Appin, NSW: Inside the planned ‘city of the future’ that’s set to be home to thousands of new residents

A small rural village with a population of just 3,000 people could see a population growth of more than 1,000 percent if a massive housing development plan is launched.

The New South Wales government wants to eventually see 40,000 people settle in the regional town of Appin, about 70km south-west of Sydney’s CBD.

Australia’s new ‘city of the future’, being developed by Walker Corporation, will be built close to existing infrastructure in a 200-year-old town in the Macarthur region.

Walker will build 13,000 homes for 40,000 residents by the completion of the project, which was approved by the state’s Planning Minister in June 2023.

The government hopes the $13 billion project will provide relief to Sydney’s increasingly tight housing market and broader cost of living pressures.

Walker has promised four new schools, healthcare, parks, almost five million square metres of protected land and a blazing-fast NBN connection.

Wollondilly Shire Council has requested that the plans include new infrastructure for the rural community, such as roads and a wastewater treatment plant.

“We need to see this as part of a binding structural plan that is directly linked to the delivery of the homes,” Mayor Matt Gould told 7News.

Walker has spent $10 million on reports to ensure that development applications “include all critical infrastructure needed in addition to housing.”

‘The Macarthur region is excited about our vision to create a high-quality community where families can grow and explore in one of Australia’s most unique natural environments, with shops, cafes, schools, parks and public transport all within walking distance of homes.’

A $1.9 billion business park would create 10,000 local jobs, in addition to employment in new shops, restaurants, cafes and supermarkets.

The public will have their say on the development in November, with Walker CEO David Gallant hoping the plans will be approved by June 2025.

Construction of the first series of 500 homes could begin in early 2026.

“Our future communities in Appin will provide a major boost to the housing stock in New South Wales. We are creating thousands of new homes for future generations to live in vibrant communities connected to scenic bushlands and historic townships, all within 25 minutes of the beautiful beaches of Wollongong,” Walker says on its website.

Four new schools for K-12 are part of plans to transform the sleepy town of Appin into a living and working hotspot over the next two decades

Appin residents accused Walker of removing about 20 homemade protest signs from public land in February.

According to Michelle Maroun, a local resident of the town, Walker had hired workers to remove signs that read “Learn While We Burn?” and “Koala Safety.”

“They weren’t even on their private property,” she told the ABC at that time.

“The city is furious. Now they want to take even more drastic action. I’ve had people contact me and say they’re going to put the signs on their front lawn.”

Other concerns have also been raised about the Appin site, with environmental groups objecting to the land development.

Others have expressed doubts about whether there is sufficient infrastructure at the site to accommodate residents.

Walker says a third of the area is designated for conservation to protect the environment and the local koala population.

The government is trying to address a shortage of more than 130,000 homes in NSW as housing supply struggles to keep up with growing demand (pictured is an artist’s impression)

Corridors are being set aside for koalas after habitat loss pushed one of the country’s most iconic animals to the brink of extinction.

The rural town of Appin was one of the constituencies the state government designated for a zoning change in November last year.

The government is trying to solve a shortage of more than 130,000 homes in the state, as housing supply can barely meet growing demand.

New South Wales must build 314,000 new homes to meet the government’s share of the Accord to build one million new homes over five years, starting in 2024.

There is a shortage of almost 30,000 homes every year.