DISTRICT SYDNEY GREEN GRID SPATIAL FRAMEWORK AND PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES 29 TYRRELLSTUDIO PREFACE Open space is one of Sydney’s greatest assets. Our national parks, harbour, beaches, coastal walks, waterfront promenades, rivers, playgrounds and reserves are integral to the character and life of the city. In this report the hydrological, recreational and ecological fragments of the city are mapped and then pulled together into a proposition for a cohesive green infrastructure network for greater Sydney. This report builds on investigations undertaken by the Office of the Government Architect for the Department of Planning and Environment in the development of District Plans. It interrogates the vision and objectives of the Sydney Green Grid and uses a combination of GIS data mapping and consultation to develop an overview of the green infrastructure needs and character of each district. FINAL REPORT 23.03.17 Each district is analysed for its spatial qualities, open space, PREPARED BY waterways, its context and key natural features. This data informs a series of strategic opportunities for building the Sydney Green Grid within each district. Green Grid project opportunities have TYRRELLSTUDIO been identified and preliminary prioritisation has been informed by a comprehensive consultation process with stakeholders, including ABN. 97167623216 landowners and state and local government agencies. MARK TYRRELL M. 0410 928 926 This report is one step in an ongoing process. It provides preliminary E. [email protected] prioritisation of Green Grid opportunities in terms of their strategic W. WWW.TYRRELLSTUDIO.COM potential as catalysts for the establishment of a new interconnected high performance green infrastructure network which will support healthy PREPARED FOR urban growth. Future reports should be undertaken to assess the future DEPARTMENT OF delivery and implementation strategies of Green Grid projects. PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT ARCHITECT 30 SPATIAL FRAMEWORK MAJOR 2 CATCHMENTS ADDITIONAL WEST PEOPLE 550,500 BY 2036 NORTH WEST HECTARES CENTRAL OPEN SPACE CENTRAL 10,296 SOUTH OF THE DISTRICT SOUTH WEST 13% IS OPEN SPACE 31 LEGEND Boundary Train Station Rail Line Motorway Roads Open Space Private Open Space Water DENSITY (Dwellings/Ha) High >60 Medium < 45 Low < 25 <0.01 SCALE 1:60,000 @ A1 0 1.5 3km Figure WC.1: West Central District Open Space and Density Map 32 TYRRELLSTUDIO WEST CENTRAL LANDSCAPE 1.1 CHARACTER THE HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT AND THE CHARACTER OF SYDNEY HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY TOPOGRAPHY AND THE UNDERLYING NATURAL FEATURES. THE SYDNEY GREEN GRID BUILDS UPON THE GEOMORPHOLOGY OF PLACE TO CREATE LOCALLY RESPONSIVE OPEN SPACE STRATEGIES. THESE LANDSCAPE FEATURES HAVE BEEN USED TO ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK FOR FUTURE PROJECT AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. Parramatta Park, Parramatta Blacktown Showground Sydney Olympic Park The landscape setting of the district is Sydney. The gentle topography and richer Olympic Park, Rookwood Cemetery and comprised of three major water catchments soils of the Cumberland Plain relative to the Prospect Reservoir. Prospect Reservoir is and their associated estuarine and fresh surrounding sandstone plateaus have made of major importance in the Sydney drinking water areas: the Hawkesbury Nepean; the the area suitable for a range of land uses water supply infrastructure network. Parramatta River and Sydney Harbour; the including agriculture and more recently urban In terms of heritage, the district has a long Georges River and Botany Bay catchments. expansion. Much of the area’s biodiversity is history of Aboriginal occupation manifest in now under threat, however the area retains The district is highly urbanised in the southern a large body of Aboriginal cultural heritage. many important environmental values. part, with the north consisting of extensive Evidence of European settlement and rural lands and Aboriginal and Crown land Built-up areas are interspersed with agriculture is manifest in its historic rural reserves. The urbanised part of the district industrial estates and feature extensive open properties and associated cultural plantings. forms the southern section of the district from space systems along the creek corridors, Today, the district is one of the metropolitan Sydney Olympic Park to Blacktown, and the together with native vegetation. They are area’s most culturally diverse regions. rural lands from Cattai Creek catchment to complemented by a system of parks, Marsden Park. including a number of large regional parks with well developed sport and recreation With less than 800mm of rainfall per year, infrastructure. They include the Western the Cumberland Plain is the driest part of Sydney