Community Petition: Fight for a Fairer Hills Future

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What is this about?

We are calling on The Hills community to sign our ePetition calling on the NSW Government to provide urgent funding for critical infrastructure for our booming population.

We need 20,000 signatures for the petition to be debated in parliament.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions to find out more on what the petition will do.


Background

Our Shire is already grappling with the pressures of rapid population growth. But the most significant growth is yet to come.


Over the next 20 years, the total number of homes in The Hills Shire will increase to 127,700 homes. That's an 88% increase on our current 68,000 homes already built. According to the NSW Government's own population forecasts, the Hills will be home to approximately 328,635 people by 2041. That's a 71% increase on our current approximate population of 192,660.


Our roads, schools, sporting fields and community facilities are already struggling to keep up and will only continue to do so.


For decades, The Hills Shire has been one of Australia’s fastest-growing Local Government Areas (LGA), and Council has proactively planned for sustainable growth by delivering infrastructure to support both current and future residents. However, despite these efforts, the NSW Government has introduced planning policies that override Council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP), accelerating high-density development in traditionally family-friendly suburbs.


These changes include the designation of Transport-Oriented Development (TOD) precincts at Kellyville and Bella Vista, driving an unprecedented surge in residential and commercial growth. This area alone has the potential for 11,600 homes. This will bring a population of more than 23,000 people in an approximate area of 1.04km2, making it larger than Sydney's Central Business District with a residential population of 18,818 people who live in an area of 2.97km2.


Beyond TODs, additional reforms propose low- and mid-rise housing policies, allowing terraces and six-storey developments near transport hubs. Further density incentives, such as a 30% floor space ratio (FSR) bonus for affordable housing projects, are also being introduced.


In addition to this, the NSW Government has set a target of 23,300 new homes in The Hills Shire over the next 5 years — a 35% increase in housing stock that Council deems unfeasible without urgent investment in essential infrastructure.


Box Hill is another area that needs critical government investment. Council is advocating for $207 million to fund the gap in the Box Hill Contributions Plan (CP15), which would deliver vital infrastructure, including parks, roads, drainage, footpaths, and sports fields. Without this funding, Box Hill and surrounding communities will continue to face major shortfalls in essential amenities, affecting residents' quality of life.


While Council acknowledges the need for more housing, it remains firm in its position that growth must be supported by the necessary infrastructure and services. The NSW Government must prioritise funding for roads, schools, parks, playgrounds, and other critical facilities — particularly in high-growth areas such as Bella Vista, Kellyville, North Kellyville, and Box Hill.


Details on the Infrastructure Needed for the Expected Growth

Roads and Traffic Improvements

To ease congestion and improve connectivity, we call for:

  • Widening key roads:
    • Old Windsor Road (Celebration Drive to Windsor Road) to 3 lanes in each direction.
    • Windsor Road (Memorial Avenue to Showground Road) to 3 lanes in each direction.
  • Upgrading Intersections at:
    • Norwest Boulevard and Lexington Drive
    • Windsor Road and Showground Road
    • Showground Road, Victoria Avenue, and Green Road
    • Old Windsor Road intersections with Celebration Drive, Balmoral Road, and Samantha Riley Drive, near the station precincts.
  • Alleviate motor vehicle traffic and congestion of the Metro Station car parks by:
    • Enhancing walking and cycling links
      • Improve pathways between Glenwood, Stanhope Gardens, and the Metro Stations to encourage sustainable travel.
    • Boosting public transport connectivity
      • Implement bus priority measures to improve access for residents and workers to Metro Stations.

The above lists the most desired upgrades. However, there are a total of 45 key intersections and roads that require upgrading, excluding the upgrades required for Box Hill.


