2019 SUMMER NEWSLETTER

A Parkland City

What is the Western Parkland City? How is the Western Parkland City being Over the next 40 years the population of Greater is created? – A vision expected to reach eight million. The 2018 Greater Sydney The Western Parkland City is being created through a shared Region Plan – A Metropolis of Three Cities was a response to vision of three tiers of government. This vision is coming to this challenge. The plan offered a vision of Greater Sydney as a life in the form of the Western Sydney City Deal (the City metropolis of three distinct but interconnected cities in which Deal) which is a 20-year partnership agreement between most of us will live within 30 minutes of our jobs, education the Australian, NSW and eight local governments. The and essential services. infrastructure and planning being delivered under the City Deal The three cities are the: is interconnected with the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and its surrounding Aerotropolis. • Eastern Harbour City, centred on the Sydney CBD; • Central River City, centred on Greater Parramatta; and Working together the partnership recognises that if we are going to make the Western Parkland City ‘bigger and better’ rather • Western Parkland City, including the existing city centres of than just ‘bigger and bigger’, we cannot rely on the ‘business as Liverpool, Campbelltown and Penrith, and the new Western usual’ planning of the past. We need a vision that addresses vital Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and issues such as the environment, jobs and transport. surrounding Western Sydney Aerotropolis. The Western Parkland City is hotter than other parts of Greater Where is the Western Parkland City? Sydney, with longer-lasting heatwaves and more extreme hot The city takes in the council areas of Hawkesbury, Penrith, the days. Managing this is going to be critical to our future. Our Blue Mountains, Fairfield, Liverpool, Camden, Campbelltown vision puts landscape first. Prioritising the landscape, and using and Wollondilly. Its population is projected to grow from water and other precious resources more efficiently, will help 740,000 in 2016 to 1.1 million by 2036, and to more than us make the Western Parkland City a better place for residents, 1.5 million by 2056. workers and visitors.

Georges River, Liverpool

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Western Sydney City Deal | Summer 2019 1 Living in the Western Parkland City currently means fewer job opportunities and choices close to home compared with those in other parts of Greater Sydney. Just 49 per cent of residents have jobs within the Parkland City, while nearly a quarter have to travel to the Eastern Harbour City. By comparison, 91 per cent of residents in the Eastern Harbour City have jobs close to where they live. In recent decades transport infrastructure has not kept pace with growth. The lack of transport connections within the Western Parkland City increases travel time, cutting productivity and reducing valuable leisure time. We believe that everyone in the metropolis of three cities should have the same access to jobs, range of amenities, the same job opportunities, and the same mobility. Our vision for the Western Parkland City We see the Western Parkland City not just as the western section of Greater Sydney but as a dynamic city in its own right. Integrating the new Western Sydney Aerotropolis with the existing city centres of Liverpool, Greater Penrith and Campbelltown-Macarthur, and the commercial centres of St Marys, Katoomba, Richmond Windsor, Fairfield, Leppington and Narellan, the Western Parkland City will be a place for people, with good jobs, diverse and affordable housing, easy access to open space, plenty of places to walk and a lively arts and culture scene. Above all, it will be a green city, with its waterways and scenic landscapes protected, its tree canopy increased and its Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre biodiversity preserved.

Jobs will not be concentrated in one CBD but will be shared across the four metropolitan hubs and existing commercial centres right across the Western Parkland City, forming a highly sustainable network that can be reinforced over time through a mosaic of new and strengthened centres. Planning the Western Parkland City as a constantly evolving ‘mosaic’ will allow the region to adapt to change, both environmental and urban. We want the Western Parkland City to be one of the best connected places in . Excellent public transport, a new airport and cutting-edge digital infrastructure will bring residents closer to jobs, services, education and the world. Sydney Metro Greater West will help realise our goal of a 30-minute city. The Australian and NSW governments will jointly fund the railway line from St Marys to Western Sydney International and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. A new university, schools and VET facilities inside the Aerotropolis will ensure that residents of the Western Parkland City have access to the best education and skills training. The planned Western Economic Corridor will allow the Region to capitalise on its strengths in advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defence industries, agricultural processing and export, construction and infrastructure, and transport and Bigge Park, Liverpool warehousing.

