Kurmond development with all the bells and whistles

Local Ken Hardaker and his business partner Rob Barron have been hard at work for the past eight years developing the housing estate, 396 Bells, creating something that is "realistically a rural sub-division".

The 396 Bells estate will feature 33 fully serviced lots, each at a minimum size of 2000 square metres.

Ken and Rob say they want to create a community that slots into its surroundings, creating a home not only for Rob but also for Ken's daughter and her family.

"The whole idea is to keep everything so it looks tidy all the time," said Ken. "We are different to other developments in the area and have had to do a lot to meet what the council had requested.

"Every time we went back to council, we felt that we had enhanced what we set out to do, but we'd also improved the quality of what was going on here. We're going to stay here. We've got plans for it. So it's part of the community."

Ken's family has been a part of the Hawkesbury community for a long time.

"My family moved to the Hawkesbury in 1978 but we've been on the river since 1960," he said. "My family has won the Bridge to Bridge 17 times now."

Ken, a resident of Tennyson, doesn't want to undermine the natural aesthetics and surroundings that the area has to offer.

"Who are we to destroy the integrity of the landscape by knocking trees down," he said. "This development and everything in it has been very carefully thought-out."

Ken said that 396 Bells would provide its residents with plenty of infrastructure that increased the quality of the estate.

"We have a sewer system here that runs back to Sydney Water at North Richmond, through a rising main," he said.

"We have internet, NBN, underground power, curbed gutter, street lights, we've got it all."

"Our infrastructure may be over the top. We have big wide roads, two kilometres of footpaths through the place, but it has ended up with us delivering a better product."

Ken said that the blocks were to be fenced with post, wire and rail fencing, on three sides, with no house to be built within 14 meters of the curb.

"We don't want absolute uniformity, but if you give the bones of uniformity it makes it easier for people to keep their places the way you want them," he said.

Ken said that they tried to make the development as safe as possible for motorists.

"When you come off Bells Line of Road there is a dedicated right hand lane to come in, so the traffic can flow past us without any hold ups," he said

"There will be a dedicated left hand turn lane coming out of the estate and a dedicated right hand turn lane that leads to a median strip running up the hill.

"There will be full lighting of Bells Line of Road for 200 metres, so when you come up the hill, you'll know you're here."

Ken and Rob have also invested in the community through a Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) of around $1 million.

Ken said that they had provided money to the council that goes over and above any of the construction costs.

"That goes into council infrastructure, which we've requested to be kept on this side of the river," he said.

"Our VPA has a schedule with it of where we would like the money spent. We've dedicated money to both the Rural Fire Services in Tennyson and Kurrajong

"There is money to go to a reserve out at Half Moon Road out at Lower Portland. There is money to go to the museum in Windsor, but other than that we've asked for the money to be kept on this side of the river."

"So maybe better lighting on the walking path down from here (396 Bells) to North Richmond or something for Kurmond Public School."

The development will also feature a cafe/restaurant at it's front, joining Kurmond Social and Kravings as dining options along that part of Bells Line of Road.

Ken said idea for the estate arose in January 2012 after Council put its Hawkesbury Residential Land Strategy 2011 in place.

"It's taken eight years to get to where we are. By the time we finish here, it'll look the part."

Check out the development online at mavrex.com.au/396-bells-is-coming.