Controversial plans for a new multi-million dollar seniors village on the Oatlands Golf Club site have progressed, despite concerns from residents.
The Oatlands Golf Club has moved ahead with its plan for the divisive new housing development, with Mirvac recently submitting a Development Application with Parramatta Council.
The proposal seeks approval for seven buildings ranging from three to eight storeys containing 155 independent living units for seniors and people with a disability, a new registered club to service the Oatlands Golf Course and 405 car parking spaces over two basement levels.
The development would take up approximately 1.6ha of the 41.8ha of the 18-hole golf course, with the buildings comprising of 141 apartments and 14 townhouses.
The architectural design report said the apartments will create a “highly functional, highly accessible and highly desirable” living experience for residents, with the townhouses expected to provide a “lovely laneway community feel”.
The lodgement of the Development aApplication comes after the original proposal had to be altered, due to concerns raised by residents, Council and Federal Member for Parramatta Andrew Charlton over the size of the development. In response, the Statement of Environmental Effects said the proposal has been amended to reduce the bulk and scale to “ensure” that an acceptable built form relationship is achieved.
“The proposal will implement, upon completion a socially connected population by both age and disability to create a healthy and culturally rich living environment for people with similar needs,” the report said.
However, Charlton said many people are still worried about how the high-rise development will impact Oatlands.
“I am disappointed that the Oatlands Golf Club has decided to continue with lodging the Development Application without properly consulting the local community,” he said.
“There are now over 500 signatures on the Save Oatlands petition, with many signatories frustrated by the lack of consultation and worried about how this high-rise will affect the family-friendly character of Oatlands.”
Charlton said he will continue to fight for the local community’s concerns about the development to be heard and will be holding a meeting at 6pm on January 27 at Burnside Gardens Community Centre in Oatlands for residents.
The application comes after the Oatlands Golf Club rejected a request from the Abdallah family for a memorial garden in honour of their three children and cousin, who were tragically killed by a drunk driver near the site in February 2020.
It was later revealed the golf club had planned to build the new apartments near the proposed site of the memorial.
The application will be determined by the Sydney Central City Planning Panel.
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.