Dozens of hard-working families who bought off-the-plan in Sydney’s south-west amid Australia’s housing shortage are at their wit’s end after waiting almost five years to access their land.
But the developer claims it’s not to blame and the delays are being caused by one government agency dragging the chain.
Oxford Gardens Ingleburn should be home to hundreds of people, but instead the land’s going to waste.
These hard-working Aussies have been waiting years to access their lots and build their homes and they’ve had enough.
Developer Billbergia sold almost 100 lots in the estate, to people like Murali, who bought his land back in 2020.
“We should have built the house by now, but we’re not getting the land,” he said.
The delays have meant his dream home might not look so dreamy by the time it’s done.
“I planned to build a double-storey house with a granny flat, but now it looks difficult for me to even build a double-storey house,’ Murali said.
Sunny’s been waiting the same length of time and is losing faith.
“COVID was blamed and then Campbelltown Council were blamed, so there were a lot of people to be blamed, and now there is something going on between Sydney Water and the developer,” Sunny said.
“In the meantime… the building costs have gone up by 20 per cent.”
Shaikat’s learned the lot he bought in 2020 now has a driveway in the middle of it.
“So basically my land doesn’t exist anymore,” Shaikat said.
“They said wait until settlement, that if something comes available we’ll give you the land, similar price to your one.
“But it’s a waiting game for the last four years and we are circling around and no result so far.”
Billbergia’s development director Rick Graf said it was waiting on Sydney Water to commence building a sewerage pumping station.
“Every project in Sydney has had a tough time during COVID and the unseasonal amount of rain that we all experienced … two and a half metres of rain in 2022, but they’re just the normal things with the construction industry,” Graf said.
“We applied to Sydney Water for the approval to do a sewerage treatment plant, sewerage pumping station to service the land, to design and build it, Sydney Water after a while came back and said no look they’d prefer to do it.
“Unfortunately we’ve finished all of the work on the estate and it’s ready to be occupied by its new owners, but Sydney Water have not yet commenced construction of their pumping station.”
Billbergia was under the impression Sydney Water would have the work completed by July last year, so the developer told landowners, including Manpreet and Yasim, to get their finances ready.
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“I got an email that the land will be settled soon, organise your finances, so I sold my house and I’m renting now, which is frustrating in a way because I had a home and now I’m renting,” Yasim said.
“I sold my house to get the finance ready for this land,” Manpreet said.
“I don’t have a home, I’m renting and just paying for a very small place for $500 and there’s not enough room for [my son], for us and it’s a nightmare.”
Manpreet, who paid his deposit and stamp duty in 2020, is now wondering why he bothered with the great Australian dream.
“First generation immigrants, we work so hard to pay all of our taxes, what we want in return? Just to build a house. Just to get the things which we paid for but we’re getting nothing back,” Manpreet said.
“Why would I go up every morning, go for a job, pay my taxes and still struggle for a house?
“[It’s] easier for me to go out and stand in the Centrelink queue and camp outside their home. How about that?”
Gil’s also waiting for his land and finds it hard to believe the government’s going to be capable of solving our housing shortage if this pace continues.
“We need to solve the housing crisis here and we’re all part of it and yeah just wondering how this plays out… it just doesn’t seem doable does it?” Gil said.
“I think understandably we bought off the plan and we knew that, but yeah to take this long, three years and for some people five years it’s just a long time to wait.”
And for those not willing to wait any longer, Graf said Billbergia was willing to offer a refund.
“The subdivision is built, the roads are in, the sewerage pipes and the storm water are in, the water supplies [are] in, the electricity’s in, the whole estate is finished and ready for people to take possession of their land,” Graf said.
“We’re not obliged to return their deposits but we have done that, we’ve also offered to return it with interest for anyone who wants to rescind because we’re as embarrassed as they are,” Graf said.
FULL SYDNEY WATER STATEMENT
Where a developer chooses to provide water and wastewater infrastructure ahead of Sydney Water’s timing for delivery, they can enter an interim servicing agreement at their own risk and cost.
Sydney Water first received the developer’s request for a Section 73 Certificate (S73) in late 2018.
A new, permanent pumping station is required to service development in the area.
The developer finished planning for these services in late 2020.
The original proposal submitted to Sydney Water to design the pumping station did not meet requirements.
Sydney Water provided feedback in early 2021, however, the developer did not reengage until August 2021.
Design of the pumping station was ultimately completed by Sydney Water and we are now seeking approvals to commence construction.
After extensive negotiations with the developer on how to progress the design, Sydney Water offered, and the developer agreed, for Sydney Water to take over the design of the permanent pumping station in early 2022.
During consultation it was identified that the land was smaller than Sydney Water requires to construct and operate this type of infrastructure safely.
Sydney Water has completed a new design which will be submitted to the local council for approval to commence construction.
Sydney Water received the developer’s revised design for the temporary pumping station on Thursday, 11 July 2024.
An assessment has now begun to ensure it is compliant with our requirements. Once approved, a Section 73 Certificate can be issued.
This will allow customers to safely connect to the network before the permanent pumping station is complete.