Welcome to October’s Western Sydney Update.
This period has been a particularly busy time for council town planners with Local Strategic Planning Statements going through public exhibition.
The Property Council is working with several councils in Western Sydney to facilitate member briefings and open a dialogue between government and industry about the future of growth in our region. On behalf of our members, I’d like to thank councils for their willingness to engage with industry and I look forward to seeing their statements evolve with further stakeholder input.
We’re also seeing significant progress made on the airport and aerotropolis front. The Department of Planning has publicly released the submissions into the Draft Stage 1 Land Use and Infrastructure Implementation Plan, along with their report into the feedback provided.
We also heard from the team at Western Sydney Airport through a presentation to our Hotel Investment Beyond the CBD function. WSA is making significant progress with earthworks and they’re proactively engaging with future airline partners through the World Routes Conference held in Adelaide. This week the Airport announced delivery of the TAFE Skills Exchange as part of the commitments made in the Western Sydney City Deal.
Our Taskforce is continuing its work shaping our advocacy agenda for the coming year. As always, if there’s something you’d like to draw our attention to in Western Sydney, please feel free to get in touch – I am best contacted on my mobile 0412897130 or by email to [email protected]
Regards,
Ross Grove
Western Sydney Regional Director
Aerotropolis LUIIP submissions released
The Department of Planning has released the submissions received into the Western Sydney Aerotropolis Stage 1 Land Use and Infrastructure Implementation Plan.
More than 600 submissions were received and much of the feedback related to potential flood controls, particularly around South Creek. The Property Council has put forward similar concerns regarding flood controls, along with feedback regarding future demand for employment lands, the expedition of the Mamre Road precinct from the LUIIP and a need to keep contributions in line with industry expectations.
The Department’s report on community consultation makes a number of commitments in response to the submissions received.
A final Stage 1 Land Use and Infrastructure Implementation Plan is due later this year.
The NSW Government makes a number of commitments in response
to submissions into the draft Western Sydney Aerotropolis Stage 1
Land Use and Infrastructure Implementation Plan.
TAFE Skills Exchange announced for Western Sydney Airport
Workers building Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport will have easy access to training opportunities thanks to a partnership with TAFE NSW.
The exchange has been established on the Airport construction site so workers can develop their skills while on the job.
Western Sydney Airport Chief Executive Graham Millett said that with more than half of the Airport’s workers coming from Western Sydney, the Skills Exchange is set to be a major boost for local skills development.
“There are six years of complex construction before we can open the Airport and we’ll need a significant pool of skilled local workers,” Mr Millett said.
“We want the entry level worker who starts on a shovel to build lifelong skills that set them up for work long after the Airport is up and running.”
TAFE NSW Acting Managing Director Kerry Penton said the Western Sydney Airport TAFE NSW Skills Exchange will set locals up for success through a flexible approach to training and apprentice mentoring programs.
“This is a responsive, flexible and innovative solution designed to meet the training needs of students, employers and industry,” Ms Penton said.
“The Skills Exchange will significantly expand our capacity to skill the workforce needed to deliver one of the nation’s largest infrastructure projects.”
The current facility is set to equip workers with skills in areas including earthmoving, civil construction, safety and traffic control. The programs offered by the Skills Exchange will adapt as the project moves from earthworks into future phases, including construction of the 3.7-kilometre runway, taxiways, passenger terminal and on-airport business park.
Western Sydney Airport is exceeding workforce targets requiring at least 30 percent of workers during construction must come from Western Sydney, increasing to 50 percent when the Airport opens. At least 20 percent of the workforce must be learning workers, such as apprentices and trainees.
At the end of June 2019, 54 percent of the workforce was from Western Sydney and 34 percent engaged in job-related training.
The Western Sydney Airport TAFE NSW Skills Exchange is a deliverable of the Western Sydney City Deal.
Western Sydney Council Roundup
Blacktown
Blacktown City Council has released their Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement for public exhibition. On October 3, the Property Council is hosting a member briefing at Clayton Utz where Chris Shannon from Blacktown City Council will take members through the draft statement and answer questions as they arise.
Details can be found on our website: https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/web/EventDetail?EventKey=NFD031019
Blacktown’s Local Strategic Planning Statement is on exhibition throughout the beginning of October.
Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains City Council has endorsed a Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement for public exhibition. The draft statement is accompanied by a Draft Blue Mountains Local Housing Strategy, Draft Blue Mountains Character Study and Draft Blue Mountains Character Statement.
Campbelltown
The Reimagine Campbelltown initiative continues to go from strength to strength, with preliminary consultation sessions underway with key stakeholder interest groups. At the launch of the new Urbis offices in Western Sydney, Council’s Director City Growth Rebecca Grasso addressed attendees on the future potential of the city centre.
Artist impression of options considered as part of Reimagining Campbelltown.
Cumberland
Cumberland Council has elected Councillor Steve Christou to the position of Mayor, succeeding Greg Cummings in the role. Councillor Eddy Sarkis has been elected to the position of Deputy Mayor, succeeding Councillor Glenn Elmore.
Fairfield
Following public exhibition in September, the Department of Planning is considering an application to build a rail passing loop on the eastern side of the Sothern Sydney Freight Rail Line between Cabramatta and Warwick Farm.
The proposal includes construction of the 1.3km rail loop, acquisition of council land, and the reconfiguration and upgrade of streets and bridges. The proposal seeks to boost rail freight capacity in Western Sydney.
Liverpool
Liverpool City Council is continuing a dialogue with key stakeholders around the delivery of the Fifteenth Avenue Smart Transit (FAST) corridor. The FAST corridor seeks to provide a 20-minute connection between the Western Sydney Airport and the Liverpool CBD.
This project, which will potentially take the form of a high-tech bus link, is scheduled for completion prior to the airport opening in 2026 and the Council is considering options to futureproof the corridor to cater to driverless technology in the future.
The council has also re-elected Councillor Ali Karnib to the position of Deputy Mayor. Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller is popularly elected and her term continues until the local government elections in September 2020.
Liverpool’s Fifteenth Avenue Smart Transit Corridor proposes a 20-minute connection between the Liverpool CBD and Western Sydney Airport.
Parramatta
City of Parramatta Council has elected Councillor Bob Dwyer to the position of Lord Mayor, succeeding outgoing Lord Mayor Andrew Wilson. Councillor Michelle Garrard was elected to a third consecutive term as Lord Mayor.
L-R: City of Parramatta Chief Executive Officer Brett Newman,
Lord Mayor Clr Bob Dwyer &
Deputy Lord Mayor Clr Michelle Garrard.
Penrith
Councillor Karen McKeown has been elected Deputy Mayor of Penrith, succeeding Greg Davies in the role. Ross Fowler remains as Mayor for the coming year.
Penrith City Council has also endorsed their draft Local Strategic Planning Statement for public exhibition. Submissions close 11 November.
The Hills
Councillor Reena Jethi has been elected Deputy Mayor of The Hills Shire Council. Councillor Jethi succeeds Alan Haselden in the role. Mayor Michelle Byrne is elected by the public and her term continues until September 2020.
Wollondilly
Ben Taylor has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer at Wollondilly City Council. Ben comes to the role from an extensive career in local government, most recently serving in the role of General Manager – Environment & Infrastructure at Northern Beaches Council.
Wollondilly City Council CEO Ben Taylor