Fight for a Fairer Hills Future

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What is this about?

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

The petition closed on 5 September 2025. We successfully obtained 20,697 signatures.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions to find out more about what the petition aimed do.


18 September 2025 - Parliamentary Debate

We are pleased to advise that the petition was debated on Thursday, 18 September 2025, at 4pm, at Parliament House, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

Read the debate transcript here.

30 September 2025 - Ministerial Response

We have received a response from the Hon Paul Scully on 30 September 2025.

Read the Ministerial Response here.


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


What is this about?

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

The petition closed on 5 September 2025. We successfully obtained 20,697 signatures.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions to find out more about what the petition aimed do.


18 September 2025 - Parliamentary Debate

We are pleased to advise that the petition was debated on Thursday, 18 September 2025, at 4pm, at Parliament House, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

Read the debate transcript here.

30 September 2025 - Ministerial Response

We have received a response from the Hon Paul Scully on 30 September 2025.

Read the Ministerial Response here.


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


  • NSW Government Piles More Homes and Pressure on the Hills Shire

    Share NSW Government Piles More Homes and Pressure on the Hills Shire on Facebook Share NSW Government Piles More Homes and Pressure on the Hills Shire on Twitter Share NSW Government Piles More Homes and Pressure on the Hills Shire on Linkedin Email NSW Government Piles More Homes and Pressure on the Hills Shire link
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    The Hills Shire Council has raised serious concerns with the State Government’s secretive Housing Delivery Authority’s (HDA) decisions to fast-track 5,936 additional homes in our major centres, which could reduce vital land for business and worsen the infrastructure crisis.


    The HDA has drastically increased housing density in Castle Hill, Norwest, Rouse Hill, and Baulkham Hills, with some high-rise developments doubling to almost 40-storeys in height - all without any commitment from the NSW Government to fund the roads, schools, and sports facilities needed to support the extra people that will live in them.


    It comes as 20,000 NSW residents signed a petition to the NSW Legislative Assembly to demand stronger investment in roads, parks and schools across The Hills Shire.

    Read the full article here.


Page last updated: 12 Feb 2026, 12:16 PM