Devcore's $2.5b Rowan Village greenlit: 2,200 homes headed for Wagga as region's housing crunch bites

One of the largest masterplanned communities ever proposed for regional New South Wales is now advancing, with Wagga Wagga City Council and the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) granting rezoning approval for DevCore Property Group's $2.5 billion Rowan Village.

The 220-hectare site, situated between Holbrook, Lloyd and Rowan Roads in Wagga Wagga’s Southern Growth Area, will deliver approximately 2,200 new homes by 2037 – the largest ever housing release in the Riverina region. Subject to DA approvals, the first release of housing lots and homes is expected in early 2027.

The rezoning comes as the NSW Government steps up its push to deliver more homes in regional NSW by funding the roads, water and sewer infrastructure growing regional cities need. In 2024, the NSW Government committed more than $70 million to Wagga Wagga through its Accelerated Infrastructure Fund, including the Plumpton Road upgrade, to help unlock around 14,500 homes across the city’s northern and southern growth areas.

It caps a four-year collaboration between DevCore Property Group, Wagga Wagga City Council and the NSW Government – a process the developer says has been central to refining the Rowan Village masterplan.

Rowan Village will deliver a diverse mix of new housing into a market where supply is tight. Years of undersupply have pushed Wagga Wagga's rental vacancy below 1% — and its home price growth to the highest in NSW. Wagga Wagga City Council’s Local Housing Strategy estimates 5,000 new dwellings are needed by 2041.

With a strong jobs base spanning health, education, defence, agriculture and the Bomen Special Activation Precinct, Wagga Wagga is increasingly attracting young families, key workers and downsizers looking for a regional lifestyle with space and a strong sense of community.

"We are excited to create a whole new community at Rowan Village with a diverse mix of housing types from affordable entry-level homes, family homes, large lifestyle lots, and seniors' living,” said Paul Thompson Managing Director at DevCore Property Group.

“Regional cities like Wagga Wagga offer something the capitals increasingly can’t – space, lifestyle and a genuine sense of community, with jobs and services on your doorstep. Rowan Village is about giving more people the chance to make that move, whether they grew up here or are making a ‘tree changer’ from Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra,” he said.

Local Leaders Back Private Sector Investment

Independent Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr says Rowan Village will help ease the city's housing crisis, with this significant private sector investment complementing the social and affordable housing boost from the Tolland Renewal Project .

"This huge project will help provide the housing and amenities Wagga needs as our population continues to grow. A mix of affordable and family homes is vital to give local people real options, backed by green space and commercial development,” Dr McGirr said.

Committee 4 Wagga Co-Chair Richard Pottie said a development of this magnitude is critical for Wagga.

“Housing has been Wagga's biggest challenge for too long. A project of this scale is a massive boost for our entire region,” Mr Pottie said.

“HIA welcomes the approval of Rowan Village as a major step forward in addressing Wagga’s critical housing shortage. This is the kind of well‑planned, infrastructure‑supported development Wagga has been waiting for. Now it’s important that all parties push together to ensure Rowan Village is delivered on schedule, so that families, key workers and downsizers can access the homes our city needs,” said Martin Keogh, Chair of the Housing Industry Association (HIA)’s Wagga Committee.

Rowan Village: homes, green space, jobs

Rowan Village marks DevCore’s second estate in Wagga Wagga, adding to the highly successful Lake Albert Manors Estate.

Setting a new benchmark in planning and design, Rowan Village features distinct precincts including Seniors Living, Neighbourhood and Village precincts.

Neighbourhood Precincts will have traditional housing lots from 400 – 900 sqm, along with a rural lifestyle precinct with large 2,000 sqm lots. The Village Precinct located around the Village Centre will deliver a mix of townhouses, terraces and apartment living options. Seniors Living precincts will deliver seniors community living communities close to services within Rowan Village.

At Rowan Village’s heart sits a Village Centre with plans for a supermarket, medical centre, childcare, café, restaurant, chemist and tavern. Local parks and sports fields will provide abundant green space throughout the community.

Convenience for families is enhanced by a proposed new primary school, adjacent to a future neighbourhood oval.

Running through the middle of the site is a riparian corridor that DevCore will work with Council to revegetate and regenerate. Cycle networks, walking paths, picnic facilities and exercise stations will be incorporated to underpin liveability and walkability across the whole community.

"The Village Centre, parks, sporting fields and the riparian corridor aren't just for Rowan Village residents - this is brand new amenity for the entire Wagga Wagga community to enjoy,” said Mr Thompson.

Necessary planning instruments are now approved including Rezoning, Development Control Plans (DCP) and Contributions Plan allowing DevCore to submit the Precinct 1 Development Application for approximately 220 lots this month.

Construction of the $70 m Plumpton Road upgrade and installation of lead in services to unlock Rowan Village are already under construction.

Subject to DA Approval, construction on Stage One is expected to start in mid-2027, with homes starting to be built in 2028.

The Wagga Wagga approval adds to DevCore’s pipeline of nine masterplanned communities across regional NSW and Queensland, set to deliver more than 5,000 homes over the next decade, with land set aside for seven land-lease seniors living communities and retail Village Centres.