towards the cost of State Government services such as schools, transport and emergency services to be provided for the area - Government will pay for the rest of the costs.
  • Section 94 fees
    • A Section 94 payment will be levied by Blacktown City Council in line with a final Section 94 Plan. . This is normal practice for new development areas and will cover your share of the cost of local facilities and services such as drainage areas and parks.

11. Why do I have to pay for the infrastructure?
  • It is normal practice for developers in NSW to pay for the cost of the roads, water, sewer and other services needed for  their developments. 
The Concept Development Model

12.  What is the Landcom development model?  How does it work?
  • At this stage the model is conceptual only and is subject to Landcom Board and Government approval.
  • The model allows existing lots to be reconfigured into more saleable, developed lots. 
  • It is based on the principle of giving existing landowners the option of paying for their share of the services needed to develop their land into more saleable lots by exchanging part of their land for these services. 

13.  Has a model of this type been used somewhere else?
  • To the best of our knowledge a model of this type has not been used to develop land.  There are other models which share some of the characteristics of our model that have been used in Western Australia.  We’ve looked at these models and drawn on their strengths.

14.  Why this model?
  • We believe it could work effectively at Riverstone.  It has been tailored to meet the unique characteristics of the Vineyard-Riverstone Scheduled Lands.  It enables landowners to retain the title to their land, is financially flexible and has the potential to deliver a good urban outcome.

15. What support do you have for it?
  • The model has the support of the Riverstone sub-committee of Vineyard, Riverstone, Marsden Park Developments Inc. 
  • We have received positive feedback on it in discussions with Blacktown City Council, the Growth Centres Commission and Sydney Water
  • In response to a questionnaire sent to all landowners at March 2008 we had received responses from about 50% of all landowners and about 85% of those responding had indicated that they were willing to consider working with Landcom towards the development of the area.

16. What if I just want to sell my land?
  • It is intended that participation in the model will not prevent you from selling your land at any stage in the process. 
Rezoning
17. What zoning is suitable for Landcom’s Model?
  • Landcom’s Model applies to land with a low Density R2 residential zoning