About the Hornsby Cathedral Precinct Project

The Project encompasses a bold, long-term vision to create a welcoming and integrated community hub that serves the spiritual, educational, and social care needs of the Diocese and local community. 

At its heart will stand a new Cathedral, supported by a mix of purpose-built facilities. Together, these elements will form a vibrant and cohesive urban village – designed to foster connection, service and shared identity.

The Precinct will be structured around two distinct but complementary domains – the Civic Quarter and the Education Campus.

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    Anchored by a new place of worship, the Civic Quarter is where sacred mission and public life converge. It will feature spaces for pastoral outreach, governance, and community engagement. Key elements planned include:

    ‍A new Cathedral serving the Diocese of Broken Bay, centrally located to support parishes across the deaneries of the Northern Beaches, Central Coast and North Shore.

    • A new Parish office for Hornsby Cathedral Parish, with dedicated facilities including a new Parish hall.

    • A new Diocesan Office Building bringing together our administrative teams - Chancery, Catholic Schools Broken Bay, and CatholicCare Broken Bay - in one place.

    • A new Pastoral Centre, which will be a significant civic asset featuring an auditorium and exhibition space for spiritual events and community gatherings.

    • Purpose-built CatholicCare facilities to expand our support services for individuals and families, including a Family Services Centre, Disability Services and a Community Centre.

    • New clergy residences to accommodate the Bishop of Broken Bay, Parish priests, and visiting clergy.

    • New residential buildings, including a component of affordable housing. 

  • This domain is centred around St Leo's Catholic College and is focused on learning. It will ultimately support students and families from Baptism to Post-School Life by integrating St Leo’s, Our Lady of the Rosary School (primary school), an Early Learning Centre (ELC), Out of School Hours Care (OSHC), and post-school options.

    For more information on the Education Campus, contact

    contact.cathedral@dbb.catholic.edu.au or visit the Catholic Schools Broken Bay website.‍

Project Status

Where do things stand?

We are at the beginning of a long planning approval process to revitalise the Precinct. This will be a generational project delivered in multiple stages over the coming years.

While we have a unified vision for the whole Precinct, the NSW planning system requires some components to follow separate approval pathways. For more information on this process and timing

Planning Process

 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • The Hornsby Cathedral Precinct Redevelopment Project responds to the evolving needs of the Diocese, and brings to life a long-held vision to better integrate the spiritual, educational and social care dimensions of Catholic mission within the broader community.

    This Transformative project will renew ageing infrastructure and deliver purpose-built spaces that serve both the Catholic and wider community - now and for generations to come.

  • The Hornsby Cathedral Precinct Redevelopment Project is being delivered by the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay  and the Hornsby Cathedral Parish. For more information on the Diocese or the Parish, visit their respective website.

    Components of this Project relating to the Education Quarter are being delivered by Catholic Schools Broken Bay (CSBB). For more information on CSBB and the Bishop’s vision for Catholic education, visit their, visit their website.

  • We understand that those who live near the Precinct - and those who visit it - will want to know how matters such as traffic, parking, and care for the local environment are being considered.

    To support this, we’ve engaged a range of technical consultants to help us assess potential impacts and develop specialised plans for traffic and pedestrian movement, ecological constraints, flooding, and other key issues. These studies are a required part of the planning process and will inform both the Masterplan and future applications.

    The Planning Proposal (rezoning) will include preliminary assessments, noting that it does not seek approval for any building works. Future Development Applications and State Significant Development Applications will be supported by detailed technical studies, including management plans and recommendations to guide implementation and ensure accountability.

    As plans progress, the community will have opportunities to view and provide feedback on these materials.

  • Further information about the Hornsby Cathedral Precinct Redevelopment Project – including the Planning Proposal (rezoning) for the Civic Quarter - will be available at the upcoming community drop-in session on 26 November

    Following the drop-in, the Precinct website will continue to be updated with key information and next steps as planning progresses.

    Preliminary details about the State Significant Development Application for the Education Quarter will also be shared at the drop-in, with more comprehensive updates expected in the first half of 2026.