West Dapto development now has 9 live projects on the books in late 2026. Together they add up to about 1,400 homes and lots, and 612 already hold an approval. Of those, the largest is a $111.4 million, 236-home land lease community on Bong Bong Road. The newest twist, however, is a refusal that came back to life. Council voted down a Marshall Mount rezoning in 2025, but the state is now finalising it. Still, roads set the pace. For example, council says West Dapto Road will reopen before Christmas 2026, after threatened microbats stalled the job for months. So below is every project, with its address, application number and status.
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Where is West Dapto?
West Dapto is the Wollongong City Council release area west of Dapto (NSW 2530, with Stream Hill and Kembla Grange at 2526). It also lies about 80 km south-south-west of the Sydney CBD and 13 km south-west of the Wollongong CBD in a straight line, with Dapto and Kembla Grange stations on the South Coast Line at its eastern edge.
West Dapto Development — The Pipeline
First, the big picture. Council’s West Dapto page plans for around 19,500 homes and about 60,000 people over 5 stages, with 3 town centres. So the list below is only a slice. It mixes approved subdivisions, DAs still waiting on a decision, and rezonings for the next wave.
The 9 West Dapto development projects at a glance
Here is the full list, with 2 rezonings at the bottom.
| # | Project / address | Developer | Scale | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Land lease community, Bong Bong Road, Huntley | Stockland (Halcyon); now AVID | 236 homes; $111.4m | Approved 18 Sep 2025 |
| 2 | 144 Cleveland Road, Cleveland | Cavi (owner) | 227 lots plus 6 super lots | Approved April 2026 |
| 3 | Woodville, 240 Marshall Mount Road, Marshall Mount | Not named | 149 lots in Stage 1; $85m | Approved by court 12 May 2025 |
| 4 | 377 and 439 Marshall Mount Road, Marshall Mount | Oakley Developments | 155 lots plus 2 super lots | Under assessment |
| 5 | 231 Sheaffes Road, Stream Hill | Not named | 122 lots; $32m | Under assessment |
| 6 | 164 Yallah Road, Yallah | Not named | 54 lots in Stage 1; $32m | Under assessment |
| 7 | 365 Marshall Mount Road, Marshall Mount | Cavi | Up to 72 lots (concept) | Rejected 2025; now finalising |
| 8 | Fairwater Drive and Fowlers Road, Cleveland | DAA | About 410 dwellings; up to 20 m | Preliminary planning proposal |
| 9 | Bong Bong Town Centre, Bong Bong Road | Fabcot (Woolworths) | 9.2 ha supermarket site | Land bought; no DA found |
| – | Cleveland Road rezoning | Several landowners | About 225 homes | Rezoned 20 Nov 2024 |
| – | Stage 5 minor amendments | Wollongong City Council | Zone and road tidy-ups | In finalisation |
Set out like that, the pattern is hard to miss: a long list of approvals spread across many landowners, with the genuinely large numbers sitting in the land lease village and the two rezonings rather than in conventional subdivisions. The headline figures are worth pulling out on their own.
2 rezonings already working in the background
The last 2 rows aren’t single projects, but they matter. First, the Cleveland Road rezoning (PP-2021-7281) aimed “To rezone a large part of stage 3 of the West Dapto Urban Release Area”. It then took effect on 20 November 2024. At the time, the Mercury said it allowed about 225 homes, with first homes in 2027. Second, council’s West Dapto Minor Amendments (PP-2025-794) tidy up zone boundaries in Stage 5. They also move road reserves out of C2 conservation so approved roads can go ahead. After exhibition in February 2026, it went back to the Department for drafting on 30 June 2026.
Where the West Dapto Development Projects Sit
It helps to read the release area from north to south. First, Stream Hill and Wongawilli sit along West Dapto Road and Sheaffes Road. Next come Horsley and Huntley on Bong Bong Road, home to Forest Reach and the future Bong Bong Town Centre. Then Cleveland Road and Fowlers Road cross the middle at Cleveland. Finally, Yallah and Marshall Mount make up Stage 5, along Yallah Road and Marshall Mount Road near Lake Illawarra.
