Sydney Reimagined for future growth

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Sydney Reimagined for future growth

The release today of the final Region and District Plans by Premier Berejiklian in addition to the Future Transport Strategy and the State Infrastructure Strategy provide, for the first time in decades, a coordinated and coherent long-term vision for a reimagined Sydney.  

Together the documents capture the most significant future vision of the city since the Sydney Region Outline Plan of 1968 and set a course for sustainable growth and a fair and equitably developed future Sydney. 

“The Strategies acknowledge the need to meet the needs of a growing and changing population by transforming Greater Sydney into a metropolis of three cities with appropriate development and growth occurring in each city with infrastructure complementing development,” Property Council NSW Executive Director Jane Fitzgerald said today.

“Issues such as the viability of affordable rental housing targets, the accumulative impact of levies and charges on development, employment land management, new housing options such as build-to-rent and the integral role and resourcing of local government have all been significantly considered. 

“Our city’s growth must be fair and equitably implemented, and this requires the strategic planning contained in these documents to be translated into Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) across the city and adopted by every agency and department with a finger in the ‘Sydney-planning pie’.   

“Today we have seen a grand vision released.  Translating it into tomorrow’s Sydney will take political leadership and guts and a dramatic shift away from the partisan politics that is ‘business as usual’ in this town.” 

Ms Fitzgerald said the Plan’s focus on delivering a strong, diverse housing pipeline was critical to the future of Sydney given that despite a year of stronger housing supply, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia Sydneysiders are paying $489,000 extra for an average home because of the NSW planning system. 

“We need 725,000 more homes by 2036 and this requires councils to think and plan beyond five year housing targets; we cannot let housing supply drop off as it has in the past because we will see house prices increase further locking more people out of the housing market,” Ms Fitzgerald said.  

“The alignment of transport and infrastructure with development is critical and the concurrent release of the NSW Government’s Future Transport Strategy 2056 and Infrastructure NSW’s State Infrastructure Plan to align land use, transport and infrastructure outcomes for Greater Sydney acknowledges this.  

“A growing city must be supported by infrastructure; transport infrastructure, schools and hospitals and local infrastructure such as green space and local roads. Without it, we will not get the best out of our growth and the community will lose out. This is just the start of the transformation of our city; political leadership and continued investment is needed to drive good outcomes.” 

Ms Fitzgerald said the Plan’s acknowledgement that meeting its infrastructure and housing objectives could be put at risk through increasing taxes and charges was an important one. 

“The Plan acknowledges the complexities of finding a value capture model that could effectively contribute to the cost of infrastructure without financially undermining new development. 

“Further, the focus on financial viability in relation to the setting of future Affordable Rental Housing Targets is welcomed. 

“Key transport investment is integral, particularly the plans for the North-South rail line through the new airport, the Outer Sydney Orbital and the West Metro as they will be important projects to encourage the development of new communities in our outer west and link them with the middle inner rings of Sydney.  

“We congratulate the hard working and dedicated public officials who have delivered the vision today and look forward to working with the Greater Sydney Commission, Transport for NSW and Infrastructure NSW on the implementation of these important strategies.”