Consultation has concluded.
June 2020: Upgraded RFS station to be built on current site
Council is responsible for providing land for an upgraded Rural Fire Service Station in Mulgoa. The NSW Government and the RFS have provided $1.2 million in funding to upgrade the current, inadequate station.
The station will be built on the current RFS site following changes to the State Environment Planning Policy (SEPP).
In late 2018 and early 2019, Council consulted with the Mulgoa community on options for the site of the upgraded fire station, including Mulgoa Park North, the Mulgoa Community Centre and Gow Park. However, the changes to the SEPP mean that an emergency facility cannot be developed in RE1 or E3 zones – leaving the existing site as the only compliant option.
Council would like to thank the community for its feedback during the consultation period and assure respondents that while Mulgoa Park North was the community’s first preference, the existing option also had strong support.
A previously lodged Development Application for the Mulgoa Park North site has been withdrawn and a new design created. This will be determined under part 5 of the SEPP. You can view the design in the document library to the right.
To build a larger station it is necessary to permanently close an access road between The Straight and Mulgoa roads. Council and the Roads and Maritime Services are progressing a Traffic Management Plan for approval to permanently close the road. Traffic modelling has shown there will be minimal impact from the closure.
Work on the upgraded station will start once the access road is permanently closed and will then be completed within 12 months. The RFS station will be closed during the construction period.
During this time, Mulgoa RFS appliances will be moved to the Regentville RFS headquarters and Brigade members’ homes. The Mulgoa Brigade will remain on call and responsive to emergencies.
We invite your comments on the closure of the access road.
January 2020: Update on new Mulgoa RFS station
Amendments to the State Environment Planning Policy (SEPP) (Infrastructure) 2007, has resulted in the withdrawal of the Development Application for a new Rural Fire Service station in Mulgoa Park.
The amendments to SEPP specifically prohibit development of an emergency services facility by or on behalf of the NSW Rural Fire Service in RE1 or E3 zoned land. All Council-owned land, other than the existing fire station, are zoned either E3 or RE1, with Mulgoa Park and Gow Park zoned RE1.
Given these amendments, Council is unable to continue with the current development application for the proposed sites of Mulgoa Park and Mulgoa Neighbourhood Facility and it has been formally withdrawn.
The current RFS Station site is situated in a prescribed zone and is the only compliant option under the SEPP amendments.
Council officers have commenced detailed construction designs and further community consultation for this site will commence during February 2020.
Keep an eye on Your Say Penrith for updates.
March 2019:
Many thanks to everyone who gave feedback on the site options for the proposed new fire station for the Mulgoa Rural Fire Service (RFS), either in person at Mulgoa Park on Sunday 24 February or in our online survey, which closed on Monday 4 March 2019.
Council considered a report on the project at its Ordinary Council meeting on 25 March and decided to proceed with the option of building the new fire station in Mulgoa Park (northern side).
A development application process will now take place over the coming months and community feedback will be invited throughout this.
Background
Council and the Rural Fire Service (RFS) have been seeking to identify a suitable location for a new contemporary RFS station for Mulgoa. The current building is no longer adequate and the NSW Government and RFS have committed $1.2m to the construction of a new Category 3 station as a high priority. Council is required by law to provide suitable land for this important facility.
