Catherine Field development is now about to step up a gear. In fact, there are 7 live projects in and around the suburb in 2026. Together they cover about 6,200 homes: 3,229 on land rezoned back in 2013, plus up to 3,000 more on a 164 ha site along Springfield Road that the state is fast-tracking. The newest decision came on 25 February 2026, when the Independent Planning Commission approved a 980-student school on Catherine Fields Road. Still, the biggest question is timing. The Springfield Road rezoning was due on exhibition in the second half of 2026, and as of early October it still sits at the pre-exhibition stage.
This article was produced and reviewed by the Australia Develops editorial team. See our Editorial Policy for sourcing standards and methodology.
Where is Catherine Field?
Catherine Field is a semi-rural suburb in Camden Council, postcode 2557, about 43 km south-west of the Sydney CBD in a straight line and roughly 5 km south-west of Leppington station on the T2 line. Narellan and Oran Park are its nearest major centres, and you’ll also see the area written as “Catherine Fields”.
Catherine Field Development — The Pipeline
This list draws on the NSW Planning Portal, the Independent Planning Commission’s case files, the Sydney Western City Planning Panel register and Camden Council’s consultation pages. So these are the projects that currently have a number, an address and a status.
| # | Project / address | Developer | Scale | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield Road, Catherine Field Precinct rezoning | DPHI (state-led) | 164 ha, up to 3,000 homes, local centre, school site | Pre-exhibition |
| 2 | Springfield Road North, 52 & 58 Springfield Rd and Charlesworth Close | Colliers for Springfield Road Pty Ltd | About 104 ha, about 2,000 homes | Panel backed Gateway in June 2025; now part of #1 |
| 3 | Springfield Road South (Catherine Park North) | Harrington Estates Pty Ltd | 54.5 ha, up to 1,000 homes | Local panel found no merit in 2024; revised and now part of #1 |
| 4 | Catherine Park and the Catherine Fields (Part) Precinct | Harrington Estates (Hixson Pty Ltd) | 3,229 homes rezoned in 2013 | Under construction, late releases |
| 5 | Minarah College, 268-278 Catherine Fields Rd | Green Valley Islamic College Ltd | 980 students K-12, $123.7m | Approved 25 Feb 2026 |
| 6 | Childcare centre, 701 Camden Valley Way | Not published | 100 places, $5.25m | Returned to council; no decision found |
| 7 | Childcare centre, 189 Catherine Fields Rd, plus 8 lots at 24 Hamer St | Not published | 142 places; 8 attached homes | Lodged 2026 |
Altogether, that’s seven live projects across Catherine Field right now, from early rezonings still at exhibition stage to an approved childcare centre already under construction. Here’s how the headline numbers stack up before each one is walked through.
Where the Projects Sit
With the numbers out of the way, here’s roughly where these projects sit on the ground, clustered either side of Camden Valley Way.
First, think of the suburb as a triangle. Camden Valley Way runs along the south-east edge, and Catherine Fields Road heads west from it towards Bringelly. Then Springfield Road cuts north-east between them. The 164 ha rezoning fills most of the land inside that triangle, while Catherine Park, the established estate, sits to its west and south around Catherine Park Drive. Both childcare sites also front the 2 main roads. Minarah College is further west on Catherine Fields Road, where the paddocks and poultry sheds still dominate.
PROJECT 1 — 3,000 homes in the Springfield Road, Catherine Field Precinct rezoning
Status: Pre-exhibition (state significant rezoning announced 15 November 2025; exhibition expected in the second half of 2026)
Location: Springfield Road, Catherine Field NSW 2557. The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) runs it as a State-Assessed Rezoning Proposal under the state significant rezoning policy. So Camden Council is now a stakeholder rather than the decision maker. There’s no PP number on the Portal listing yet.