Western Sydney City Deal | Summer 2019 2 To help us plan our city, we asked its citizens...

How do you imagine life for your children in the Parkland City 20 years from now?

Liverpool Hawkesbury Michael, Jacob, Sophia Gae and Michael and Catherine We love this place, the Hawkesbury. It A wider range and availability of paediatric has something very special. We want services, more parks and outdoor activity Windsor and all our town centres to areas and a balance of apartment buildings come alive again and the Western and Australian suburban living with Parkland City is a great way to make townhouses and houses. Improved public this happen, for our grandchildren infrastructure and tourist attractions. and generations to come.

Wollondilly Campbelltown Courtney Nahid, mother to Maya I hope that my daughters will be and Maryam enjoying green spaces with plenty of I imagine a future city for my children trees. They will be well connected to that is safe with lots of green space the rest of the world through modern and areas to play. I want my girls to be transport and technology and have able to stay in the Campbelltown area, easy access to education and job with access to good schools and the opportunities. jobs that they want so they don’t have to travel elsewhere. That’s my priority. Camden Penrith Sarah The positive for my children will be the Manisha increased opportunities with employment As someone having a young family living and allowing them to work closer to home. and working close to Penrith CBD, it is I believe in healthy lifestyles so I really definitely a bonus. The Western Sydney City support the increased green spaces and Deal potentially brings endless opportunities parklands to encourage daily activity for relating to education and jobs for my family our overall wellbeing. moving forward. I love that we get to dine and shop local and enjoy the benefits from such partnerships between governments. Fairfield

John Blue Mountains I hope to see high quality skilled job opportunities close to home and great Graeme leisure and sporting facilities like what is Continually improving parks throughout being built at Fairfield Showground. This is the city will encourage families and their the most exciting time we have seen in the children to be outdoors – to play, to socialise, past 30 years. to be healthy and to learn about nature.

Western Sydney City Deal | Summer 2019 3 The City Deal – Working together to build the Western Parkland City

Introducing Philip Graus We asked Philip about his role in building the Western Philip Graus is an urban planner and architect at the Greater Parkland City. Sydney Commission (the Commission). Philip is currently Why do you do what you do? seconded to the Western Sydney Planning Partnership, a collaborative planning team comprising the three levels of I have always been interested in cities, in particular how to government, charged with planning the Aerotropolis Land translate broad ‘big picture’ strategic plans into real places Use Infrastructure Implementation Plan (LUIIP) and initial that people value and make their lives better. The opportunity Aerotropolis Precincts. Philip has qualifications in Urban and to work with the Commission, author of these plans as well Regional Planning as well as Architecture, and is an Adjunct as implementers, in collaboration with others such as the Professor, Design Architecture and Building, University of Western Sydney Planning Partnership provides that very rare Technology Sydney. opportunity. Philip has been at the Commission since early 2018, responsible Also, I love challenges! primarily for urban design within the Western Parkland City. What does it mean to you? His particular role has been to work with the team at the Commission and collaborating agencies and councils to translate It’s an opportunity to make a difference and do something the South Creek Corridor vision into reality. The Greater Sydney really worthwhile. The scale of the ‘mission’ is so large that it Region Plan calls for “A cool and green parkland city in the South relies on working collaboratively with literally everyone; the Creek Corridor”. The role brings together the three levels of various levels of government that plan, the private sector that government through the Western Sydney City Deal commitment delivers, the universities that research, but most importantly to “restore and protect the South Creek corridor to form a the community that will live and work in the Parkland City. sustainable urban parkland”. While much of the effort is currently with government in the Infrastructure NSW (INSW) is leading the South Creek Corridor early planning phase, a 40 year vision provides the opportunity Project, working with the Commission. Philip’s role within for genuine community participation in shaping the places that this project has been to lead the urban design and landscape future generations will value. workstream with INSW, specifically developing Parkland Planning Principles.

