Background

Have your say on a planning proposal to amend the Canterbury-Bankstown Local Environmental Plan 2023 that will allow for a mixed use development on the existing Chester Square shopping centre, at 1 Leicester Street, Chester Hill. This is the current site of Chester Square Shopping Centre.

In March, we recruited a Community Voice Panel for this project to help evaluate the proposal. Now, feedback is open to everyone so you have an opportunity to share your thoughts. Feedback from the Community Voice Pannel, along with the feedback you share will be presented to Council for consideration at a future Ordinary Meeting.

This proposal

The purpose of this planning proposal is to provide a site-specific framework that allows for a mixed-use development, comprising approximately 515 dwellings, up to 12,400sqm of retail floor space, a new 2,800sqm public plaza and a new indoor space of at least 2,000sqm for the community to use.

The proposal also includes upgrades to the public domain along Frost Lane and Charles Place providing an improved high-quality streetscape for pedestrians around the site, along with other traffic and transport upgrades to manage the impacts of the development. 

Proposed amendments to the Canterbury-Bankstown Local Environmental Plan 2023 include:

• Increasing the floor space ratio of the site to a maximum of 4:1
• Changing the maximum height of building limit from 20m to a range of heights from 10m - 60m (up to 18 storeys)
• Adding multi dwelling housing as an additional permitted use
• Allowing a range of local provisions such as affordable housing

From the planning proposal being submitted to the Gateway determination received, Council has worked with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) to make amendments to the planning proposal relating to the built form and public domain, to align with the Department’s strategic direction.

Council has also resolved to prepare amendments to the Canterbury-Bankstown Development Control Plan 2023.

A Development Control Plan (DCP) outlines detailed design and planning rules that support the Local Environmental Plan (LEP). The Canterbury-Bankstown DCP is regularly updated to reflect planning proposals, government reforms and new development trends.

A draft site-specific DCP amendment is proposed, which will provide more detailed planning requirements for how the buildings, open space and access through the site will be designed.

Please see the documents below for more information.

The Minister for Planning has delegated the power to make this Plan to Council.