Case Studies
Oran Park Town
Design Feature
Type of Project
Masterplan
State
New South Wales
Location
Urban
Oran Park Town is one of Sydney’s fastest growing towns and a cornerstone of the New South Wales Government’s South West Priority Growth Area. Oran Park Town is a master planned community that encourages sustainable living through a focus on the delivery of early infrastructure, walkable neighbourhoods, and a diverse mix of housing. The project is a partnership between Landcom and Greenfields Development Company (GDC) which aims to deliver housing whilst also addressing the employment, education, health, public transport and recreational needs of future generations.
Holistic living
When complete, Oran Park Town will house over 25,000 people (in May 2020 the population was around 12,200) in apartments, terrace houses, free standing houses, retirement living and aged care accommodation. The central location and diverse housing options will provide residents with accommodation close to public transport, employment opportunities and a range of amenities.
The town centre, which includes local shops, a park and town square, acts as an anchor for the South West Growth Centre. The plan provides for 50,000 square metres of retail and 150,000 square metres of commercial floor space which will eventually provide full time employment for over 10,000 people.
The town centre, which includes local shops, a park and town square, acts as an anchor for the South West Growth Centre. The plan provides for 50,000 square metres of retail and 150,000 square metres of commercial floor space which will eventually provide full time employment for over 10,000 people.
Oran Park Town was the first to instigate a Works In-Kind road project which saw the developers deliver road infrastructure in lieu of paying developer contributions to the State Government.
This has delivered early infrastructure to Oran Park Town and surrounding areas. A Community Infrastructure Agreement also ensured the early delivery of community facilities as well as an early bus service.
This has delivered early infrastructure to Oran Park Town and surrounding areas. A Community Infrastructure Agreement also ensured the early delivery of community facilities as well as an early bus service.
## Ageing in place
Oran Park Town is an excellent example of how the wellbeing of older people can be acknowledged and supported when designing and building communities. A unique feature of the site is the integration of retirement accommodation and aged care facilities within the town centre. Anglicare Retirement Village offers both retirement living and residential aged care which promotes ageing in place. The retirement village supports healthy and active living among older residents through the provision of an indoor pool, spa, gym, outdoor bowling green and regular social events. It is conveniently co-located with other community facilities such as schools, medical centres and recreational spaces which are all accessible via good pedestrian networks enabling older residents to actively engage with their community and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
A second 240 bed residential aged care facility is currently under construction and will be operated by Thompson’s Health Care. The facility was intentionally located in the town centre adjacent to the future rail station to make access easier for both staff and visitors. The site also offers pleasant greenspace views which will help promote resident wellbeing and provide a place for passive exercise for mobile residents. The site is also co-located with two schools.
Oran Park Town is an excellent example of how the wellbeing of older people can be acknowledged and supported when designing and building communities. A unique feature of the site is the integration of retirement accommodation and aged care facilities within the town centre. Anglicare Retirement Village offers both retirement living and residential aged care which promotes ageing in place. The retirement village supports healthy and active living among older residents through the provision of an indoor pool, spa, gym, outdoor bowling green and regular social events. It is conveniently co-located with other community facilities such as schools, medical centres and recreational spaces which are all accessible via good pedestrian networks enabling older residents to actively engage with their community and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
A second 240 bed residential aged care facility is currently under construction and will be operated by Thompson’s Health Care. The facility was intentionally located in the town centre adjacent to the future rail station to make access easier for both staff and visitors. The site also offers pleasant greenspace views which will help promote resident wellbeing and provide a place for passive exercise for mobile residents. The site is also co-located with two schools.
Project team
- Landcom
- Greenfields Development Company (GDC)
- ADCO
- Department of Planning and Environment
- Camden Council
- Sydney Water
- Endeavour Energy
- NSW Roads and Maritime Services
- South West Local Health District
Project Cost
$1.5 Billion
Health Value
- Oran Park Town has been designed to encourage physical activity and reduce car dependence through pedestrian-friendly 1.5m wide footpaths, 2.5-metre-wide share ways on key roads, and bicycle routes allowing residents to actively and safely access destinations such as schools, retail and public spaces. As development progresses, more and more of the paths connect providing a greater pedestrian network.