In short, this is the biggest Catherine Field development news in a decade. The Planning Minister’s release of 15 November 2025 said the state would fast-track a rezoning “to unlock up to 3,000 new homes” on 164 ha. It merges 2 private proposals that had stalled at council level: Springfield Road North and Catherine Park North (projects 2 and 3 below). The release also promised new roads, stormwater works, recreation areas and a neighbourhood centre.
Is the Springfield Road rezoning on exhibition yet?
So has it gone on exhibition yet? Not yet, as far as the public record shows. The NSW Planning Portal listing still shows the stage as “Pre-exhibition”, with no dates. It also describes an amendment to the Camden Local Environmental Plan 2010 covering low and medium density housing, public recreation, a local centre and a future school. With the government’s “second half of 2026” window, the exhibition could open any week between now and Christmas.
Once it opens, locals finally get a formal chance to comment. Camden Council has also noted that the exhibited package may differ from the versions it notified in 2025. After that, DPHI reviews submissions and the minister decides. Then individual subdivision DAs follow, so the first new lots are still some way off.
PROJECT 2 — About 2,000 homes at Springfield Road North
Status: Supported for Gateway by the Sydney Western City Planning Panel (decided 27 May 2025, record dated 17 June 2025); now folded into Project 1
Location: 52 & 58 Springfield Road and 32, 44, 55, 60, 65 and 66 Charlesworth Close, Catherine Field. The landowner is Springfield Road Pty Ltd, while Colliers acts as proponent and Urbanco as planner. References: PP-2022-1275 and rezoning review RR-2024-35.
Of course, this is the larger half of the state rezoning. DPHI’s briefing report describes about 104 ha across 46 lots, bounded by Camden Valley Way, Catherine Fields Road and Springfield Road. Right now it’s zoned R5 Large Lot Residential and RU4 Primary Production Small Lots, with a current yield of about 45 homes. Instead, the plan swaps that for R2 and R3 housing at 20 to 25 homes per hectare, with heights of 9 m and 12 m. That’s roughly 2,000 homes, or about 2,080 on the first layout.
Why this Catherine Field development stalled at council
The history matters here, though. The owners lodged with council in 2022, but council’s assessment stalled. In its March 2025 letter, council blamed uncertainty over water and wastewater servicing, strategic road corridors and especially the lack of a masterplan for the wider precinct. So the proponent went to a rezoning review. Then on 27 May 2025 the panel voted unanimously that the plan had strategic merit and should go to Gateway, subject to changes.
But those changes weren’t small. For example, the panel wanted the Rickard Road extension aligned with council’s data, new water modelling, and updated flood, bushfire, biodiversity and heritage studies. It also wanted a revised layout and talks with School Infrastructure NSW, Sydney Water and the Rural Fire Service. The briefing report also flagged odour from nearby poultry farms as an issue. The panel record also expected Sydney Water servicing around 2031.
PROJECT 3 — Up to 1,000 homes at Springfield Road South (Catherine Park North)
Status: Version 2 found lacking merit by the Camden Local Planning Panel (19 November 2024); version 4 lodged September 2025; now folded into Project 1
Location: land between Camden Valley Way and Springfield Road, Catherine Field, east of the existing Catherine Park estate. The proponent is Harrington Estates Pty Ltd, while the council reference is PP/2021/2/1.
According to Camden Council’s consultation page, the 54.5 ha site is bounded by Camden Valley Way to the south-east, Springfield Road to the north-east and Copper Drive and Lukes Lane to the north-west. It would hold up to 1,000 homes on lots averaging about 350 m², with a 9 m height limit. Land is also set aside for the Catherine Park Drive and Rickard Road extension, a Springfield Road upgrade, parks and drainage.
This one had a rocky ride, though. Initially, Harrington lodged it on 21 June 2022. But on 19 November 2024 the Camden Local Planning Panel advised that version 2 “did not demonstrate sufficient strategic or site-specific merit” to proceed to Gateway. The developer then revised the layout and lodged version 4 in September 2025. After that, council notified it from 24 September to 10 October 2025. About 5 weeks later, the state took it over and merged it with Springfield Road North. In other words, it wasn’t refused outright. Instead, the developer redesigned it and the state lifted it into its own process.
