Schofields. Homes for 8000 people

The 465-hectare Schofields Precinct will be become a community of around 8000 people when fully developed. The government’s final plan, shows residential land for 2950 new dwellings, land for a new primary school, 61 hectares of conservation land, 31 hectares of open space and recreation areas, retail space in three neighbourhood centres, a potential public transport corridor and upgrades to key roads. The site is a few kilometres east of the new Sydney Business Park, which is under construction at Marsden Park and expected to accommodate more than 10,000 jobs. The Nirimba Education Precinct, which includes two high schools, a TAFE College and a UWS university campus, is within the Schofields Precinct boundary.

Penrith. 'Timely announcement'

The lobby group, Penrith Business Alliance (PBA), said the new Urban Activation Precincts program, announced in the NSW Budget, has welcomed an initiative in the NSW Government. “This announcement has been at the centre of the PBA’s advocacy agenda for the last two years. It is also a very timely announcement, given PBA’s new initiative, the Penrith Progression, that will aim to work with the government and the private sector in new and innovative ways to revitalise the Penrith CBD,” said PBA CEO, Bijai Kumar.

Parramatta. Brogden heads new group

The former Coalition leader John Brogden, recently made the chairman of Landcom, based in Parramatta, will be the head of Urbangrowth NSW, formed to co-ordinate developments on greenfield and existing urban areas. The Planning Minister, Brad Hazzard, said the new body, would be ''Landcom on steroids'' and would be modelled on government agencies in other states that have broad powers to encourage new housing projects.

Prospect. $80 million project

The $80 million Wet'n'Wild Park, in Prospect, touted as ''the best water park in the world'' by Village Roadshow, which is building it, will sit on a 25-hectare site at Reservoir Road and should attract 900,000 visitors a year and create 300 jobs. The Sydney Morning Herald says everything is moving well with all the relevant council and local concerns taken care of. ''I'm very confident the park should be open as scheduled in late 2013,'' the project director, Chris Warhurst, said. Village Roadshow said the venture would be a showcase for the very latest and best high-tech thrills, family entertainment with Australia's biggest man-made beach and wave pool.