PROJECT 1 — 236 land lease homes at Bong Bong Road, Huntley
Status: Approved (Southern Regional Planning Panel, 18 September 2025)
Location: Bong Bong Road, Huntley NSW 2530, inside the Forest Reach estate. The panel record calls it Halcyon Forest Reach Community, reference PPSSTH-311 and council DA-2023/849. In short, the approval covers 236 manufactured homes run as a land lease community. It also covers civil works and community facilities, and 5 homes can work as display homes for a while. Its capital investment value is $111,443,937, which is the largest figure on any West Dapto development DA I found.
A change of owner, and a new name
Ownership is the confusing part, though. The DA went in during November 2023, when Stockland ran the estate and planned an over-60s Halcyon community there. Then in May 2025 AVID Property Group bought the rest of Forest Reach for a reported $114.46 million. Stockland had to sell an Illawarra project so the ACCC would clear its Lendlease deal. Now AVID plans about 530 lots, 108 townhomes and a 236-home Vantage land lease community. So the numbers match the approval, but I haven’t seen a public start date.
The approval itself took nearly 2 years. First, on 22 May 2025 the panel deferred it, because it wanted more on retaining walls, courtyards, the edge with neighbours and the Mullet Creek floodplain plan. After that, it approved the scheme on 18 September 2025. So if you back onto the site, check the final wall heights.
PROJECT 2 — 227 lots at 144 Cleveland Road, Cleveland
Status: Approved (Wollongong City Council, listed in the approvals register for 6 to 12 April 2026)
Location: 144 Cleveland Road, Cleveland NSW 2530, plus Lot 1 Cleveland Road and Lot 310 Fairwater Drive. This is DA-2024/798, which went in on 22 October 2024. Council’s weekly approvals list shows 227 residential lots and 6 super lots, plus a reserve and a drainage lot, over 3 stages. As a result, it is the biggest approved subdivision on this list by home lots.
Council’s May 2025 report on the Cleveland Road East neighbourhood plan names the owner as Cavi Properties Pty Ltd. That plan covers 96.97 ha, mostly grazing land, and it also estimates about 1,120 dwellings. In fact, the report said this DA couldn’t be decided until the plan was final, which explains the 18-month wait.
Flood storage and a display village
Since then, 2 follow-up applications show the developer is moving. First, a modification (DA-2024/798/A) would shift the temporary flood storage area. Second, DA-2026/298 proposes a display home village with a cafe. However, I couldn’t find a decision on either yet.
PROJECT 3 — Woodville West Dapto development at 240 Marshall Mount Road
Status: Approved (Land and Environment Court, 12 May 2025)
Location: 240 Marshall Mount Road, Marshall Mount NSW 2530, plus 200, 220 and 330 Marshall Mount Road. The application is DA-2023/481, also known as panel reference PPSSTH-258. However, the panel record doesn’t name the applicant, so I won’t guess.
It is a concept DA for an 8-stage subdivision worth $85 million. Initially, Stage 1 covers tree removal, remediation, dam dewatering and civil works. It then creates 152 lots, including 149 home lots and a park and biodiversity lot.
How it ended up in court
The DA first went in on 26 June 2023. Then the panel held 4 briefings between August 2023 and March 2024, which is a lot for one subdivision. In the end the matter went to court, and the record now says: “Appeal upheld and DA approved by Land and Environment Court on 12 May 2025”. Still, the page doesn’t say whether the appeal followed a refusal or a deemed refusal, and I couldn’t confirm which.
So Stage 1 is approved, but the other 7 stages need their own approvals. For now the land is rural. Also, Sydney Water’s servicing for the precinct (see the infrastructure section) matters here, because new lots can’t settle without sewer.
PROJECT 4 — 155 lots at 377 and 439 Marshall Mount Road
Status: Under assessment (Wollongong City Council; exhibited 10 November to 10 December 2025; no decision found)
Location: 377 Marshall Mount Road, Marshall Mount NSW 2530 and 439 Marshall Mount Road. This is DA-2025/778, which Oakley Developments Pty Ltd lodged, according to council’s exhibition notice. It proposes 155 residential lots and 2 super lots, as well as lots for open space, drainage and road widening.
It’s also an integrated DA. So the water regulator, the RFS and Heritage NSW must sign off too. Also, the notice lists no departures from the planning rules. Council will decide it, but I haven’t found a determination yet.