PROJECT 4 — 3,229 homes in Catherine Park and the Catherine Fields (Part) Precinct
Status: Rezoned 2013; under construction, with late-stage land releases still selling in 2026
Location: around Catherine Park Drive, straddling the Catherine Field and Oran Park suburb boundary. The developer is Harrington Estates, but the 2013 planning agreement names Hixson Pty Ltd. The sales office is currently at 18 Myer Way, Oran Park.
This is the part of Catherine Field that already looks like a suburb, especially around Catherine Park Drive. The state rezoned it under the Precinct Acceleration Protocol, which let the developer fund early infrastructure so building could start ahead of the official schedule. The DPHI precinct page says the plan was finalised in March 2013 for up to 3,200 homes. But the precinct FAQ is more exact at 3,229 homes for about 10,000 people. It also lists a neighbourhood centre, a primary school site and 50 ha of open space and conservation land.
How much of Catherine Park is built so far
So how far along is it? When Catherine Park won the UDIA national award for best residential subdivision, Harrington said it had delivered about 1,200 of roughly 1,750 planned dwellings. Since then, newer streets such as Murchison Street, Cornforth Crescent and McClymont Drive have filled in, with house sales through 2025 and 2026. The latest Hampton Court release now sits near Catherine Park Oval, Paw Park and the South Creek conservation corridor. The council-run Catherine Park Community Centre at 55 Catherine Park Drive has 2 halls beside the sportsground.
The precinct’s promised primary school is now open, too. In fact, School Infrastructure NSW lists the “new primary school in Catherine Field” as open, for up to 1,000 K-6 students. It now operates as Barramurra Public School on O’Keefe Drive, approved as SSD-9477 in June 2020. On the other side of Springfield Road, a smaller estate marketed as Acacia Place lists lots of 250 m² to 450 m² at 183 Springfield Road. It could not be matched to a DA number, so treat those details as marketing claims.
For the broader story of the master-planned suburb next door, see the Oran Park development guide.
PROJECT 5 — A 980-student school at 268-278 Catherine Fields Road
Status: Approved (Independent Planning Commission, 25 February 2026)
Location: 268-278 Catherine Fields Road, Catherine Field NSW 2557. The applicant is Green Valley Islamic College Ltd, which runs Minarah College. Application: SSD-30759158.
This was the most fought-over Catherine Field development of the past few years. Currently, the college plans a 2-storey K-12 campus for up to 980 students. That includes a 30-student school for specific purposes as well as a 60-place early learning centre. For instance, DPHI’s assessment report puts the estimated development cost at $123,742,670. It also estimates 434 construction jobs and 99 ongoing jobs. The college will build the campus in 4 stages over 12 years, starting at 300 students and children and reaching 980 by stage 3.
Why council opposed the school but the Commission approved it
Still, Camden Council objected. It argued that a rural, unsewered site was wrong for a school this size and that it clashed with RU4 zone objectives. Council also raised noise, flood evacuation and the capacity of Catherine Fields Road. Because of that, and more than 50 public objections, the case went to the Independent Planning Commission. The Commission then received 1,065 written submissions: 421 objections and 639 in support. After a public meeting on 3 February 2026, it eventually approved the school “subject to strict conditions”.
That said, the conditions are what locals will notice most. For example, they include staggered start and finish times, supervised drop-off zones and footpaths. In addition, stage 1 must include road widening and a right-turn lane into the school. Drainage on Catherine Fields Road also gets upgraded. The school will run its own wastewater system until the sewer arrives, then connect within 12 months. So far, the college hasn’t published a construction start date.
PROJECT 6 — A 100-place childcare centre at 701 Camden Valley Way
Status: Returned to council by the Sydney Western City Planning Panel; no published determination found
Location: 701 Camden Valley Way, Catherine Field NSW 2557. Application: DA/2025/565/1, panel reference PPSSWC-647. However, the applicant isn’t named on the panel record.