Parklands, Parramatta Park, Sydney 33 STRATEGIC 1.2 CONTEXT The West Central District includes the Open Space Initiatives Local Government Areas of Auburn, Increased population densities associated Blacktown, Cumberland City, Parramatta with proposed urban renewal areas will and The Hills Shire. The district will place pressure on existing open space. be a significant focus for growth and Greater open space quality, quantity and infrastructure development over the next connections within these areas has the 20 years. potential to improve the quality of life for Parramatta CBD communities and residents beyond the boundaries of any proposed development. Parramatta lies at the heart of the district and forms Sydney’s second CBD. As A number of initiatives are already in set out in A Plan for Growing Sydney, place reflect the strategic objectives of opportunities for urban renewal to the Sydney Green Grid. For example the be investigated in the centre include: Parramatta Cycleway upholds the principle Parramatta CBD, Westmead Health of increasing public access to and along Precinct, Parramatta North, Rydalmere the river foreshore and providing a variety Education Precinct and Camellia. of open space, recreation opportunities and active living connections. The Duck Strategic Centres and the North West River Cycleway has the potential to Growth Centre connect the Parramatta and Georges River Blacktown, Norwest, Castle Hill, Rouse via Salt Pan Creek. Hill Marsden Park and Sydney Olympic These initiatives along with infrastructure Park will support Parramatta as secondary and development projects and providing centres. The district also includes the improved access between centres, northernmost portion of the Western forms an important starting point for the Sydney Employment Lands (WSEL). implementation of the Green Grid strategy Western Sydney Infrastructure across Sydney. Major infrastructure investment will occur With significant population growth in the district. Construction of the Sydney projected across the Sydney Metropolitan Metro Northwest is currently underway region many suburbs will undergo dramatic and will provide a corridor connecting change to the existing character or land- Castle Hill with Rouse Hill and the North use within their region. The integration West Growth Centre (NWGC). Potential of open space with future transport and extension of the Sydney Metro Northwest development projects will contribute to to Marsden Park within the NWGC and increased liveability for communities. on to WSEL and Blacktown is being investigated. The potential Parramatta Light Rail with connections to centres THE VARIOUS AND UNIQUE LANDSCAPES OF SYDNEY ARE Bankstown, Sydney Olympic Park, Castle RECOGNISED AS AN ASSET THAT CAN REINFORCE CHARACTER, Hill and Liverpool. IDENTITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE. DELIVERED ALONGSIDE Urban Renewal Urban renewal and housing growth INFRASTRUCTURE AND URBAN RENEWAL AN ENHANCED NETWORK will be focused around established OF OPEN SPACE AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CAN SERVE TO SHAPE and new centres and along key public transport corridors including the Sydney AND SUPPORT NEW AND EXISTING COMMUNITIES. Metro Northwest, the Western Line, the Cumberland Line, the Carlingford Line, Sydney Rapid Transit and bus T-Ways. The North West Growth Centre and Sydney Metro Northwest will afford the opportunity to ensure new developments provide new open space and integrated networks of pedestrian and cycle connections to accommodate the needs of existing and new residents. 34 THE HILLS SHIRE NORTH KELLYVILLE NORTH WEST PRIORITY GROWTH AREA ROUSE HILL MARSDEN PARK SYDNEY METRO NORTHWEST CASTLE West Central District Location Plan HILL NORWEST BLACKTOWN CITY COUNCIL BLACKTOWN MOUNT DRUITT EPPING LEGEND CITY OF PARRAMATTA COUNCIL Motorway Roads Train Station Rail Line WESTERN Strategic Centre SYDNEY EMPLOYMENT District Centre AREA WESTMEAD WENTWORTH POINT Urban Renewal Corridor GREATER Key Regional Open Space PARRAMATTA GPOP URBAN District Open Space RENEWAL AREA SYDNEY Local Open Space OLYMPIC PARK Private Open Space CUMBERLAND CITY COUNCIL Priority Precincts and WESTERN SYDNEY Priority Growth Areas PRIORITY GROWTH Sydney Metro Northwest AREA SCALE 1:60,000 @ A1 0 1.5 3km Figure WC.2: West Central District LGA Plan 35 WEST CENTRAL PROJECT OPPORTUNITY 1.3 CLUSTERS THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF REGIONAL OPEN SPACE OPPORTUNITIES AS A SERIES OF PROJECT OPPORTUNITY CLUSTERS. IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THESE CLUSTERS FORM A STARTING POINT FOR ENSURING THE MORE GENERALISED DISTRICT STRATEGIES AND ANY FUTURE PROJECT DELIVERY RESPONDS TO THE LOCAL STRATEGIC CONTEXT AND LANDSCAPE CONDITIONS. WC.1.1 THE PARRAMATTA RIVER WC.1.3 NORTHERN AND WESTERN WC.1.6 LAKE PARRAMATTA AND WC.1.8 PROSPECT CREEK AND WC.1.10 ROPES AND SOUTH CREEKS WC.1.12