STRATEGIC DIRECTION A STRENGTHENING THE ‘CITY OF CITIES’ MetroPOLitan PLan For SYdneY 2036 | PAGE 23 Introduction Sydney’s spatial structure as a city of cities is a This chapter builds on the city of cities approach by: Sydney’s key factor in its national and global success. This • expanding on the role and future directions of spatial Metropolitan Plan aims to strengthen those spatial Sydney’s cities characteristics to improve Sydney’s productivity and • emphasising the elements of a sustainable structure enable it to grow efficiently and sustainably. structure for Sydney’s future with evidence as a city of • positioning Sydney as a globally competitive city This strategic direction reinforces the key elements • highlighting the critical role of infrastructure cities is a of 2005’s ‘City of Cities’ approach to: key factor in • expand the critical role of Global Sydney as the The city of cities approach regards Sydney as foundation of the City’s structure comprising five cities: its national • highlight the growing role of Parramatta as • the harbour cities of Sydney CBD and and global Sydney’s second CBD, and the other ‘Regional North Sydney recognised as key elements Cities’ of Penrith and Liverpool as ‘capitals’ of ‘Global Sydney’ success serving large Western Sydney catchments • Sydney’s premier Regional City and • describe the key elements of a compact, second CBD: Parramatta, connected, multi–centred and increasingly • and the Regional Cities of Western Sydney: networked city of cities structure Liverpool and Penrith. • present supporting evidence for a compact city • position Sydney as a globally competitive city The Regional Cities are important structuring • outline the infrastructure to achieve a elements of the city of cities. They supply the ‘city of cities’ region’s high order services and support the business growth sectors providing jobs in Western Sydney. ‘CITY OF CITIES’ STRUCTURE The city of cities concept describes a compact, New Regional Cities may emerge over the life of multi–centred and connected city structure this Plan. Criteria for potential Regional Cities enabling people and businesses to spend less time are included in Appendix 5. Campbelltown and travelling to access work, services, markets or Blacktown have the greatest potential, subject to regional facilities. This promotes productivity and how well growth in their catchments translates better infrastructure utilisation, reduces car use, into substantial employment growth and a broader energy use and emissions, and supports a more regional service role for their CBDs. active lifestyle. The five cities are supported by Major and The approach is central to achieving the State Plan Specialised Centres within a transport and economic priorities for more jobs closer to home and to improve network. Smaller local centres are spread within the public transport system. this framework, offering a focus for concentrations of housing, commercial activity and local services at different scales. The roles of these Strategic Centres are addressed in Growing and Renewing Centres. PAGE 24 | MetroPOLitan PLan For SYdneY 2036 NORTH WEST 20 km GROWTH CENTRE Rouse Hill Hornsby 20 kms 30 kms NORWEST FRENCHS Brookvale– 1 hour FOREST Dee Why Castle 1 hour Hill Mt Druitt 30 kms PENRITH PENRITH EDUCATION & HEALTH Blacktown 1 hour MACQUARIE PARK WESTMEADWESTMEAD Chatswood ST LEONARDS PARRAMATTA SYDNEY OLYMPIC NORTH PARK RHODES SYDNEY Fairfield Prairiewood SYDNEY Bondi Burwood Junction RANDWICK Green EDUCATION LIVERPOOL Square & HEALTH BANKSTOWN Bankstown SOUTH WEST AIRPORT GROWTH CENTRE –MILPERRA SYDNEY AIRPORT PORT BOTANY Leppington Kogarah Hurstville 20 kms 30 kms 1 hour 1 hour Sutherland Campbelltown–Macarthur FIGURE A1 The cities are the focal point of the broad regional corridors and among the Regional Cities and other A CITY OF CITIES catchments shown in Figure A1. They offer services, ‘strategic’ centres. Government at all levels must The concept is based on the Marchetti principle of employment, retail, entertainment and cultural proactively promote job growth and the broader a ‘one hour city’— facilities at a regional scale, acting as ‘capitals’ success of these cities as emerging ‘capitals’ of their a city that can be for their region. Their role is critical for a fair and regions according to the future directions outlined travelled comfortably in efficient city—one that offers jobs closer to home, less for each Regional City. one hour per day need to travel and less reliance on a single CBD for many aspects of Sydney life. This Plan recognises the contribution of the entire ‘Global Sydney Region’ including all its centres, The concept is based on the Marchetti principle employment lands and resources in building the of a ‘one hour’ city—a city that can be travelled productivity and status of the city region. comfortably in one hour per day (Marchetti 1994). Sydney’s five cities could all operate at this scale, The Plan also acknowledges the inter–relationship while a single city of 6 