Luddenham’s future is being jeopardised by the State Government’s failure to finalise the Luddenham Village Strategy, locals say.
The Luddenham Progress Association has been calling on the NSW Government to make good on its election promise and implement the Luddenham Village Strategy as published by the State Government three years ago.
Luddenham Village is the only area in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis that was excluded from the finalized rezoning plans released by the NSW Government in March 2022.
Last week the NSW Government released their Aerotropolis Sector Plan – a plan to enable development in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and once again there was no mention of Luddenham Village or its future.
President of the Luddenham Progress Association, Wayne Willmington, said an interim strategy for the Village released with the planning package had resounding endorsement from the local community, Penrith and Liverpool City Councils, and State and Federal Members of Parliament.
“Everyone is committed to saving the iconic Luddenham Village, which is one of the oldest settlements in NSW and the only existing ‘village’ in the Aerotropolis,” he said.
“The Luddenham Village strategy addresses proactively the noise level concerns with all proposed new housing sitting outside of noise contours including the projected contours for 2063 when the airport is operating at full capacity.
“Every day that this decision is delayed is jeopardising the Village’s future. The community has lost faith in the Government’s election promise to finalize the plans for the Village and people are starting to leave. For the first time in a generation, Luddenham Public School is down to just two classrooms.”
Londonderry MP and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car admitted the government needed to get to a point of providing clarity for Luddenham locals.
“We have to get on to that, because there are so many flow-on effects of all the change in that part of Sydney and there’s obviously a big concern,” she told the Weekender.
“I don’t have a timeframe but it’s obviously a huge job and we’ve got to get on top of it.”
In February 2024, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure told the Weekender it was “developing a program for the delivery of the final Luddenham Village Plan”.
More than a year on, Willmington says locals are losing faith in the government to act.
“There are no more excuses – the NSW Minister for Planning has the information he needs to move forward and secure the future of Luddenham Village by implementing the NSW Planning recommended Luddenham Village Strategy, allowing an increase to the population to the north of the existing Luddenham Village which is outside of all the noise contours,” he said.
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.