The once tiny village on the outskirts of Bathurst is earmarked as the next big thing in the region when it comes to residential growth.

It’s all part of Bathurst Regional Council’s vision for the future of suburbia as part of its Local Environmental Plan (LEP).

Two major residential projects are on the drawing board, and when completed it is anticipated 144 lots will be created to help cater for the projected population growth in coming years.

The NSW Department of Planning predicts Bathurst will have more than 50,000 people living in the region by 2031.

Developer Lester Hewitt from Hynash was at the new Icely Estate off Cox Lane yesterday supervising the pouring of the 1150 linear metres of kerb and guttering before the blocks finally hit the market early in the new year.

For months his team have been working on the 16.5-hectare greenfield site. The first release will see 36 lots come online, and depending on demand there will be a total of 92 lots created.

Just down the road another well-known developer, Bruce Hackett, is planning a 52-lot subdivision on about 10 hectares of land between Hobson Close and Hamilton Street.

Mr Hewitt said yesterday there has been a tremendous amount of work completed at Icely Estate.

“But looking at it, you wouldn’t know it,” he said. “All the underground infrastructure is in and that includes power, NBN and gas. We are doing the kerb and guttering as we speak and the 1.5km of cycleway which wraps around the entire estate is also in the throws of being put in.

“A lot of people wouldn’t realise it, but the land here is quite undulating which is not typically what you think about Eglinton.

“We’ve worked on changing some of the hillier topography to make it more builder friendly. There’s a minimum lot size stipulated by council of 900 square metres, while council has also ensured there is a minimum 50-metre green belt buffer zone around the estate.”

Mr Hewitt said he anticipates the lots will sell from between $150,000 and $168,000.

Richard Denyer from Bathurst Regional Council’s department of environmental, planning and building services said the development at Eglinton was being driven by an ever increasing demand for residential building blocks.

“Studies completed some years ago by council identified Eglinton as a growth area,” he said. “It all fits in perfectly with the latest population growth predictions.”