Government must focus on creating jobs for Western Sydney

Land release in South West Sydney is great news for housing affordability but government must now focus on creating jobs in Western Sydney.

The release of the of land for 30,000 new homes in Sydney’s south west is great news but the NSW Government must now put their attention on getting jobs in Western Sydney City.

The announcement by Minister Roberts of the release of 1,500 hectares for a new community, South Creek West in the south west area of Sydney is fantastic news and will help address Sydney’s ongoing housing affordability crisis.

Provision of timely infrastructure is also critical to ensure that South Creek West community is amenable and accessible. The South West Rail Link should be extended to service this area and will allow future residents to access jobs and services.

Research shows that 500,000 residents travel from the west to the east of the city every day for work, which takes a huge toll on the transport network, the environment and has social consequences for families and workers. The next step for Government is to deliver the Greater Sydney’s Commission vision of a ‘30 minute City’ by providing jobs which can be accessed easily by those living in these new release areas.

The future Western Sydney Airport provides immense opportunities for employment in this area. The State Government must expedite land release for job creating industries and look at how to use surrounding employment lands in a flexible manner to encourage more jobs are created faster.

New housing supply is absolutely critical to bringing down home prices and getting families and first home buyers into the property market. However, the State Government has recently removed the cap on local infrastructure contributions, an upfront payment which is added onto the cost of a home. Councils have already indicated they are looking to increase these contributions by up to $80,000 per dwelling.

This area is well located and has fantastic potential for growth and development however it is critical that excessive taxes and levies which deter development and drive up housing costs are minimised.

The Department of Planning & Environment has found that 725,000 new dwellings are required in Sydney by 2056. New release areas such as South Creek West are critical to ensure a steady supply of new housing is provided for Sydney’s growing population, including freestanding homes and apartments and townhouses.

Planning for this new suburb must be streamlined and efficient. Often the planning process can lag for years before there are homes on the ground. Families need homes now and the less red tape and bureaucracy in the planning process, the faster we will see more dwellings put out to the market.

The Urban Taskforce is keen to be involved in discussions with the NSW Government to ensure that planning for this new area takes place in a timely manner and with appropriate densities to accommodate Sydney’s growing population and creating more Western Sydney jobs faster.

CHRIS JOHNSON is CEO of Urban Taskforce.