The NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has granted planning permission to UAE-based developer Arada for its AED1.6 billion Wattle Green residential project in Castle Hill. Situated on a site exceeding 14,000 square metres within the Showground Precinct, the development sits diagonally opposite Hills Showground Metro Station. The approval follows the group’s recent consent for London Place in Campsie as part of its ongoing expansion across Sydney.
Designed by Australian architecture firm Turner alongside landscape practice Arcadia, Wattle Green will consist of three buildings containing 445 residences. The breakdown includes 54 one-bedroom, 272 two-bedroom, 83 three-bedroom and 36 four-bedroom units, incorporating 25 affordable homes. The project is led by a 25-storey residential tower, which will become the tallest structure approved in the Showground Precinct, accompanied by two lower-rise buildings.
The development plan emphasises larger floor areas to offer greater space than traditional apartments for families, professionals and downsizers. Shared amenities across the site include an outdoor swimming pool, landscaped podium gardens, rooftop entertaining areas, a gym, wellness spaces, coworking facilities, private dining rooms and communal lounges. Rooftop facilities will be provided on each of the three buildings.
Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, Group CEO of Arada, said: “When we entered Australia, we knew we were committing for the long term, as genuine believers in the country’s cities and the people who live in them. Castle Hill is our second major approval in Sydney in a matter of months, and we are pushing ahead with our pipeline of projects at a time when we know delivery in this market demands real conviction.
“Castle Hill is one of Sydney’s most established and desirable residential communities, and Wattle Green presents an exciting opportunity to bring our approach to community-focused development to a location that combines exceptional connectivity with an established lifestyle offering.”
Registrations of interest will open in November 2026, with construction targeted to commence in the first quarter of 2027 and reach completion by late 2029. Positioned near established schools and retail centres like Castle Towers, the location provides direct transport links to Norwest, Macquarie Park, North Sydney and the Sydney CBD via the metro.
Arada entered Australia in 2024 and has built a local pipeline of over 6,000 homes. Globally, the company holds a project pipeline valued at over AED185 billion and a portfolio of more than 70,000 homes across the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
