Fresh Hope revives intergenerational community vision

Plans to transform Fresh Hope Communities’ Pendle Hill site into an intergenerational precinct have taken another step forward.

The retirement living and residential aged care arm of the Churches of Christ in NSW and the ACT has lodged a Scoping Report prepared by Keylan Consulting with the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, seeking project-specific Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) for a State Significant Development application covering the entire 7.3-hectare site.

The Pendle Hill property, 29km west of Sydney’s CBD, currently comprises Crawford Lodge (75 aged care beds), Shaw House (57 aged care beds), 86 independent living units, the Pathways Community Church, two heritage-listed homes, six residential dwellings and extensive open space.

The proposal would establish a long-term masterplan for the site while allowing the first stage of redevelopment to proceed. Planning documents show Fresh Hope has been exploring redevelopment of the site since 1999, with planning controls approved in 2022 rezoning the land for higher-density development and increasing permissible building heights and floor space ratios.

Fresh Hope first unveiled plans for a flagship seniors living community on the site in 2020. The indicative masterplan proposes 16 new buildings delivered over three stages, comprising:

• approximately 502 independent living units;
• a 120-bed residential aged care home with assisted living units;
• 289 residential dwellings, including four two-bedroom affordable housing dwellings to be transferred to Cumberland City Council under an existing Voluntary Planning Agreement; and
• affordable housing equivalent to 15% of the residential gross floor area, excluding seniors housing.

The development would also include:

• a Wellness Hub with a swimming pool, gym and sauna;
• a Health Hub providing allied health and integrated care services;
• a Business and Innovation Hub with training and co-working facilities;
• neighbourhood shops and food and drink premises;
• a childcare centre;
• more than 15,000sqm of publicly accessible open space;
• new internal roads, pathways and landscaping; and
• refurbishment of the heritage-listed Ashwood House and Dunmore House, with Dunmore House to provide community rooms managed by Council.

Buildings across the precinct would range from three to 10 storeys.

The first stage would deliver around 400 independent living units across six buildings, together with the Wellness Hub, Community Hub, neighbourhood shops, food and drink premises, publicly accessible open space, internal roads and associated landscaping. Building heights would range from six to 10 storeys.

Located about 350 metres from Pendle Hill railway station and adjoining the suburb’s local centre, Fresh Hope says the the redevelopment aims to capitalise on its proximity to public transport, shops and health services while supporting ageing in place.

As part of its existing Voluntary Planning Agreement with Cumberland City Council, Fresh Hope has also committed to delivering four affordable housing dwellings for Council ownership, refurbishing Dunmore House for community use and creating publicly accessible recreation space valued at more than $4.5 million.

Following the SEARs process, the organisation will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement before lodging its formal State Significant Development application with the NSW Government.