Fitzwalter was engaged by Sydney Water to review a significant portion of its property portfolio potentially surplus to its needs, in addition to identifying appropriate value adding strategies.

This involved an assessment of each site's potential for rezoning, the current constraints to redevelopment, its suitability for development, the capacity of the site to generate residential dwellings, the dwelling type and the potential revenue return from a disposal of such sites once rezoned.

The Fitzwalter Group was engaged by the NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages to project and construction manage the fitout of their new offices located in central Sydney. Commencing with the design process the Fitzwalter Group determined space requirements, affiliations and delivery of services needs from the initial development of a design brief. Subsequently the Fitzwalter Group engaged the various sub-contractors following the preparation and competitive tendering of works contracts. Fitzwalter also managed the completion of the fitout works.

Fitzwalter Group was engaged to remediate a 49 hectares, as part of a larger rezoning and development project. Following the appointment of an environmental consultant a comprehensive assessment of soil and groundwater contamination was undertaken. Of most significance was the development of best practice remediation techniques for the removal of asbestos fragments in soil with the development of a screening process.

A detailed risk assessment was undertaken to determine an acceptable remediation standard. The remediation of the soil, which would normally require excavation and off-site disposal, was estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars. With the success of a pilot screening trial the cost to remediate the site of asbestos contaminated soil is now 15% of the original estimate.

The Fitzwalter Group was appointed by the Commonwealth to provide property disposal advisory services including the preparation of property assessments and packaging of due diligence documentation for the majority of government property assets sold in Sydney.

Due diligence documentation has also been prepared in advance of the disposal of a number of large Commonwealth property holdings having significant redevelopment opportunities.

The Fitzwalter Group has been engaged by the primary landholder, the University of Western Sydney, on behalf of several other landowners including Sydney Water, the Pared Foundation and Dubel Pty Ltd to project manage the preparation of an application and supporting documentation to rezone a 50 hectare site in western Sydney. The site forms part of a larger precinct known as the Werrington Enterprise Living and Learning (WELL) precinct which has a total area of 645 hectares.

Fitzwalter’s task is to manage the selection and appointment of specialist sub-consultants in the areas of flora and fauna, geology, hydrology, soil salinity, contamination, infrastructure services etc. and facilitate a site assessment process pursuant to the documentation of a draft amendment to the Penrith Local Environmental Plan (in the form of the New Template LEP recently issued by the Department of Planning) a site specific Development Control Plan (DCP) and s.94 Contributions Plan and/or Development Agreement.

Fitzwalter is also working closely with the local Council on site planning matters in particular the preparation of a WELL-wide Infrastructure Delivery Plan. The plan will identify infrastructure and servicing requirements, costs and a delivery program for both State and local infrastructure including roads, open space, community facilities and major supply trunk services in addition to any particular levies and/or charges. The preparation of the plan will facilitate the development of individual s.94 plans for each sub-precinct.

The site will accommodate approximately 1,000 dwellings, a new private school, employment lands and the protection of Cumberland Plain Bushland in two reserves. The DCP prepared for the site will reflect current trends and environmentally sustainable principles including Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) principles.

The Fitzwalter Group has been engaged by the newly established Growth Centres Commission to provide project management services in the identification and sequencing of new land release areas, including carrying out precinct planning activities, co-ordinating the provision of infrastructure and obtaining the necessary authority approvals.

The precinct is strategic in nature as it is located in the centre of the North West growth centre and with the combination of some large and easily developed land holdings, the Richmond Railway line (and its planned duplication), the two east-west transport corridors, provides an opportunity for the establishment of a relatively dense mixed-use development – particularly around the town centre and near railway stations.

A number of issues will need to be managed including the assessment and preparation of a management plan for any identified areas of open space (incorporating protection of Cumberland Plain Bushland) or management of such in accordance with the Department of Environments biocertification guidelines; the creation of a new town centre; the establishment of a mixed use employment corridor along Schofields Road; the upgrade of Schofields Road Corridor; the duplication of the Richmond rail service; improvement of regional bus transport corridors and creeks and associated flood affected areas.

The Fitzwalter Group is currently managing a multidisciplinary team of consultants with a view to preparing a precinct plan and infrastructure identification plan for the release area. Extensive consultation has also occurred with the State environmental and service agencies in relation to site analysis and assessment requirements. The Growth Centres is pioneering a more streamlined and efficient planning process to better meet the NSW Government objectives for effective land delivery in the north and south west of Sydney.