Stockland is pushing ahead with its massive Forest Reach development near Dapto with expressions of interest in the first stage being called this week.
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The development application for an 185-lot "masterplanned" community off Bong Bong Road was approved by Wollongong City Council in July.
The first stage is located on 107 hectares west of the Brooks Reach development between Bong Bong and Cleveland road.
A sales information centre lot, an open space lot, two riparian lots, a proposed internal road network including pedestrian and cycle ways, services and stormwater drainage infrastructure, as well as tree removal, grading of the site, retaining walls, excavation and stockpiling of coal washery reject and street tree planting are also planned.
One of Australia's largest diversified property groups, Stockland has begun to accept expressions of interest for the lots, which will be released to the market in 2022.
Sophie Ale, Project Director - Residential NSW said she expected Forest Reach to be appealing for first home buyers.
A spokesperson said pricing for the lots would start from $500,000, with more detailed pricing information available early next year.
The 185 lots are the first in a three-stage development for a total of 650 lots over the next few years.
Proposed for the latter stages of the development is an over 55s lifestyle community.
To be named 'Forest Reach', the development for the planned community got off to a rocky start in 2018.
Originally, Stockland was hoping to have 1002 lots approved in the area known as the Bong Bong South neighbourhood under the council's development plans.
However, due to a number of outstanding issues relating to possible soil contamination with their 2018 plans, the council asked the development company to withdraw their earlier subdivision.
According to the developers, the site had been the subject of several site investigations which had revealed there were four potential areas of environmental concern.
This included an area of nearly 10,000 cubic metres of coal wash emplacement, which was placed on site from the 1970s from the operations of the nearby Avon Colliery and the Port Kembla Coal terminal. This will be excavated and stockpiled.
There was also a 170sqm area which was covered by lead ammunition from the adjacent former Illawarra Gun Club, and the concentrations of lead had the potential to pose a risk to ecological and human receptors, according to the original plans on exhibition.
According to a remedial plan for the site, there were also up to 2.5 million tonnes of stockpiled coal wash material in the northern portion of the site.
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