The long-standing Rosehill Racecourse could be demolished to make way for more than 25,000 new homes, a metro station, new school and greenspace, as part of a new proposal.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has cemented the future of the Metro West project by announcing a “once in a generation opportunity” to redevelop the Rosehill site.
The proposal, bought to the State Government by the Australian Turf Club (ATC), focuses on relocating the Rosehill Racecourse and delivering thousands of new homes to the local community.
Minns said that the project would support the NSW Government’s plan to build more well-located homes near new and existing transport infrastructure.
“The Government sees this as an opportunity to put its money where its mouth is and build more housing, close to transport links, with plenty of green space for new families,” he said.
“The fact is we have a housing crisis – we aren’t building enough homes. The more supply we have, the more we can drive down cost of living pressures, whether it’s for renters or those wanting to buy their own home.”
It would also allow the State Government to explore the feasibility of a new Metro West Station at Rosehill. The additional station means the Metro West project is now expected to be completed by 2032.
“Sydney Metro West is the biggest public transport project in the country. But we’re resetting Metro West to ensure it will be the city-shaping project it always should have been,” Minns added.
“This project won’t just change the way people move around our city; it will now also provide the well-located homes for future generations to live in.
Business Western Sydney Executive Director David Borger said that although the delay to the Metro West is “regrettable”, it’s important to support as many new homes and jobs as they can with more stations.
“An additional metro station at Rosehill finally puts the ‘west’ in Sydney Metro West and starts to address the huge 7km station gap in the route,” he added.
“A new metro station at Rosehill is the opportunity to transform a part of greater Parramatta that has long needed attention.
“This is a win for the long-term vision for our city.”
The proposal is also expected to “turbo-charge” NSW’s racing industry, with revenue from the development potentially investing $5 billion back into the racing industry.
The NSW Government and the ATC have signed a memorandum of understanding on the plan, which would be subject to the NSW Government’s Unsolicited Proposals process.
City of Parramatta has also backed the ambitious plan, with Lord Mayor Pierre Esber calling it a “true city-shaping project.”
“Metro West will be our generation’s Sydney Harbour Bridge – forever changing how people move around Sydney,” he said.
“Nobody is better placed to understand the needs of our growing community than this Council. We look forward to being part of the discussions that shape this vision from here in and the supporting infrastructure beyond just transport needed to make it a success.”
And while he believes Parramatta would be sad to lose the Rosehill Racecourse, which has been a part of the community for almost 140 years, Esber said its legacy would be homes for thousands of families close to transport, open space and the true heart of greater Sydney.
“We’ll be leading the charge to make sure we don’t just replace the impact to our visitor economy but grow it,” he added.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.