Harrington Grove will provide a diverse range of environments focused on both urban development and conservation outcomes.

An ecological and open space corridor will be a key feature of the site. The corridor will extend from Macquarie Grove Road through the Orielton Homestead property broadly along the alignment of Cobbitty Creek. It will extend into the north-western section of the main part of the Harrington Park property, before traversing the northern part of that site through to Camden Valley Way. The corridor provides habitat for the conservation of Cumberland Plain Woodland and its associated flora and fauna in a large, contiguous land unit.

Over time, as the place transforms from a mix of bushland and rural pasture, it will progressively become part of a larger regional bio-diversity network, performing the function of an ecological corridor. It will do this by creating linkages to other lands with ecological value. The corridor will also provide recreational opportunities in the form of a walking trail which provides access to key points of visual interest such as hilltops and viewing points for the key heritage items.

A site will also be created at the top of Crear Hill on Harrington Park where a restaurant will be able to be provided. The design and scale of the restaurant and associated facilities such as parking areas will be in keeping with the bushland character of the setting. Particular attention will be paid to minimising the visual impact of any structures in this area.

The existing landscape corridor along Cobbitty Road and Macquarie Grove Road will be substantially preserved. Significant hedging and fence lines will be retained, and views across the landscape will be preserved. Areas of consolidated bushland will be preserved, restored and maintained over time. Appropriate traffic management measures will be implemented within this context.

Harrington Grove and Orielton will also incorporate areas of housing. These will vary in character and scale across the site and are separately described below.

Areas zoned R1 General Residential located in the central part of the Orielton property, and generally on the eastern side of Harrington Grove, will reflect a lower density residential character of detached houses on large lots within a pedestrian friendly environment.

These areas will feature one and two storey dwelling houses on generously sized allotments, with private rear yards and open front gardens. All dwellings will be designed to address the streets and public spaces such as parks and will be designed to achieve high levels of water and energy efficiency. The design of dwellings will reflect the natural setting of the properties, but will also be identifiably urban in character.

A site will be created within the central portion of Harrington Grove to facilitate the creation of a country club. This facility will provide a range of amenities to residents of Harrington Grove, which should include recreation facilities, meeting rooms, restaurants, bars, gymnasiums, community facilities, child care, associated office space and a sales office and other similar uses.

Native vegetation within parks and drainage lines will be preserved, and generally replicated in the landscaped areas of the residential development area. Plantings will be strongly reflective of the character of the surrounding bushland.

Other areas, zoned C4 Environmental Living, will also incorporate residential dwellings, but in a manner which is more sympathetic to the bushland environment. These dwellings are defined as eco-residential housing. This zone applies to the area to the north of Cobbitty Creek, adjacent to Cobbitty Road, and several areas generally located in the central part of the main Harrington Park site.

These places will be characterised by housing which is less densely developed and approaching a more rural character. Dwellings and roads will be sensitively located in an effort to preserve as much existing vegetation as possible. Housing designs will be particularly reflective of the bushland settings of these areas, with materials and designs reflecting the need to minimise visual impact and address bushfire risks.

The bushland character of these places will be further enhanced in two discrete areas, located in the north-western and north-eastern corners of the main Harrington Park property. These dwellings will be located within a bushland setting, and materials and colours will reflect the muted tones of that environment. Dwellings will be located in defined building envelopes, and landscaping will be of an unobtrusive nature, relying primarily on existing surrounding vegetation. In the north-eastern corner of Harrington Park, the place will also be characterised by dwellings which generally seek to preserve existing vegetation, reflecting the ecological corridor role that this land plays. In both these locations, setbacks required for bushfire protection will be achieved without the removal of significant stands of existing vegetation.

Land is also set aside to provide curtilages for the two important heritage properties, Harrington Park and Orielton. These properties will remain prominent landmarks within the overall place and will continue to be conserved in accordance with the approved Conservation Management Plans. Views to and from the homesteads will be preserved, as will their surrounding landscape and associated buildings. Dwellings proposed in the areas adjacent to the curtilages set aside for these homesteads will be sympathetic to the heritage significance of these places.

A small area located to the south and west of the Orielton Homestead will be developed for low density residential purposes. This place will provide opportunities for housing in defined areas above the Narellan Creek flood line. Housing designs will reflect the visual prominence of this area, by using visually unobtrusive colours, and height, scale and mass which seeks to minimise visual impacts.

Objectives

1. Facilitate the development of Harrington Grove in a way that is environmentally sensitive and responds positively to the site’s heritage and scenic character, while conserving large sections of regionally significant remnant bushland.
2. Provide a viable regionally significant habitat corridor in an east – west direction across the site, that retains the high value remnant Cumberland Plain Woodland and includes riparian corridors.
3. Protect the scenic character and significant views.
4. Provide appropriate curtilages in accordance with the Conservation Management Plans around the areas of heritage significance.
5. Facilitate the ongoing management and conservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the site.
6. Avoid development in areas of high salinity potential, areas with excessive steepness and associated instability.
7. Ensure future residents of the site can conveniently access employment, shops, educational, community facilities and recreational opportunities both within the site and in the surrounding area.
8. Ensure that development is staged in a manner which is efficient in terms of infrastructure use and provision.