ALDI Approved for $1.15bn Bradfield Facility

March 13, 2026

Image from the plan set for the proposed development at ssd 76913969 aldi automated distribution centre.

ALDI has secured approval for a $1.15 billion automated distribution centre in Bradfield, adding a major logistics facility to the early industrial rollout of the Aerotropolis Core Precinct.

The State Significant Development approval covers a 24/7 high-bay warehouse and distribution centre at 475 Badgerys Creek Road. The project will sit on a 22.1-hectare site within the broader Ingham Property Group masterplanned estate and is expected to generate up to 3,728 construction jobs and 585 operational roles.

The approval marks a significant industrial commitment in Western Sydney. However, the Department’s assessment shows the project’s delivery will depend on the timing of supporting roads, stormwater infrastructure and utilities.

Major warehouse approved for Bradfield

The approved facility will deliver 106,706sqm of gross floor area, including a 103,546sqm warehouse with ambient, chilled and freezer zones, a 2,813sqm ancillary office, a gatehouse and truck wash. It also includes 119 loading docks, five access driveways, truck refuelling, and parking for 408 vehicles.

The building will range from 22.8 metres to 42 metres in height. Its three high-bay components will support ALDI’s automated storage and retrieval systems, with around 80 per cent of internal processes expected to operate unmanned. The centre is intended to support more than 200 ALDI stores across New South Wales and accommodate future network growth.

The project will also generate a substantial freight task. The Department assessed the proposal on the basis of about 1,990 vehicle movements a day, including 1,068 heavy vehicle trips. Construction is expected to take 24 months, followed by a further 12 months for automation commissioning and testing.

Strategic fit within the Aerotropolis

The proposal sits within the 184-hectare IPG Master Plan area, which the Minister approved in July 2025. That master plan created a tailored planning framework for industrial and commercial development across the estate, including a streamlined pathway for later projects.

The ALDI facility forms part of Stage 1 of that estate. The Department found the proposal consistent with the Aerotropolis planning framework, the IPG Master Plan and the objectives of the Enterprise zone.

It also found the project would add major industrial floorspace in a location connected to the Western Sydney International Airport, Elizabeth Drive and the M12 corridor. Because of that, the proposal aligned with state and regional planning policies focused on jobs, industrial land activation and infrastructure-led growth in the Western Parkland City.

Infrastructure timing shaped the assessment

The central issue in the assessment was enabling infrastructure.

Under a commercial agreement between ALDI and IPG, the landowner is responsible for delivering the roads, utilities and broader servicing infrastructure needed to support the warehouse. Those works are progressing under separate approval pathways.

That arrangement became a key part of the Department’s assessment. It accepted that the warehouse could proceed, but only if the estate infrastructure is delivered first. As a result, the consent ties construction and operation to the completion of relevant supporting works.

Traffic formed part of that issue. The Department found the surrounding network could accommodate the development, provided the required roads and upgrades are in place. Conditions therefore require evidence that completed roads and road upgrades are available before the project can proceed.

Stormwater was another major issue. The site’s drainage strategy depends on interim and ultimate regional infrastructure being delivered outside the lot. Sydney Water and the Conservation Programs and Heritage Regulation Group sought further detail during assessment. The Department ultimately accepted the staged approach, but imposed conditions requiring detailed design integration, a water and stormwater management plan, and connection to the wider basin system when available.

Agency review, but no public objections

No public submissions were made during the exhibition period.

However, the proposal still received detailed agency scrutiny. Liverpool City Council lodged a submission, while 14 government authorities, utilities and state-owned corporations also provided advice. The main issues were infrastructure timing, stormwater, traffic, noise, hazardous goods and Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Council did not object to the development. However, it continued to raise concerns about whether supporting infrastructure would be delivered in time. It also sought more detail on regional transport connections, interim stormwater arrangements, water quality and the broader blue-green framework.

Several agencies also requested further information after exhibition. In late 2025 and early 2026, the Department sought additional responses on stormwater, waterway health, infrastructure delivery, noise and related matters. Sydney Water, CPHR and the EPA later confirmed their concerns had been addressed, subject to conditions. Council, however, maintained its concerns about infrastructure timing.