Client: Edan Properties
Location: Park Road, Leppington
Services Delivered: Acquisition feasibility study, DA design, civil design, project management and approvals, electrical/utilities coordination, tendering, construction management, subdivision certificate and lot registration
Completion Date: Construction completed, lots currently being soldProject Overview
The Park Road Leppington project transformed a 2ha site into 25 residential lots ranging from 370 to 530 square metres, plus a 1,500 square metre lot designated for a 120-child childcare centre and a local park. This development addresses the critical need for affordable housing in Sydney’s growing southwest corridor.
The project’s significance lies in its response to changing government planning rules and market demands. When initial planning would have resulted in lots too expensive for the target market, innovative design solutions were implemented to maintain affordability while meeting density requirements and planning constraints.
Diversi’s civil engineers provided comprehensive project management from land acquisition through to lot registration, coordinating all design disciplines and managing complex infrastructure planning approval processes across multiple government agencies and utility providers.
Development & Infrastructure Challenges
Planning Regulation Complexity: Government planning rules and area master plans created competing requirements – mandating maximum density. This resulted in lots that would have been unaffordable for the target market without design innovation.
Major Drainage Infrastructure: A substantial watercourse along the western boundary conveyed sizeable upstream catchment flows, requiring specialized drainage infrastructure including 1200mm diameter pipes and engineered channel works to manage regional stormwater.
Regional Infrastructure Coordination: The adjacent Park Road is a Collector road managed under Section 7.11 infrastructure charges, requiring complex coordination between council, Diversi’s civil engineers, and another major developer who was constructing the road infrastructure in stages.
Fragmented Land Ownership: Multiple adjoining landowners required extensive negotiation and coordination for shared infrastructure, easements, and staging arrangements, with varying levels of cooperation and understanding of development processes.
Utility Infrastructure Staging: Major upgrades to water, sewer, and electrical infrastructure were required, with timing and staging dependent on coordination with other developments in the broader area.
Our Integrated Design Solutions
Infrastructure Planning Strategy: By incorporating the childcare centre (using 1,500m² that would have created one large lot), our engineers enabled the remaining lots to be sized smaller and more affordably, maintaining market accessibility while meeting government density planning requirements.
Civil Engineering Infrastructure Solutions: Specialized stormwater engineering systems and engineered drainage channels were designed by our infrastructure planning engineers to manage substantial upstream flows while protecting the development and downstream properties from flooding impacts.
Strategic Infrastructure Planning: Comprehensive earthworks designed by our civil engineers levelled the naturally sloping terrain to create lots with acceptable 3-4% grades instead of the original 10% slopes, improving buildability and marketability through engineered fill placement and terraced retaining systems.
Infrastructure Engineering Coordination: Complex staging arrangements were negotiated by our engineers to leverage shared?? infrastructure investments with neighbouring developments, reducing costs while ensuring proper utility service delivery timing.
Market Response & Regional Benefits
Affordable Housing Delivery: The 25 lots provide genuinely affordable housing options in a market where comparable?? new developments often price out target buyers, serving first-home buyers and growing families in Southwest Sydney.
Essential Community Infrastructure: The integrated 120-child childcare centre addresses critical local demand, supporting working families in the rapidly growing Leppington area where childcare availability has not kept pace with residential growth.
Regional Connectivity: Located within walking distance of Leppington’s town centre and future transport links, with proximity to major shopping centres, sports facilities, and rail connections to Sydney CBD within three kilometres.
Development Efficiency: The coordinated approach to infrastructure staging and shared services created a model for efficient area development, demonstrating how strategic planning can optimize outcomes for multiple stakeholders.
The project showcases how thoughtful engineering and project management can balance affordability, community needs, and complex infrastructure requirements to deliver housing solutions that serve both market demands and broader planning objectives.