Bowral South NLA is one of the six New Living Areas (greenfield land release areas) identified in our adopted Wingecarribee Local Housing Strategy, which provides the long-term planning framework to meet the housing needs of our community.

The Bowral South NLA will provide a diverse mix of housing typologies for our growing and changing population, with a small village centre and an opportunity to bring the riverfront and riparian corridors into public ownership as open space and conservation areas.

Council is leading this master planning process with our community to achieve best-practice outcomes for built form, amenity and infrastructure.

Draft Landscape Master Plan

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FAQs

A New Living Area (NLA) is a site that has been identified for future greenfield residential development.

The Bowral South NLA is located to the south-east of the existing Bowral township and is bounded by Kangaloon Road to the north, Eridge Park Road to the west, the Wingecarribee River to the south and the Bong Bong Racecourse to the east.

The Bowral South NLA is one of six new living areas identified in the Wingecarribee Local Housing Strategy (LHS), which was adopted by Council in 2021. The LHS sets a target of a 50/50 split of infill housing and greenfield development (NLAs) to respond to our modestly growing population and to meet the housing needs of our community. The Bowral South NLA was the first to undergo this master planning process for a number of reasons, including but not limited to

  • Identified as a NLA in the adopted LHS 2021
  • Modestly growing population for Bowral and Shire-wide
  • Bowral Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade
  • Proximity to existing amenities and infrastructure
  • Opportunity for a new village centre to service not only the NLA but neighbouring areas, such as East Bowral and Burradoo.

Priority actions identified in the Local Housing Strategy (LHS) and Wingecarribee Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) commit Council to developing a Master Plan and Servicing Strategy for each new living area prior to rezoning for residential purposes.

This is to ensure that future residential developments are well-planned, well-designed and are supported by essential infrastructure. Council secured $250,000 in grant funding under the Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund Round 1, from the then NSW Department of Planning and Environment, to complete the Master Plan and Servicing Strategy for the Bowral South NLA.

Following a comprehensive procurement process, Council engaged Maker ENG and their associated sub-consultants to prepare a Master Plan and Servicing Strategy for the Bowral South NLA at its Ordinary Meeting of Council 19 April 2024.

The Bowral South NLA provides a unique opportunity to respond to the changing demographics of the Southern Highlands, catering to our modestly growing and ageing population.

The approx. 2,100 new dwellings that are being proposed are intended to respond to priority actions in the Local Housing Strategy and Local Strategic Planning Statement that seek the delivery of a diverse mix of housing types and lot sizes to meet the needs of our community.

The Draft Indicative Subdivision Layout Plan demonstrates the intention to provide a mix of low-density and medium-density residential housing, as well as large lot residential, in order to create a balanced outcome that is sympathetic to the character of Bowral and the Shire more broadly.

The adopted Local Housing Strategy (LHS) identifies the approximate developable area of the Bowral South NLA, taking into consideration known environmental and technical constraints such as flood planning. Further, the Flood Study Wingecarribee River was updated in recent years and adopted in 2022, with further work taking into consideration more recent storm and flood events. Due diligence has consistently demonstrated that all plausible events are well within the scope of the adopted flood study and is therefore fit-for purpose.

The Draft Landscape Master Plan and Draft Open Space & Public Domain Plan, identify flood affected areas as open spaces/undeveloped land. The Draft Master Plan additionally responds with water sensitive urban design solutions, on-site stormwater detention and best-practice methods to protect and enhance riparian corridors and the riverfront. The Water Cycle Management Strategy confirms the proposed Draft Master Plan to be sympathetic to flood planning considerations.

Additional work, such as a Flood Impact Risk Assessment, will be undertaken at the Planning Proposal stage and will provide another layer of due diligence to confirm and refine the flood planning levels.

Council has consistently taken a precautionary approach, applying all levers of due diligence to ensure compliance with NSW flood planning policy can be achieved. All due diligence and technical advice to date has consistently demonstrated that flood planning requirements are surmountable and offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring those riverfront and riparian areas into public ownership for recreation and conservation purposes.

A Preliminary Traffic Assessment was undertaken as part of the due diligence studies completed for the Draft Master Plan and Servicing Strategy, which highlights staged intersection upgrades around the NLA.

The Draft Master Plan demonstrates indicative parking areas near the Village Centre and public recreational areas. Street parking is an element that will be incorporated into the NLA, similar to that of any other residential areas.

While it is anticipated that future residents of Bowral South will use cars, especially considering the rural nature of the Shire, the provision of footpaths and cycleways has also been explored in the Draft in order to promote active transport in and around the NLA.

Detailed design for transport infrastructure will be required as part of the subdivision development application and comply with parking controls for different land uses.

The Draft Landscape Master Plan for the New Living Area (NLA) identifies the opportunity to introduce an active transport network to strengthen accessibility within the precinct and more broadly, such as connecting the proposed walking and bicycle network to the Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens and Cherry Tree Walk.

The provision of community open spaces that are supported by an active transport network, will promote physical and social activity, sustainability and connectivity.

The Draft Servicing Strategy along with supporting documentation identifies key infrastructure requirements to support the New Living Area, including but not limited to:

  • A Water Modelling Assessment has been undertaken, which provides optional water connection points to the NLA and recommends staged upgrades to Water Main infrastructure in and around Bowral South NLA.

  • A Sewer Modelling Assessment has been undertaken and identifies potential locations for pump stations and trunk infrastructure within the NLA. Upgrades will be made to ensure existing infrastructure is of capacity to facilitate new development. The Bowral Sewerage Treatment Plant is additionally undergoing significant upgrades, therefore will be able to manage future waste demands as a result of the NLA.

    The cost of key infrastructure requirements will be taken into consideration during the development of a site-specific Contributions Plan for the NLA, which is anticipated to be prepared post the adoption of the Draft Master Plan and Servicing Strategy of the Bowral South NLA

The Church that has been mapped in the Draft Master Plan was previously approved through a separate Development Application process, under the current zoning. Therefore, existing use rights and consents need to be respected and demonstrated in the Draft Master Plan.

Council does not have the authority to facilitate the upgrade and/or provision of additional schools and hospitals, as this is outside the remit of Local Government. However, Council is continuing to liaise with the NSW Department of Education and NSW Health to advocate for the investigation of additional schools and hospitals in order to accommodate for the expected increase in population. Further communication between Government agencies will continue to occur during the subsequent Planning Proposal stage.

The Draft Master Plan and Servicing Strategy are currently on public exhibition from 29 July to 23 September 2024. Following the exhibition period, a review of all submissions made will inform the revision of the Draft Master Plan and Servicing Strategy.


The revised Draft Master Plan, Servicing Strategy and Post-Exhibition report will then be presented to the Local Planning Panel for advice and then to Council to seek adoption.

Post the adoption of the Master Plan and Servicing Strategy and prior to any land being rezoned, a separate body of work will be undertaken to prepare a site-specific Development Control Plan (DCP) and a Contributions Plan for the NLA.


Next Steps

The public exhibition period for Bowral South New Living Area (NLA) has now concluded. The draft Master Plan, Servicing Strategy and supporting documents were exhibited from Monday, 29th July – Monday, 30th September 2024.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and make a contribution towards the future New Living Area. Your feedback is valuable and will play a major role in shaping the final plan for Bowral South.

The next step in this process will be to review all of the comments and feedback received. A report summarising community and stakeholder input will be prepared and presented to Council in the near future.

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