Cool, leafy urban living in Western Sydney
At Thornton we have changed the face of new housing in Western Sydney.
Thornton offers a diversity of housing, with Landcom’s 21st Century Living Program showcasing quality innovative housing on small lots, specialised housing for people with disabilities, resilient design, Affordable Housing and apartment living.
The site’s natural environment and rich history is featured. Cool, leafy spaces and places have come to life through parklands, rehabilitated remnant woodland, restoration of Thornton Hall, sustainable water features, public art and community facilities.
Facts at a glance
Where?
Thornton is adjacent to Penrith Rail Station, in the Penrith City Local Government Area.
What?
This 40ha greenfield site has been transformed to offer a mix of more than 2,000 homes, ranging from innovative small-lot housing to apartments. Residents also enjoy access to 15,000m2 of retail and commercial space.
Our partnership with not-for-profit Community Housing Provider Evolve Housing and developer Payce delivered the award-winning Harts Landing project with 134 Affordable apartments including 10 social housing, and 134 private market homes in a total of 268 apartments.
How?
As owner and developer, we collaborated with Penrith City Council and partnered with Integrated Design Group, Annand Alcock, AJ+C, Evolve Housing and a range of builders on a project with an end value of $424 million.
Timeline
2011
Site purchase from Department of Defence as part of Federal stimulus program
Master plan approved
Construction commenced
2014
St Hilliers and First Point appointed to provide retail space
2018
Community Centre officially opened
Harts Landing; Affordable Housing project opened
Thornton Hall opened as childcare centre
2019
As development continues, sites sold as superlots
Project highlights
Vision
Our vision was to create a cool, leafy urban landscape with a diversity of housing choice to respond to changing housing needs in Western Sydney. Thorton exemplifies our approach to delivering quality urban spaces and places that respect both the environment and heritage, and our ability to work with Penrith City Council, project home builders and development partners such as St Hilliers, Payce and Evolve Housing, to deliver housing innovation including landmark Affordable Housing.
Creating a place for people
The Thornton masterplan addressed the future community’s requirements for housing diversity, infrastructure, community connection and retail facilities. From 2011, we rolled out a program of initiatives to support community connection, diversity and belonging through integrated sustainability, heritage and interpretation and community development programs.
With housing diversity and choice, Affordable Housing with some set aside for Aboriginal housing and some catering to people with disabilities, an aged care facility, community facilities, seven hectares of the 40 hectare site set aside for open space, and commercial and retail space, Thornton exemplifies a modern urban place with a diverse and connected community.
Integrating environmental sustainability
From the outset, Thornton required engineering strategies to address potential flooding by providing for a new wetland area, which today is known as The Commons. The wetland filters stormwater discharge into an open body of water called Waters Edge. This clever solution both solved the drainage problem and provides valuable public space and water views for residents.
We also addressed the rehabilitation of remnant Cumberland Plain Woodland and delivered a tree canopy strategy to modify the microclimate in the area.
Creating place through heritage and community development
Through our efforts, we have been able to create a diverse and robust community. Residents have benefited from our community development program, a new community building and the way we have interpreted the sites heritage in public areas.
We have interpreted Thornton’s rich history including the 1892 Lord Sheffield English cricket match with the local team, and its use as the Penrith Speedway.
We also enabled the conservation and adaptive reuse of Thornton Hall. Built in 1870, Thornton Hall has played an important role in Penrith’s history. Today Thornton Hall is conserved to its former glory and is used as a community childcare centre, bringing a hub of activity at the heart of this project and connecting past and present.
Awards
2014 UDIA NSW
Category
Award for Excellence in Affordable Development
2016 UDIA NSW
Category
Award for Excellence in Government Leadership for Urban Development.
About Landcom
We develop land and property, increasing the supply of housing for the people of NSW.
As a state-owned corporation, we are a commercial business that achieves public outcomes while also generating financial returns for the NSW Government. We enable development by de-risking and unlocking strategic and complex sites in collaboration with landowners and the market.