Open Space Investments

  • Expand Caddies Creek Stage 2: Transfer land as previously committed in the 2017 Planned Precinct Rezoning
  • Provide 72 hectares of space for parks
  • Fund and develop 9 sports fields that are not funded by any contribution plans.
    • Council requires 40 sports fields in total to accommodate the population growth. 31 of these are either fully or partially funded by contribution plans.
    • The 9 sports fields which require funding from the NSW Government are needed in:
      • Cherrybrook Precinct - 2 fields in The Hills Shire's portion of the precinct
      • Castle Hill Precinct - 1 field
      • Norwest Precinct - 3 fields
      • Bella Vista/Kellyville Precinct - 1 field
      • Rouse Hill Precinct - 1 field
      • Baulkham Hills Town Centre - 1 field


Education Commitments

  • To address overcrowded schools and meet future demand
  • We require 9 new primary schools, 3 new high schools and 1 new K-12 school.
    • Castle Hill and Cherrybrook Precincts - 2 primary schools and 1 high school
    • Hills Showground and Norwest - 2 primary schools and 1 high school
    • Bella Vista/Kellyville Precinct - 1 primary school and 1 high school
    • Box Hill - 3 primary schools and 1 K-12 school
    • Gables - 1 primary school


Critical Infrastructure Needed for Box Hill

We are also calling on the NSW Government to provide us with $207 million in funds to address Box Hill's infrastructure backlog. This is in addition to the funds Council will collect through Contributions Plan No. 15. Filling this $207m gap will enable Council to deliver the remaining local infrastructure program within Box Hill, including:

  • 16 Playing Fields
  • 7 Local Parks
  • 7 Drainage Basins (including culverts/rain gardens)
  • 14 Traffic Signals
  • 10 Roundabouts
  • 3 Vehicular Bridges
  • 2 Pedestrian Bridges
  • 13km of half width local roads
  • 10.4km of shared paths


How you can contribute

We need YOUR voice to demand that infrastructure keeps up with growth. By signing our ePetition on the Parliament of NSW website below, you'll join your neighbours in urging the NSW and Australian Governments to fund the essential services our growing community deserves.


How many signatures do we need?

We need 20,000 signatures for the petition to be debated in parliament. All it requires is your name and email address. Signatures are open to all residents of NSW, so spread the petition to your family and friends!


Why act now?

  • Ensure a better quality of life for our community
  • Advocate for roads, transport, schools, sports fields and facilities that can handle future demand
  • Protect our community's long-term sustainability

Together, we can make our voices heard and push for balanced development that works for everyone.


What is this about?

We are calling on The Hills community to sign our ePetition calling on the NSW Government to provide urgent funding for critical infrastructure for our booming population.

We need 20,000 signatures for the petition to be debated in parliament.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions to find out more on what the petition will do.


Background

Our Shire is already grappling with the pressures of rapid population growth. But the most significant growth is yet to come.


Over the next 20 years, the total number of homes in The Hills Shire will increase to 127,700 homes. That's an 88% increase on our current 68,000 homes already built. According to the NSW Government's own population forecasts, the Hills will be home to approximately 328,635 people by 2041. That's a 71% increase on our current approximate population of 192,660.


Our roads, schools, sporting fields and community facilities are already struggling to keep up and will only continue to do so.


For decades, The Hills Shire has been one of Australia’s fastest-growing Local Government Areas (LGA), and Council has proactively planned for sustainable growth by delivering infrastructure to support both current and future residents. However, despite these efforts, the NSW Government has introduced planning policies that override Council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP), accelerating high-density development in traditionally family-friendly suburbs.


These changes include the designation of Transport-Oriented Development (TOD) precincts at Kellyville and Bella Vista, driving an unprecedented surge in residential and commercial growth. This area alone has the potential for 11,600 homes. This will bring a population of more than 23,000 people in an approximate area of 1.04km2, making it larger than Sydney's Central Business District with a residential population of 18,818 people who live in an area of 2.97km2.


Beyond TODs, additional reforms propose low- and mid-rise housing policies, allowing terraces and six-storey developments near transport hubs. Further density incentives, such as a 30% floor space ratio (FSR) bonus for affordable housing projects, are also being introduced.


In addition to this, the NSW Government has set a target of 23,300 new homes in The Hills Shire over the next 5 years — a 35% increase in housing stock that Council deems unfeasible without urgent investment in essential infrastructure.


Box Hill is another area that needs critical government investment. Council is advocating for $207 million to fund the gap in the Box Hill Contributions Plan (CP15), which would deliver vital infrastructure, including parks, roads, drainage, footpaths, and sports fields. Without this funding, Box Hill and surrounding communities will continue to face major shortfalls in essential amenities, affecting residents' quality of life.