- The Masterplan includes three sports fields, 11 playgrounds, movement networks, several exercise stations and a variety of small and large public open spaces for diverse recreational activities including an inclusive playground, tennis courts, skate park, splash park and two dog parks.
- All bridges have been specifically designed to allow natural light underneath, increasing safety and encouraging pedestrians and cyclists to utilise the movement networks.
- The project was partnered with South West Local Health District to open an integrated Health Care facility, with plans to expand services further in the future.
- The masterplan seeks to minimise car dependency by including 22 bus stops, connecting residents with Leppington station and the broader metropolitan region.
Economic value
- Education has been prioritised through the development of three childcare centre sites, one K-12 private school, two public primary schools and one public high school.
- Working closely with the Department of Education and the local Council, schools have been co-located with recreational facilities to encourage community interaction and physical wellbeing.
- A Smart Work Hub (SWH), which has doubled in size since its launch in November 2014, provides a professional working environment for businesses and commuters with flexible workspaces and access to high-speed internet, meeting rooms and presentation facilities.
- The developer has special releases, which are only offered to first homebuyers. Other first homebuyer initiatives include the provision of more affordable housing options such as ‘fonzie flats’ and terrace homes. The project has evolved as buyer preferences have changed, to meet the requirements of the current market.
- The Town Centre provides a significant number of jobs and business opportunities in the South West Growth Centre of Sydney. Stage one of the shopping centre was opened in 2014 and work is due to commence on Stage two in late 2020. In addition, the first of two six storey commercial buildings was completed in early 2020 providing additional local employment opportunities.
Environmental Value
- Cutting-edge water sensitive urban design (WSUD) has focused on a stormwater quality strategy using combined raingardens and detention basins. The raingardens not only allow for water treatment to be decentralised, but also provide high aesthetic value and form major features within the project. Water retention helps clean the water before it enters the river systems by reducing levels of phosphate and nitrogen and trapping sediment and litter whilst water detention collects stormwater and slowly releases it at a controlled rate so that flooding doesn’t occur downstream. This also helps manage erosion.
- Oran Park Town has extensive areas of open spaces with a major riparian corridor on the south-eastern and north-eastern precinct boundaries and once completed will have three sports fields, a skate park, splash park and extensive areas of open space.
Social value
- Before development began, a Strategic Social Plan was developed to identify Social Sustainability Objectives, which ultimately formed the framework for the implementation strategy. As part of this strategy, a Community Development Welcome Program was put in place which sees each new household welcomed to Oran Park Town with a welcome gift and information pack to help them settle into their new neighbourhood.
- Regular communication is maintained with residents through newsletters, community information nights and social media channels.
- Oran Park Town has been designed to promote safety and access for all abilities. Wide and well-lit paths have gentle gradients to ensure that people with mobility aids and prams can easily get around.
- Aged care facilities located close to schools, residential areas and amenities provides opportunities for elderly residents to socialise with the broader community and fosters social inclusion.
- Oran Park Town’s movement networks provides easy access to local amenities and provides opportunities for social connectedness and encourages community interaction.
- The development celebrates its heritage as the former site of the Oran Park Raceway through public art, such as the walk of fame featuring the names of well-known racing identities, an artistic rendition of the track and stand on the site where the old grandstand stood and several streets and parks being named after famous raceway drivers. The dairy heritage of Oran Park has also been commemorated through playful cattle statues in parks and street names.
Use value
- An interim community space was made available for social programs and community activities, allowing local service providers to deliver a range of social initiatives as well as providing a venue for recreational activities and a community meeting point.
- Streets have been engineered to slow local traffic and promote pedestrian connectivity and safety using kerb blisters at intersections, narrowing the street width and delineating on-road carparking and introducing landscaping into the roadways.
- The Smart Work Hub is a working example of Government and the private sector working together to build better communities through innovation, collaboration and digital infrastructure.
- The provision of community amenities such as the leisure and youth centres, skate park and splash park and sporting facilities provides residents with opportunities to engage in health promoting behaviours.
- Focusing on Healthy Active by Design, by providing a system of pedestrian networks and dedicated off road cycleways. There has also been a commitment to recreation and youth engagement through the delivery of a leisure centre, skate park, splash park, youth centre and sporting facilities.
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