PROJECT 5 — 122 lots at 231 Sheaffes Road, Stream Hill
Status: Under assessment (returned to Wollongong City Council by the Southern Regional Planning Panel; no determination published)
Location: 231 Sheaffes Road, Stream Hill NSW 2526. This is DA-2024/899 (panel reference PPSSTH-471), which went in on 3 December 2024 with a capital investment value of $32,001,465.
First, the concept part sets the road layout, heritage curtilage, creek corridors, open space and stormwater. Stage 1 then covers earthworks, demolition, roads and services, plus repairs to the heritage-listed homestead and dairy buildings. In total, it proposes 122 home lots, as well as 4 lots for future integrated housing and 3 drainage and open space lots.
Council sold this land for $29 million
This site has a public history. Back in April 2024 council announced the sale of the 38.62 ha block for $29 million, with settlement due by mid-2025. It said the money would help fund community facilities. But council didn’t name the buyer, and the panel record doesn’t name the applicant either.
Later, the panel briefed on 22 April 2025 after a site visit. Now the portal lists it as “Returned to council”, which means council, not the panel, makes the call. Still, I couldn’t find a published decision as of October 2026.
PROJECT 6 — 54 home lots in Stage 1 at 164 Yallah Road, Yallah
Status: Under assessment (returned to Wollongong City Council by the Southern Regional Planning Panel; no determination published)
Location: 164 Yallah Road, Yallah NSW 2530. This is DA-2024/152 (panel reference PPSSTH-338), which went in on 28 February 2024 with a capital investment value of $32,006,426. Again, the panel record doesn’t name the applicant.
It is a concept DA for a staged subdivision, so Stages 1 to 4 are residential, while Stage 5 is light industrial. For now, Stage 1 creates 61 lots, including 54 home lots, plus tree removal and civil works. Next, the panel briefed on 29 May 2024 after a site visit. Since then the record has moved to “Returned to council”. So council will decide it, but I found no decision yet.
PROJECT 7 — Smaller lots at 365 Marshall Mount Road, refused then revived
Status: Rejected by council (16 June 2025); Gateway approved after a rezoning review; now in finalisation (24 July 2026)
Location: 365 Marshall Mount Road, Marshall Mount NSW 2530. The planning proposal (PP-2024-2739) seeks to cut the minimum lot size on C4 Environmental Living land “from 4,999m2 to 999m2”. Council’s report also names the landowner as Cavi. In total, about 12 ha of the 36 ha site is affected. The concept shows up to 72 lots, while today’s rules allow 15 to 20.
Why council said no
The council report for 16 June 2025 recommended against it, and councillors agreed. In fact, the reasons were specific:
- First, it conflicted with the West Dapto vision, which puts density near town centres and transport, not on the fringe.
- The site has 1 left-in, left-out access to a bypass road still at 80% design. Also, the SES, RFS and TfNSW raised access, flood and transport concerns.
- Smaller lots would shrink bushfire asset protection zones next to C2 conservation land.
- It was a spot rezoning that ignored the wider Timber Glades precinct, which has no neighbourhood plan yet.
How it came back
The landowner then asked for a rezoning review (RR-2025-7), lodged on 28 July 2025. After that, the Planning Panels took over as the planning authority, and Gateway approval followed on 30 January 2026. Next, the proposal went on exhibition from 16 April to 14 May 2026. Then on 24 July 2026 it went back to the Department for LEP drafting. So the next step is publication, although no date is set, and a subdivision DA would still have to follow.
PROJECT 8 — About 410 dwellings proposed at Fairwater Drive, the West Dapto development’s tallest plan
Status: Preliminary planning proposal (PP-2026/1, exhibited 22 July to 12 August 2026; no Gateway determination yet)
Location: Lot 402 DP 1254873 at Fairwater Drive and Fowlers Road, Cleveland, according to council’s Cleveland North page. Council also lists DAA Development Corporation as the owner. Then on 29 July 2026 the Mercury reported that DAA lodged the request.
For now, the early numbers point to about 410 dwellings, as a mix of apartments, townhouses and small lot homes. At the eastern end, the height limit would rise to 20 m, which allows blocks of about 6 storeys. However, the rest would stay at 9 m. According to the Mercury, council staff told the developer the extra density “would have strategic merit”. The documents show October 2027 as the approval target, and then a separate DA would still be needed.
