Plans for a $341 million mixed-use precinct featuring 482 new homes have been formally proposed for the former Kingswood Drive-In site at 60–80 O’Connell Street, Caddens, approximately 50 kilometres west of Sydney’s central business district (CBD).
The development application, filed by Caddens Estate Pty Ltd, a part of the Holdmark Property Group, outlines a significant transformation of the 8.1-hectare parcel currently adjacent to the existing Caddens Corner Shopping Centre.
The State Significant Development Application (SSDA) has been designed by GroupGSA and proposes a masterplanned community consisting of 17 mid-rise buildings delivering a combination of apartments and shoptop housing.
The precinct will also include approximately 3,461 square metres of retail space, new streets, community spaces, and an expanded public domain centred around a new civic hub and a pedestrian spine called ‘Six Seasons Walk’.
This walk will link a network of local and community parks, extending the existing Cumberland Plain ecology along the northern edge of the site.
Holdmark’s Planning and Development Manager Eliyah El-Khoury highlighted the mixed and inclusive nature of the development: “By offering a diversity of apartment types – including 15 per cent essential worker housing – and integrating new parks and a strong civic centre, we’re vesting a welcoming, walkable neighbourhood that supports residents to live and study in Caddens, bringing to life this hidden gem, just 5km from Penrith CBD and a short 15-minute drive from the new Western Sydney Aerotropolis precinct.”
Strategically located within walking distance to Western Sydney University’s expanding Kingswood campus and the Nepean Hospital health precinct, the development aligns with Western Sydney’s ‘Western Growth’ strategy.
This state-backed strategy aims to position Caddens as “a model for sustainable urban development” by linking residential growth to major transport infrastructure and tertiary institutions.
A notable feature of the design is its emphasis on sustainability and integration with the natural environment.
Indigenous co-design workshops helped shape the cultural framework, embracing water, sky, and Country as connecting themes.
The project aims to restore natural ecologies and expand the Cumberland Plain Woodland habitat with endemic plantings, natural materials, organic built forms, and water-sensitive landscape design.
The public open space will be structured around three major parks — the Village Green, Local Park, and Community Park — supported by shared zones, rooftop terraces, and communal courtyards to enhance social cohesion and biodiversity.
The precinct is situated in the Werrington Enterprise Living and Learning (WELL) corridor, a health and education spine shaped by the university and hospital, with zoning supporting mixed-use developments including ground-floor retail and mid-rise residential apartments.
The development will also include a public plaza, secure basement parking, and new roads to be dedicated to Penrith City Council.
As one of New South Wales’ fastest-growing areas, the Penrith local government area (LGA) is experiencing population and employment pressure linked to infrastructure upgrades like the Western Sydney Airport and the Nepean Hospital redevelopment.
The Caddens development is expected to contribute to managing this growth sustainably while offering new housing options close to amenity and employment hubs.
Further reading on sustainable urban development and mixed-use precinct planning can be found through resources such as the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure and urban design case studies on integrating ecology and community in residential developments.
This SSD application is currently on exhibition until November 17, 2025, inviting community feedback before final determination.