million people by 2036 of Sydney with adjoining regions and the State as a could not be a ‘one hour’ city. whole. The interdependence of Sydney and regional NSW is addressed in the Regional Strategies for The city of cities approach does not diminish the the Central Coast, Lower Hunter, Illawarra and global and iconic status of Sydney’s CBD and its South Coast, Far North Coast, Mid North Coast and vibrant financial, business services and cultural Sydney–Canberra Corridor and the Murray. hub. Indeed the success of Global Sydney is vital if economic activity is to extend along strategic MetroPOLitan PLan For SYdneY 2036 | PAGE 25 SYDNEY’S DEVELOPMENT Public AS A ‘CITY OF CITIES’ areas with at least 70 persons per hectare. transport The city of cities approach has served Sydney well Only 100,000 Melbournians live in similarly during the recent global economic downturn with densely populated areas. Sydney is also the only has shaped local economies retaining a diversity of economic Australian city in which substantially more new Sydney’s activity and resilience. Regional Cities maintained housing is provided in existing urban areas employment levels over the last three years. than in greenfield areas. growth over However, Regional City development is a long–term the past process; Liverpool or Penrith are not expected to Over the next 10 years, projects in the achieve Parramatta’s status (43,200 jobs in 2006) Metropolitan Transport Plan will strengthen the century within the life of this Plan. city of cities structure via connections within and among the Regional Cities and other strategic Sydney, more than any other Australian capital, centres building toward a more compact, connected is supported by a strong public transport network and increasingly networked city that supports a which has shaped the city’s growth. This land wider range of prospects for urban renewal and use/transport link has produced the highest employment growth in areas that have potential for public transport usage of any Australian city with sustainable growth (refer Figure A2). presently 76 per cent of all peak hour journey to work trips to the CBD by public transport, and Sydney’s development as a city of cities is not only a 24 per cent of all journey to work trips across the factor of its structure and transport links but also the Sydney metropolitan area by public transport. economic and cultural growth and maturity of its component cities. The role and future directions for Sydney has by far the greater proportion of its Global Sydney and the Regional Cities are on page 28 residents living in densities that support quality while other strategic centres (major and specialised) mass transit with over 500,000 people living in are discussed in Growing and Renewing Centres. MacQUARIE PARK PAGE 26 | MetroPOLitan PLan For SYdneY 2036 FIGURE A2 TOWARDS A NETWORK CITY PAST ‘CITY OF CITIES’ NETWORK SCENARIO TO 2036 BEYOND 2036 • A radial system focused • Radial system focussing on Global • A network city on Global Sydney Sydney and the Regional Cities of • Linked centres Parramatta, Penrith and Liverpool • Strong cross regional links PENRITH MetroPOLitan PLan For SYdneY 2036 | PAGE 27 Role of Global Sydney and the Regional Cities Global Sydney FOUNDATION OF THE METROPOLITAN STRUCTURE The CBDs of Sydney and North Darling Harbour are key elements in Sydney—the financial, economic accommodating this growth. and cultural heart of Sydney—are Global Sydney is also an termed ‘Global Sydney’ and occupy important living area with residential the highest place in Sydney’s centres populations of 177,900 (City of Sydney hierarchy. LGA) and 63,900 (in North Sydney Global Sydney has a metropolitan, LGA). These will continue to grow state, national and international and boost the city’s vitality without catchment for its activity. Its compromising its economic capacity. performance is crucial to Australia’s Increasing public transport economic performance. Its success capacity and improved amenity is highly dependent upon being a are essential features in managing positive experience, 24 hours a day, growth. The Western Express seven days a week for local residents, Program, South West and North West workers, business and visitors alike. Rail Links, 1,000 additional buses It is part of the Global Economic and the extension of light rail are all Corridor extending from the airport key elements (see Transport for a through to Macquarie Park, and over Connected City). Parking provision the longer term towards Parramatta. policies and an improved cycling This corridor contains around 40 and walking environment, including per cent of Sydney’s jobs and is ‘wayfinding’, are also critical to a powerhouse of the Australian boost local accessibility and improve economy. The success of Sydney’s street life. The NSW Government is other cities and centres rely on the partnering with the City of Sydney continuing strength of activity in Council to develop these initiatives. Global Sydney and this economic corridor.