I’m writing this as a long-term resident in Hills. The rezoning of our area is not only personal to me, but to many who have made this community their home. Our locality is already overcrowded, with local infrastructure strained under the weight of our current population. 

Recently, plans for rezoning have surfaced that would further inflate our population. The infrastructure, already lagging behind, will be further stressed with this population boom, severely affecting the quality of life of residents.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Hills district has experienced a population increase of 5.6% over the past two years. However, infrastructure upgrades have not kept pace with this growth, resulting in insufficient facilities to serve our expanding community. A planning decision by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment in 2019 already identified a significant discrepancy between the rate of growth and the proportionate infrastructure development, shedding light on the issue that we are highlighting now.

If the rezoning transpires, it will just amplify the already existing problem. Our ongoing concern is the impact of this on essential amenities such as schools, hospitals, transportation, and other public services which are already near the brink of inadequacy.

Our demand is simple – halt the rezoning of Hills district until significant infrastructure upgrades are made to handle our existing population. We call on our local government and planning bodies to put the welfare of the community first before permitting any further rezoning plans. Please sign this petition and help us prevent the decline in the quality of our daily lives in Hills.

Some key factors:

• 42,000 new deswellings mean over 100,000 people living in the Kellyville and Bella Vista Precincts.
• 3-8% of the development or 1650 units will be treated as Affordable Housing.
• The precinct will have a population density of over 12,000 people per square kilometre which is comparable to Surry Hills, with parts of the precinct earmarked for densities over 28,000 people per square kilometre which would be like Haymarket, Chippendale and Green Square.
• Additional 20,000 cars will be expected to add further load to both Windsor Road and Old Windsor Road, which are already a car park during the morning and afternoon peak, even without the additional growth being proposed.
• The Hills is home to the most overcrowded schools in the state, and without a significant investment in new educational facilities – demountables will cover sporting fields at local primary and high schools. This year more than 40 per cent of Hills schools had exceeded their enrolment cap by more than 100+ students.

More details can be found on this document -https://docs.google.com/document/d/142g27HoyJ34O-OHU7utno3yVJIhOIMszNdRxHL9u_4c/edit?usp=sharing