The panel record describes a childcare centre for 100 children with basement parking. The capital investment value is $5,247,862. Currently, its status reads “Returned to council”. That usually means the panel isn’t the consent authority any more, so Camden Council decides it under delegation. No decision was found in the public records, so it is best treated as still under assessment.
PROJECT 7 — A 142-place childcare centre at 189 Catherine Fields Road
Status: Lodged with Camden Council in 2026 (DA 2026/124/1); not yet determined as far as the public record shows
Location: 189 Catherine Fields Road, Catherine Field NSW 2557. The application covers a 2-storey, 142-place childcare centre, as well as signage and site works. Council notified 25 neighbours, but no public comments showed up on the tracker.
The smaller Catherine Field development applications are grouped here because they show where demand is heading. Inside Catherine Park, DA 2026/438/1 at 24 Hamer Street seeks an 8-lot Torrens subdivision with 3 + 5 attached homes. That’s the kind of infill that eventually pushes density up on leftover estate lots. Most other 2026 lodgements found are single 2-storey homes, such as 14 Cade Way (DA 2026/119/1).
Put the 2 childcare centres and Minarah’s early learning centre together and you get more than 300 new places on 2 roads. Families moving into the Springfield Road land will also need them. But Catherine Fields Road is still a 2-lane country road for most of its length.
The Infrastructure Behind the Growth
Roads. Of course, Rickard Road is the big one. Its extension would link Oran Park and Catherine Field straight to Leppington station. Camden Council’s road advocacy page lists it as a NSW Government road with an estimated $590m budget. Yet it also says “There is no confirmed timeline for funding, acquisition or construction.” The state has spent over $14 million on planning and design. Previously, a staged upgrade widened Camden Valley Way to 2 lanes each way, finishing around 2015. Now council lists a $350m+ proposal for 3 lanes each way from Narellan Road to Bringelly Road, again with no delivery date. By contrast, The Northern Road upgrade to 4 lanes, from Narellan to Penrith, is complete, according to Transport for NSW.
Schools. The closest new high school is at 128A Rickard Road, Leppington. School Infrastructure NSW says it will take up to 1,000 students, with completion forecast for 2027. Richard Crookes Constructions is building it, and so far all concrete structures are complete. The Leppington pipeline post also covers that school and the station precinct. Barramurra Public School is open for primary students, and Minarah College adds a private K-12 option over the next decade.
Sewer, water and parks for Catherine Field development
Water and sewer. This is the real handbrake, though. Sydney Water’s Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre at Kemps Creek will treat up to 70 ML a day. It’s due for completion in 2026 and will eventually serve about 400,000 people. But the local pipes matter more for Catherine Field. In fact, DPHI’s Minarah report says Sydney Water plans local sewer for Catherine Fields in 2028/29, subject to approved funding. After that, full water servicing should follow the 2030 Leppington trunk upgrades, with capacity around 2031.
Parks. The 2013 precinct set aside 50 ha of open space and conservation land, including Catherine Park Oval and the South Creek corridor. The Springfield Road rezoning adds sporting fields, cycleways and walking paths, though no hectare figure is public yet.
The airport. Western Sydney International opens to passengers on 25 October 2026, with a Jetstar flight to the Gold Coast. Freight, however, started earlier, on 26 July, according to the Prime Minister’s June 2026 release. So Catherine Field is one of the closer established suburbs to the airport, a point the airport hotspots guide looks at in more detail.
What’s Next to Watch in Catherine Field Development
Here are the milestones to track over the next 12 to 18 months.
- The Springfield Road exhibition. The next step is the public exhibition, promised for the second half of 2026. Then watch the Planning Portal for the final layout, the school site and the exact home count.
- The first international flights. WSI’s first passengers arrive on 25 October, then Air New Zealand to Auckland the next day.
- Minarah College stage 1. Watch for a construction certificate and the Catherine Fields Road turn lane, which must come with the first stage.