Western Sydney City Deal | Summer 2019 4 Progress on Western Sydney City Deal Commitments

The Western Sydney City Deal is bringing to life the vision for a more productive, liveable and sustainable Western Parkland City. The Australian and NSW governments and the eight local councils have been working together to progress the 38 commitments that will help deliver a future-focused and innovative city. Below is an update on three of these commitments: Centre of Innovation in Plant Sciences The NSW Government will create a Western Sydney Centre of Innovation in Plant Sciences at the Australian Botanic Garden in Mount Annan, cementing the emerging city’s importance as a scientific hub. The state-of-the-art facility will be home to the award-winning Plantbank and the new National Herbarium of NSW, providing excellence and leadership in plant science and safeguarding more than 1.4 million plant specimens. Detailed designs for the new Herbarium are underway, with the facility planned for completion in mid-2021.

Investment in the new Aerotropolis One of the world’s largest companies – the Japanese conglomerate Hitachi – has signed up to be the first tenant at the Aerotropolis, with a collaboration and research centre that will generate hi-tech jobs. The centre, based on Hitachi’s successful Kyoso-no-mori facility in Japan, will promote collaborative creation-style research between business, academics and government. It will create more than 85 advanced technology jobs in Western Sydney, in fields such as data analytics, artificial intelligence and other technologies. The Western City & Aerotropolis Authority has signed agreements with another 17 international and Australian organisations to become Foundation Partners in the Aerotropolis to be built around the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.

Western Sydney Planning Partnership The Western Sydney Planning Partnership is bringing together the growth councils of Liverpool, Penrith, Campbelltown, Camden and Wollondilly, in conjunction with Blacktown, to achieve higher quality, more streamlined planning outcomes. The Partnership’s initial focus has been on establishing common planning assumptions and uniform local engineering and design standards. The Partnership is responsible for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis Plan – the land use planning for the area surrounding the airport site.

Western Sydney City Deal | Summer 2019 5 A Plan for the Aerotropolis

Have your say on the Western Sydney The Western Sydney Planning Partnership (Planning Aerotropolis Plan Partnership) has the responsibility for delivering the Final Plan and Precinct Plans within the Western Sydney Aerotropolis to On the doorstep of one of Australia’s most transformational the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces. The initial precincts infrastructure projects, the Western Sydney Aerotropolis will are Aerotropolis Core, Northern Gateway, Badgerys Creek, become a thriving economic hub delivering new jobs, homes, Wianamatta-South Creek and Mamre Road Precincts. infrastructure and services in the heart of Western Sydney. Plans are progressing with the development of three key Western Sydney International airport will be a game-changer for documents now on exhibition. This marks the next step in the region. Strategic planning for the greenfield land around the ensuring the Aerotropolis is a great place to live, work and invest airport will unlock opportunities to deliver new jobs and homes for generations to come. supported by key infrastructure in the heart of Western Sydney, bringing us another step closer to realising a 30-minute city. The documents currently on exhibition and open for public comment include: The Aerotropolis will make a significant contribution to 200,000 new jobs for Western Sydney by establishing a new high- • Draft Western Sydney Aerotropolis Plan skill jobs hub across aerospace and defence, manufacturing, • Western Sydney Aerotropolis Discussion Paper on the healthcare, freight and logistics, agribusiness, education and proposed State Environmental Planning Policy research industries. Over the coming decades, residents and • Draft Western Sydney Aerotropolis Development Control workers in Western Sydney will benefit from easy access to Plan Phase 1 strong local and international connections and a 24-hour economy centred around the new Airport. The plans are on exhibition until 28 February 2020. For more information visit www.planning.nsw.gov.au/aerotropolis

The Western Sydney City Deal is a 20-year cross-government agreement to capitalise on the opportunity presented by the Western Sydney Airport and to deliver transformative change to the Western Parkland City. The agreement is between the Australian Government, the NSW Government, Blue Mountains City Council, Camden Council, Campbelltown City Council, , Hawkesbury City Council, Liverpool City Council, Penrith City Council and Wollondilly Shire Council.

For more information or to get involved visit www.wscd.sydney

@westparkcity @westparkcity Western Sydney City Deal

Western Sydney City Deal | Summer 2019 6