Leppington Town Centre rezoning finalised

The NSW Government has officially finalised the rezoning of the Leppington Town Centre. This is a massive shift that will transform the area from largely employment-focused land into a major mixed-use Strategic Centre.

The new planning controls will allow for approximately 11,500 new dwellings and 11,000 new jobs over the next 20 years across the 440-hectare precinct.

Building heights will now range from 3 to 30 storeys (concentrated near the station), with a mandatory 3% affordable housing provision and an integrated network of parks and a central civic plaza. Council resolved to write to the Planning Minister to confirm what associated infrastructure is planned to support this massive uplift.

“Wianamatta” endorsed as the new Airport suburb name

Council has officially endorsed the name “Wianamatta” for the newly established suburb boundary encompassing the Western Sydney International Airport (currently part of Badgerys Creek).

The name, which translates to “Mother Place” in early colonial records of the local dialect, was put forward and endorsed by the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council (GLALC) membership.

This change will require redefining the boundaries of Greendale, Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Bringelly, and Bradfield. The proposal now goes back to the Geographical Names Board (GNB) for public consultation and final determination.

Pushback on Fifteenth Avenue transport designs

Council has formally rejected Transport for NSW’s current design for the Fifteenth Avenue upgrade, arguing it falls short of what the region needs.

Instead, Council is advocating for an alternative design: a six-lane transit boulevard with a design speed of 70km/h. To achieve this, Council resolved to request an additional $239 million (a 17% budget increase) from the State and Federal Governments.

Council also approved a $50,000 community campaign to communicate directly with residents along the corridor, giving them the opportunity to provide feedback on the long-term transport vision for the area.

Community feedback halts Grass Cutting Policy

Council placed a draft Open Space Maintenance and Grass Cutting Service Standard Policy on public exhibition, but the community feedback was highly critical.

Residents expressed frustration with current maintenance levels (overgrown grass, litter, inconsistent pruning) and pointed out that the draft policy was too vague, lacked measurable standards, and didn’t account for the rapid growth of new suburbs.

In a win for community consultation, Council resolved not to adopt the draft policy in its current form. Instead, the CEO has been tasked with completely revising the document with input from subject matter experts to ensure it includes realistic, measurable, and accountable service standards before it comes back to Council.

Festivals, nightlife and the Special Entertainment Precinct

Liverpool is making a big push to activate its evening economy. Council endorsed a 12-month trial for a Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) in the Liverpool City Centre, which will encourage live music and extended trading hours.

Additionally, Council adopted the new Culture, Events and Festivals Strategy (2026-2036) and approved the temporary suspension of Alcohol-Free Zones in Macquarie Mall to allow for pop-up bars during major upcoming events, including EuroFest, the Primavera Latin American Festival, and Lanterns & Lights.

Stimulating CBD housing development

To help combat the housing crisis and stimulate development post-COVID, Council has agreed to extend a major financial incentive for developers in the Liverpool City Centre.

The waiver on Section 7.11/7.12 developer contributions for multi-storey residential and commercial developments within the CBD has been extended for an additional five years, now running until 27 March 2033.

Serbian street names for Edmondson Park

Following community consultation and collaboration with the Geographical Names Board (GNB), Council has supported 21 new Serbian-themed street names to be used in new subdivisions in Edmondson Park.

The list includes names of prominent Serbian historical figures, geographic locations (like Drina and Zlatibor), and ANZAC/South Slav volunteers who served in Serbia during WWI (such as Dorrington, Putnik, and Starcevich). The names will now go on public exhibition for 28 days.