- Leppington High School. It’s still on track for completion in 2027, giving Catherine Field families a new public high school in neighbouring Leppington.
- Sewer for Catherine Fields. Sydney Water’s 2028/29 target is still subject to funding. So a budget line would be the clearest sign the new homes can go ahead on time.
- Rickard Road. Detailed design is now under way. The next step is a construction budget, which hasn’t been set yet.
- The 2 childcare decisions. For now, watch Camden Council’s DA tracker for 701 Camden Valley Way and 189 Catherine Fields Road.
Catherine Field Development Status and Delivery Timing
| Project | Homes | Stage | Decision maker | Expected timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Road, Catherine Field Precinct | Up to 3,000 | Pre-exhibition | DPHI and Planning Minister | Exhibition late 2026; decision not dated |
| Springfield Road North | About 2,000 (within the 3,000) | Merged into state rezoning | DPHI | As above; servicing about 2031 |
| Springfield Road South (Catherine Park North) | Up to 1,000 (within the 3,000) | Merged into state rezoning | DPHI | As above |
| Catherine Park / Catherine Fields (Part) | 3,229 rezoned | Under construction | Camden Council (DAs) | Final releases selling 2026 |
| Minarah College | 0 (980 students) | Approved | Independent Planning Commission | 4 stages over 12 years; start not announced |
| Childcare, 701 Camden Valley Way | 0 (100 places) | Under assessment | Camden Council | Not stated |
| Childcare, 189 Catherine Fields Rd | 0 (142 places) | Lodged | Camden Council | Not stated |
Editorial Take on Catherine Field Development
In short, Catherine Field is in a strong position. It sits between Oran Park, Leppington and the new airport, and the state has now taken the rezoning out of a slow council process. So the Springfield Road land is likely to be rezoned for something close to 3,000 homes. The panel’s 2025 decision, as well as the minister’s backing, points that way. For how fast that kind of growth can reshape a suburb, look at Camden and Oran Park over the past decade.
Still, rezoning isn’t the same as houses. The paperwork itself says sewer is subject to funding, Rickard Road has no build date and Catherine Fields Road is about to take a 980-student school. If you live on Springfield Road or Catherine Fields Road, expect a few years of construction traffic and acquisition talk before the new amenity arrives. For now, if you’re buying, Catherine Park is the proven part of the Catherine Field development story. The Springfield Road land, however, is a longer play, a bit like Austral’s precinct was 5 years ago.
Questions locals are asking
Has the 3,000-home rezoning gone on exhibition?
Not yet, as of early October 2026. The Planning Portal lists it at pre-exhibition, and the government’s own timing says the second half of 2026. Camden Council also says the exhibited version may differ from the plans it notified in 2025.
Will Catherine Fields Road be widened for the new school?
Partly. The Commission’s conditions require road widening and a right-turn lane into the school as part of stage 1, plus drainage upgrades and footpaths. DPHI’s report also mentions bus bays along the frontage and mitigation at the Camden Valley Way intersection. However, a full upgrade of the road isn’t funded.
When will older parts of Catherine Field get sewer?
Sydney Water’s planned date is 2028/29, but DPHI notes that it’s subject to approved funding. Then full water capacity should arrive around 2031, after the Leppington trunk upgrades. Until then, rural lots keep their on-site systems.
Can I still buy a new block in Catherine Park?
Yes, late releases such as Hampton Court are still listed, through the sales office at 18 Myer Way, Oran Park. But lot sizes and prices aren’t published online. For comparison, Glenfield’s Landcom land starts selling in 2027.
Related guide: Menangle Park Development: Every Project, Address and Status
This article is general information based on NSW Planning Portal records, Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and Independent Planning Commission publications, Camden Council pages, School Infrastructure NSW, Sydney Water and Transport for NSW pages available at publication. It isn’t financial advice. Approvals and timelines can change, so check current details with the consent authority and the developer before you buy.