Next door, DAA Developments also lodged DA-2025/631 for the neighbouring Lot 401. In short, it would create 8 development lots and 1 environmental lot, with new roads and intersections. That DA went on exhibition from 15 September to 15 October 2025, but I haven’t found a decision.
PROJECT 9 — Bong Bong Town Centre and the Woolworths site on Bong Bong Road
Status: Planned in council’s controls; Woolworths’ property arm has bought land; no development application found
Currently, Bong Bong is one of 3 planned town centres, along with Darkes and Marshall Mount. Council’s planning rules (DCP Chapter D16) place it “at the southern extent of Stage 2 on the south side of Bong Bong Road”. They also plan about 15,000 m² of retail for each major centre.
The first supermarket for West Dapto
This is the news Horsley locals have waited for. In January 2026 the Illawarra Mercury reported that Fabcot, Woolworths’ property arm, bought a 9.2 ha block in October 2025. The block sits on Bong Bong Road between McKelly Street and Hayes Lane, so it would be the first supermarket in the release area, and a Dan Murphy’s or BWS “could” join it. Next, Woolworths said it would talk with council and the community before preparing a DA. However, I couldn’t find a lodged DA, and I couldn’t confirm the block is the town centre land itself.
Council’s West Dapto Development Contributions Plan also lists a community centre and library at Bong Bong Town Centre. It has 3,600 m² of floor space on a 10,000 m² site, but only once there are 30,000 residents. In addition, nearby sits a 10 ha district sports park with at least 4 fields and 4 courts, triggered at 22,900 residents. So those depend on population, not dates.
The Infrastructure Behind the Growth
Roads are the bottleneck in West Dapto, and that’s where most of the state money has gone. In fact, council says it has spent more than $100 million on West Dapto roads and bridges over the last 10 years.
West Dapto Road, Shone Avenue to Yard Street
This is the big one, especially for Wongawilli and Stream Hill. The state’s Housing Acceleration Fund put $26 million into making it a 4-lane road with a shared path and footbridge. It also upgrades the Shone Avenue intersection. Initially, the road closed between Shone Avenue and Rainbird Drive in late July 2025, with a mid-2026 target to reopen. But in late May 2026, crews found threatened Southern Myotis microbats roosting in a culvert, so work there stopped.
The 8 October 2026 council update says the bat exclusion is now complete. Now about 86% of the work needed to reopen is done, and the footbridge was due later in October. In short, council now says the road will reopen to traffic before Christmas 2026.
Fowlers Road, Cleveland Road and the next West Dapto Road stage
- Fowlers Road (done). First, the 440 m stretch from Fairwater Drive to Cleveland Road went from 2 lanes to 4. According to the Planning Minister’s release of 27 February 2026, it was Stage 1 of the Cleveland Road upgrade, with $20.03 million of state money.
- Cleveland Road (next). Next, Stages 2 and 3 cover 2.5 km west of Fowlers Road, partly at 4 lanes. However, it’s still in design, so there’s no build date yet.
- West Dapto Road, Yard Street to Darkes Road (part funded). Then in April 2026 the state gave a $3.2 million low cost loan towards this $28 million stage. The government said it would help unlock 1,500 homes, but no start date is set.
Wongawilli Public School
The 2025-26 NSW Budget confirmed funding for a school for 600 students, due on Day 1, Term 1, 2029. Later, the government named the site on Shone Avenue, Wongawilli, with a preschool for up to 60 children a day. Then in August 2026 the local MP confirmed the name, Wongawilli Public School. There’s no published cost yet. Earlier, in October 2025, the Mercury said construction should start in late 2026.
Sport, sewer and contributions
The Darkes sport and community hub on West Dapto Road, Stream Hill, has $9 million of federal money and $5 million from the state. Currently, council says it is preparing the design. Also, Sydney Water’s Yallah-Marshall Mount servicing will serve about 4,000 new properties. Sydney Water signed off its review in May 2024, and then an April 2025 addendum added a 0.2 km pipe crossing under Mullet Creek.
