EXP Capital lodges $1.5b Dalmore Park plan at Rutherford
EXP Capital has lodged DA/2026/871 with Maitland City Council for the 150-hectare Dalmore Park precinct, which it says would create more than 10,000 jobs.
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Newcastle-based developer EXP Capital has lodged a development application with Maitland City Council for Dalmore Park, a $1.5b employment precinct between Rutherford and Lochinvar in the Hunter region of New South Wales, according to a report by The Maitland Mercury published on 11 November 2026.
The application, DA/2026/871, seeks a community title subdivision of 25 super lots. The Mercury reports it is yet to go on public notification. Nothing has been approved.
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Why it matters
Dalmore Park is pitched as a large new job-generating precinct opposite Maitland Airport. The Mercury reports the site covers 150 hectares and is earmarked for a mix of uses: commercial space, health and research facilities, industrial and advanced manufacturing, shops, a hotel, and sport and leisure.
EXP Capital says the precinct would support more than 10,000 jobs once operational, according to the Mercury. The same report puts the jobs expected over a 20-year development program at more than 8,370.
The developer is also leaning on its local credentials. EXP Capital development director Gavan Reynolds said the region “has always powered Australia through its industries and workforce”, according to the Mercury. The report says the company is locally owned and committed to working with council, industry and the community.
Maitland mayor Philip Penfold also backed the company’s local footing in the Mercury report, saying its team understands the community.
The numbers
The Mercury reports the following figures, all attributed to the proposal:
- Cost: $1.5b for the full precinct.
- Site: 150 hectares between Rutherford and Lochinvar.
- Subdivision: 25 super lots under a community title structure.
- Jobs: more than 10,000 once operational, and more than 8,370 over the 20-year development program.
- Economic output: $1 billion in annual revenue for the Hunter economy.
On the design side, the report says a central green corridor by Moir Studio would include restoration of Stony Creek. EXP Capital is targeting a five-star Green Star Communities v2 rating and plans onsite energy generation and storage.
What’s next
The first step is public notification of DA/2026/871, which the Mercury reports is due in November 2026.
Stage one includes upgrades to the New England Highway, with completion expected in mid-2029, according to the Mercury. The report says the developer expects works to start within months of an approval, though no determination date is given.
The Mercury report does not name any state or federal approval the precinct would need beyond the council application, so the wider approval pathway is not covered here.
The report also names other EXP Capital projects: Highland Estate at Gillieston Heights, Cantwell Road at Lochinvar, and a planned childcare centre with 96 places on Ryans Road in Gillieston Heights.
Maitland City Council also put a draft plan for the 48ha Thornton brickworks and quarry employment site on exhibition in October: see our earlier report.
The Australian Developer will track the application as it moves through notification.
Quick answers
Did EXP Capital lodge $1.5b Dalmore Park plan at Rutherford?
EXP Capital has lodged DA/2026/871 with Maitland City Council for the 150-hectare Dalmore Park precinct, which it says would create more than 10,000 jobs.
What are the key numbers in this story?
project cost: $1.5b; operational jobs: 10,000+; site area: 150ha.
Where does this information come from?
This story cites The Maitland Mercury. Every source is linked on the page.
Sources
Also reported by
- The Maitland MercuryInside Dalmore Park: the $1.5b plan for Rutherford to create 10,000 jobs
Filed by the AusDev Sydney Desk. How we report.