NBN Co deploys fibre to more NSW housing estates

Three new housing estates across western Sydney have been slated as the next greenfields to receive fibre connections under the National Broadband Network.

NBN Co revealed the beginning of fibre deployment at 730 premises in Landcom's Bunya estate in Blacktown.

Construction and deployment would be divided into five stages. About 75 lots were included in the stage one release, according to Landcom.

Greenfields fibre deployments had also begun at the Mirvac-built Elinya apartment block at Rhodes, near Sydney's Olympics precinct.

A third site, covering 104 estates at Bonnyrigg, was undergoing construction. NBN Co described the development as "mixed low rise MDU [multi-dwelling units] and single dwelling residential development for 104 premises".

It was unclear whether the Bonnyrigg development was part of the state government  "regeneration" works at a social housing community in the area. Comment was being sought from the NSW Department of Housing and NBN Co.

Planning documents lodged with Fairfield Council noted that existing public housing at Bonnyrigg Estate were being demolished to make way for a mix of attached and detached homes and "multi-unit housing".

It came as part of a $733 million renewal project announced by the NSW Government in 2009.

NBN Co has remained largely tight-lipped about the location of NBN-connected new housing estates.

NBN Co said it was "moving through various stages of design and construction" at an additional 33 new developments to the four known to be receiving fibre connections in NSW.

"We expect to start work in these estates over the next four months," the company said.

The company expected to pass up to 65,000 lots and connect 40,000 premises over the current financial year. It had received more than 1800 development applications representing 146,600 premises.

It revealed last month that Ashton Grove at Maitland was among the first estates to receive a fibre connection to the NBN.

A number of the early estates appeared to be those being developed by Landcom, the housing development arm of the NSW Government.

Some major developers, including Stockland and Mirvac, had been hesitant to sign fibre deployment contracts with NBN Co, over concerns around ownership of infrastructure in estates where Telstra had been contracted to build pit-and-pipe.

A clarification of responsibilities from communications minister Senator Stephen Conroy last month led to Telstra returning ownership of infrastructure at the affected developments.

The first active broadband services in new housing estates were to be trialled this year from August 8.