Of course, all of this has a price. The contributions plan, in force since 10 April 2025, costs the full infrastructure list at about $1.81 billion. Currently (March 2026 index), the rate for a new residential lot is $96,205.96. Because IPART reviewed the plan, the usual $30,000 cap doesn’t apply, and that cost flows into land prices.
What’s Next to Watch in West Dapto Development
Here’s what I’ll be checking over the next 12 months:
- The next step for West Dapto Road is reopening to traffic before Christmas 2026, which ends the detours for Wongawilli, Stream Hill and Horsley.
- Watch for the Woolworths DA on Bong Bong Road, since that would put the first supermarket in the release area on a real timeline.
- Look out for council decisions on 231 Sheaffes Road, 164 Yallah Road and 377 Marshall Mount Road, since together they hold 331 lots.
- Next, the 365 Marshall Mount Road and Stage 5 LEP changes should be published once the Department finishes drafting.
- Keep an eye on the Fairwater Drive proposal, which now needs a council report before it can go to Gateway.
- Also expect the display village and first lot releases at 144 Cleveland Road.
- Finally, building work on Wongawilli Public School should get underway well ahead of its 2029 opening.
Project Status and Delivery Timing
| Project | Homes | Stage | Decision maker | Expected timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land lease community, Bong Bong Rd | 236 | Approved | Southern Regional Planning Panel | Start date not published |
| 144 Cleveland Rd, Cleveland | 227 | Approved | Wollongong City Council | 3 stages; display village proposed |
| Woodville, 240 Marshall Mount Rd | 149 (Stage 1) | Approved | Land and Environment Court | Later stages need approval |
| 377 and 439 Marshall Mount Rd | 155 | Under assessment | Wollongong City Council | Decision not dated |
| 231 Sheaffes Rd, Stream Hill | 122 | Under assessment | Wollongong City Council | Decision not dated |
| 164 Yallah Rd, Yallah | 54 (Stage 1) | Under assessment | Wollongong City Council | Decision not dated |
| 365 Marshall Mount Rd | Up to 72 | Finalisation | Planning Panels and DPHI | LEP publication not dated |
| Fairwater Drive, Cleveland | ~410 | Preliminary planning proposal | Council, then Gateway | Target Oct 2027 |
| Bong Bong Town Centre | Not set | Land bought for supermarket | Council | No DA yet |
My take
West Dapto is real growth, but it moves at the speed of its roads and creeks. Flooding slowed the Cleveland Road rezoning and the land lease approval, while bats held up West Dapto Road for months. Still, the money is flowing: $46 million for 2 roads, a school with a date, and a supermarket operator that owns land. In fact, that’s more certainty than many fringe areas have. By contrast, look at how slowly planning has moved at Wilton new town and Menangle Park.
Still, my caution is about the town centres and the fringe. Bong Bong and Darkes are still lines on a plan, so for now most new households will shop in Dapto. So I’d buy here for the land, the school and the better roads. But I wouldn’t pay extra for a centre without a DA. With contributions above $96,000 a lot built into each block, check the stamp duty thresholds and the Help to Buy scheme against your budget first.
Questions locals are asking about West Dapto development
When does West Dapto Road reopen?
Council’s 8 October 2026 update says the road will now reopen to traffic before Christmas 2026. That follows a delay since late May, when threatened microbats turned up in a culvert under the road.
Is a supermarket coming to Horsley?
Woolworths’ property arm owns a 9.2 ha block on Bong Bong Road between McKelly Street and Hayes Lane, but it hasn’t lodged a DA yet. So there’s no opening date for now.
Has anything in West Dapto been refused?
Yes. Council rejected the 365 Marshall Mount Road smaller-lot rezoning in June 2025, citing access, flood, bushfire and fringe density concerns. However, a rezoning review revived it, and it’s now in finalisation. Otherwise, I found no refused housing DA on the regional panel records for the release area.
Is my block in a flood zone?
Much of the release area drains to Mullet Creek, so flood studies shaped several recent decisions. So check council’s flood mapping for your lot, and our guide to flood and bushfire maps shows where to look. If you’re buying off the plan, also read our explainer on unregistered land first.
This article is general information based on NSW Planning Portal records, Wollongong City Council documents, NSW Government releases and local news reports available at the time of writing. It isn’t financial advice. Approvals, timelines and funding can change, so check current details with Wollongong City Council and the developer before you buy.