While Council acknowledges the need for more housing, it remains firm in its position that growth must be supported by the necessary infrastructure and services. The NSW Government must prioritise funding for roads, schools, parks, playgrounds, and other critical facilities — particularly in high-growth areas such as Bella Vista, Kellyville, North Kellyville, and Box Hill.


Details on the Infrastructure Needed for the Expected Growth

Roads and Traffic Improvements

To ease congestion and improve connectivity, we call for:

  • Widening key roads:
    • Old Windsor Road (Celebration Drive to Windsor Road) to 3 lanes in each direction.
    • Windsor Road (Memorial Avenue to Showground Road) to 3 lanes in each direction.
  • Upgrading Intersections at:
    • Norwest Boulevard and Lexington Drive
    • Windsor Road and Showground Road
    • Showground Road, Victoria Avenue, and Green Road
    • Old Windsor Road intersections with Celebration Drive, Balmoral Road, and Samantha Riley Drive, near the station precincts.
  • Alleviate motor vehicle traffic and congestion of the Metro Station car parks by:
    • Enhancing walking and cycling links
      • Improve pathways between Glenwood, Stanhope Gardens, and the Metro Stations to encourage sustainable travel.
    • Boosting public transport connectivity
      • Implement bus priority measures to improve access for residents and workers to Metro Stations.

The above lists the most desired upgrades. However, there are a total of 45 key intersections and roads that require upgrading, excluding the upgrades required for Box Hill.


Open Space Investments

  • Expand Caddies Creek Stage 2: Transfer land as previously committed in the 2017 Planned Precinct Rezoning
  • Provide 72 hectares of space for parks
  • Fund and develop 9 sports fields that are not funded by any contribution plans.
    • Council requires 40 sports fields in total to accommodate the population growth. 31 of these are either fully or partially funded by contribution plans.
    • The 9 sports fields which require funding from the NSW Government are needed in:
      • Cherrybrook Precinct - 2 fields in The Hills Shire's portion of the precinct
      • Castle Hill Precinct - 1 field
      • Norwest Precinct - 3 fields
      • Bella Vista/Kellyville Precinct - 1 field
      • Rouse Hill Precinct - 1 field
      • Baulkham Hills Town Centre - 1 field


Education Commitments

  • To address overcrowded schools and meet future demand
  • We require 9 new primary schools, 3 new high schools and 1 new K-12 school.
    • Castle Hill and Cherrybrook Precincts - 2 primary schools and 1 high school
    • Hills Showground and Norwest - 2 primary schools and 1 high school
    • Bella Vista/Kellyville Precinct - 1 primary school and 1 high school
    • Box Hill - 3 primary schools and 1 K-12 school
    • Gables - 1 primary school


Critical Infrastructure Needed for Box Hill

We are also calling on the NSW Government to provide us with $207 million in funds to address Box Hill's infrastructure backlog. This is in addition to the funds Council will collect through Contributions Plan No. 15. Filling this $207m gap will enable Council to deliver the remaining local infrastructure program within Box Hill, including:

  • 16 Playing Fields
  • 7 Local Parks
  • 7 Drainage Basins (including culverts/rain gardens)
  • 14 Traffic Signals
  • 10 Roundabouts
  • 3 Vehicular Bridges
  • 2 Pedestrian Bridges
  • 13km of half width local roads
  • 10.4km of shared paths


How you can contribute

We need YOUR voice to demand that infrastructure keeps up with growth. By signing our ePetition on the Parliament of NSW website below, you'll join your neighbours in urging the NSW and Australian Governments to fund the essential services our growing community deserves.


How many signatures do we need?

We need 20,000 signatures for the petition to be debated in parliament. All it requires is your name and email address. Signatures are open to all residents of NSW, so spread the petition to your family and friends!


Why act now?

  • Ensure a better quality of life for our community
  • Advocate for roads, transport, schools, sports fields and facilities that can handle future demand
  • Protect our community's long-term sustainability

Together, we can make our voices heard and push for balanced development that works for everyone.


Page last updated: 22 Apr 2025, 09:18 AM