Hills Shire Council has again maintained its staunch opposition to a plan (pictured), now by Levande, to transform its more than 40-year-old Castle Ridge Resort at Castle Hill, 34km northwest of Sydney’s CBD.
However, the seven-year battle may be coming to an end as the Council refused to finalise a direction by Sydney Central City Planning Panel to allow it to proceed.
Levande wants to transform its ageing home of 113 independent living units, on 3.7ha of land, and create approximately 247 independent living units within 14 buildings ranging in height from three- to six-storeys.
Hills Shire Council originally resolved that the planning proposal should not proceed to Gateway Determination. This decision was overturned by the Sydney Central City Planning Panel following the lodgment of a Rezoning Review request from the applicant.
In July last year, a Gateway Determination was issued by the Department of Planning and Environment allowing the proposal to proceed to public exhibition and a finalisation deadline of this month.
The Council last week “acknowledged Sydney Central City Planning Panel and Department have already formed a view that the proposal does have sufficient strategic and site-specific merit” and that it is not the final determining authority on Levande’s proposal.
“The proposal provides an opportunity to renew ageing seniors housing and deliver additional housing in The Hills Shire, while enabling the site to maintain a low impact setting similar to the existing development,” said NSW Planning Department’s metro central manager Angela Hynes.
