- The garden village will sit on a 12.67-hectare site
- EG has spent two years working on the proposal
- 30% of the site will available as parkland
A 12.67-hectare site at North Rocks (NSW) could be home to a new garden village featuring extensive parkland and community spaces, based on a rezoning that is set to be submitted this month to the Parramatta Council.
Known as North Rocks Village, the project is being proposed by EG – a specialist investor with experience in the delivery of urban renewal projects, such as the Flour Mill project in Summer Hill, Heral Apartments in Newcastle and Bosco in Five Dock.
Currently, the site is home to NextSense, previously known as the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC).
After consulting with stakeholders such as local schools, sporting and community groups, along with ongoing talks with the local council, EG has spent two years on the plan.
EG’s Divisional Director for Urban and Community Planning, David Workman, said the initial feedback has been ‘absolutely critical’ when assessing how the project could help meet housing demand in the future while bridging gaps in existing community facilities.
“For 60 years the site has been almost exclusively used for the important work done by the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children – but now we have an opportunity to unlock this incredible space for the entire community to create not only a residential village but public spaces and facilities for everyone to enjoy,” said Mr Workman.
“We also know from our discussions with Council and local sporting groups that there is a desperate need for more grounds, and the idea of a sports field with pavilion is a result of their feedback.”
David Workman, EG Divisional Director
Under the current proposal, 30% of the entire site will be available as parkland with the oval precinct itself comprising around 1.8 hectares of land.
Sensory Gardens
The master plan includes retaining a number of mature trees and to plant many more through the new parks, along site boundaries and local access roads.
Additionally, the North Rocks Village intends to honour the legacy of NextSense by incorporating sensory features into the design.
“We have a deep respect for the role that the RIDBC has played and we plan to honour this by creating inclusive sensory gardens as part of the open space network,” said Mr Workman.
“We’re also planning to deploy the latest sensory design and smart technologies throughout the public domain, along internal roads, within new parks and also in buildings so as to improve the independence and the quality of experience for people with hearing and sight impairment. We aim to exceed the current accessibility standards in this regard.”
