Local and state government planning partnership key to Western Sydney City Deal: Chris Johnson

GUEST OBSERVER

The recent announcement by the Federal, NSW and eight local governments of a City Deal for Western Sydney is good news for driving the planning of future growth around Badgerys Creek airport.

A key component of the Western Sydney City Deal is the formation of a Planning Partnership between the NSW Government and the councils in the area.

We have long advocated for a more regional approach to planning for large scale projects and the Western Sydney Planning Partnership with its accelerated planning systems and uniform standards should lead to this model occurring across all of the Sydney Planning Districts.

The new planning regime proposes to cut development costs and to boost housing supply. The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with the NSW Government in the detail development of the planning regime particularly in relation to the proposed lifting of contribution caps that the government has proposed which are likely to increase development costs.

The announcement of the North South rail line from the airport to St Marys will be a great stimulus to new development along this corridor as will the specific Greater Penrith to St Marys Growth Area.

While the North South rail line is welcomed there will still need to be a fast rail link from the new airport and its aerotropolis back to the centre of Sydney.

The focus on jobs in the aerotropolis is very positive particularly the formation of the Aerotropolis Development Authority and the Investment Attraction Office.

The Urban Taskforce will be interested to see what types of housing evolve in the new plans to be developed within two years. With Sydney housing costs being very high it will be important that more affordable housing is provided as part of the 148,500 new homes planned over the next 20 years. It is likely that apartments and townhouses will need to be an important part of the mix.

The announcement of the Western Sydney City Deal is a very positive move forward in Sydney's evolution into a city of 8 million people as proposed by the Greater Sydney Commission. The development industry is keen to be involved in the exciting process of building the city's future.

CHRIS JOHNSON is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted here.