Photos | High-rise apartments in plans for new suburb around Boat Harbour

Tentatively named Bidhiinja Beach after the Dharawal name for oyster, the suburb would be developed in stages over 20 years.

When completed, it would be home to about 7300 residents.

The vision is detailed in a proponent initiated Planning Proposal, lodged with Sutherland Shire Council by the Holt family company Besmaw.

The Planning Proposal is the latest in a series of attempts over a period of more than 30 years to develop the family's extensive and long-owned landholdings on the Kurnell peninsula, which now consist mostly of rehabilitated sand mining sites.

In a new initiative, the developer is offering to widen Captain Cook Drive to four lanes at a cost of more than $100 million.

The "landscape led design" would see 67 per cent of the 210 hectare site retained as open space and include a 3-4km educational Aboriginal walking trail, recreating an historical link between Quibray Bay and Bate Bay.

As was the case in previous plans, privately-owned Boat Harbour and a 2km stretch of beach would be dedicated for public use.

Following "extensive consultation" with the La Perouse community, it would be named Bidhiinja Beach, which is also the working name for the new suburb.

A surf club and underground beach car parks are included in the plans.

The Planning Proposal comes seven years after the Land and Environment Court dismissed an appeal by Besmaw against the Department of Planning and Environment blocking plans for a proposal that included up to 2000 condominiums [three to five level apartments].

The US term "condominiums" was initially used in the 1992 Sydney Destination Resort plan for the site, which was approved by Sutherland Shire Council, but did not proceed.

Duncan McComb, chief executive of Holt Estate 1861 (a trading name for Besmaw) said Bidhiinja Beach was a suburb designed for the future".

"Medium and high-density dwellings, similar to what you see in Cronulla, will be surrounded by large areas of open space, which make up almost 70 per cent of the area," he said.

"The open space includes recreational areas including 2km of beach, playgrounds, sporting fields, and areas that acknowledge and celebrate the Indigenous history of the area and connection to Country.

"The new community will be supported by commercial and retail spaces, medical services, community facilities, a school site [if required in the future] and other essential infrastructure including widening Captain Cook Drive and upgrading other intersections across the shire.

"This will be a place that integrates four hotels and tourist accommodation into the natural environment and creates a new tourism destination for Sydney."

Mr McComb said they had "spent the last six years undertaking a huge range of analysis, to look at it from a data and strategic perspective".

"I don't think that was done very well in the past," he said.

"These proposals are evidence based, so while the others may have had some similarities or overlaps, we have the evidence now to support them.

"We envisage the suburb being very similar and reflective of the broader Sutherland Shire community.

"It will have broad demographic of residents, who want the lifestyle the shire can provide, with open space and tree cover, access to the water and outdoors, and being able to work close to home.

"I am really confident this is a fantastic proposal that has something for everybody.

"We've been so thorough in ensuring we've got answers, and that we have considered so many different perspectives and that it's such a great balanced proposal."

"For example, we have data, which shows there is no need for concern about aircraft noise."

Mr McComb said the 4000 plus dwellings would be spread across four precincts - one next to Quibray Bay, where the horse stables are now, connected by a land bridge over Captain Cook Drive.

They were "a real mix" of housing forms and "density done well", he said.

"There will be some penthouses that have got water views that are expensive, but equally some that are in the town centre that are looking at the shopping centre, looking over the park or towards Wanda Reserve," he said.

"Sutherland Shire needs to provide more homes and we have the advantage of having an unconstrained site, where we can put the high rise among other forms of housing and not impact anyone."

The housing mix would include 2743 apartments in six to 12 storey buildings, of which 269 would be designated for affordable rental housing; 582 medium density units of two to six storeys; 258 townhouses; 750 senior living dwellings including independent living and aged care and Aboriginal social housing.

The plans project more than 2000 full-time permanent jobs, including 880 would be in tourism, 648 in aged care and 393 in retail.

The retail centre would be similar in size to Caringbah Shopping Village, with a full-line supermarket and a range of specialty shops.

Mr McComb said the site offered a unique tourism opportunity, which would provide visitors with an Aboriginal and beach experiences.

Under the plans, the 4WD park will close in "five to 10 years" and the cabins at Boat Harbour will also be removed.

Mr McComb said he didn't want to "put a number on what it will cost, but it will be very large".

The Planning Proposal will be assessed by Sutherland Shire Council staff and, if councillors approve, be sent to the Department of Planning and Environment for Gateway determination.

The community would have a chance to comment during the Gateway process.

Kurnell peninsula master plan