Western Sydney corridors Summary document Transport for NSW March 2018 2 | Western Sydney corridors | Summary document | March 2018 Contents 1. Introduction 4 1.1 About this document 5 1.2 The corridors 6 2. Corridor protection process 8 2.1 Future property acquisition 9 2.2 Next steps 9 3. Why the corridors are needed 10 3.1 Existing policies and strategic planning 10 3.2 Western Sydney: the big picture 13 3.3 Western Sydney’s centres and growth areas 16 3.3.1 Metropolitan city cluster 16 3.3.2 Strategic centres 18 3.3.3 Industrial lands 19 3.3.4 Growth areas 19 3.4 Transport implications 20 3.5 General constraints 22 4. The corridors and their components 23 4.1 North South Rail Line and South West Rail Link Extension corridors 23 4.1.1 Consultation 23 4.1.2 Consideration of constraints 24 4.1.3 Recommended corridor and rationale for decision 24 4.1.4 Potential of protected corridor 26 Front cover: Looking north over Western Sydney towards Castlereagh and Ropes Crossing in the distance Image credit: Spatial Media Western Sydney corridors | Summary document | March 2018 | 3 4.2 Outer Sydney Orbital 26 4.2.1 Consultation 27 4.2.2 Consideration of constraints 27 4.2.3 Recommended corridor and rationale for decision 29 4.2.4 Potential of protected corridor 29 4.3 Bells Line of Road – Castlereagh Connection 29 4.3.1 Consultation 29 4.3.2 Consideration of constraints 31 4.3.3 Recommended corridor and rationale for decision 31 4.3.4 Potential of protected corridor 33 4.4 Western Sydney Freight Line 33 4.4.1 Consultation 34 4.4.2 Consideration of constraints 34 4.4.3 Recommended corridor and rationale for decision 35 4.4.4 Potential of protected corridor 35 5. Engagement 37 5.1 Providing feedback 37 5.2 After consultation 38 6. Conclusion 39 4 | Western Sydney corridors | Summary document | March 2018 1. Introduction A growing population and transitioning economy is transforming the way Greater Sydney functions. The city has generally looked east, with the A whole-of-government response is identifying transport system using the CBD on the harbour corridors that will, in the longer term, provide as its focus. This has led to increasing congestion, for essential transport infrastructure to support longer commutes and more expensive and Western Sydney’s growth, provide better freight inefficient freight movements. connections and service the growing population in Greater Sydney. As the city grows, its structure must change. The NSW Government wants Greater Sydney to Protecting these corridors now will minimise be a productive, liveable and sustainable city that disruption to current and future landowners when offers more opportunities and better lifestyles for construction starts, while providing certainty for more people. Western Sydney will be essential as landowners and potential buyers that their current the home of new communities and an exceptional land uses can continue, possibly for many years. catalyst for growth: the Western Sydney Airport. Corridor protection is now essential in the face of The Airport motivates a new approach to the rapid urban development in designated growth way Greater Sydney functions in terms of where areas and other planned precincts. The South people live, where they work and the places they West, North West, Western Sydney Airport, Greater visit. The Greater Sydney Region Plan identifies Macarthur and Wilton growth areas will each be a Western Parkland City that will bring new, home to vast new communities, transforming contemporary industries within easy access of Western Sydney. These communities must have the diverse and sustainable communities, waterways infrastructure the corridors can provide for in the and World Heritage-listed bushland. future; protecting the corridors now, and integrating the planning for the corridors and growth areas, will With the Western Parkland City’s growth, an ensure a sustainable transformation. unprecedented increase in the number of freight movements in and through Greater Sydney and throughout NSW will require connections between Western Sydney, regional NSW, and the freight network that includes the Port of Newcastle, Port Botany and Port Kembla. In Western Sydney alone, the total volume of freight with an origin or destination in the region is expected to more than double from 65 million tonnes in 2016 to 155 million tonnes in 2056. Western Sydney corridors | Summary document | March 2018 | 5 1.1 About this document More information on the public consultation program and how to provide feedback is available in Chapter 5. This document summarises the findings of Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) that set out The work to identify and protect infrastructure the strategic justification for four Western Sydney corridors recognises the importance of corridors. It provides a top-level description of the understanding longer-term (40+ years) planning growth and change in Western Sydney, Greater scenarios. This work also recognises that corridor Sydney and regional NSW, what this means for identification and protection has direct implications transport planning, and the key processes and for the landowners and communities who live or recommendations for each of the four corridors. work in or near the corridors. The information in this document has been informed by consultation with It has been released for public consultation landowners, communities and relevant stakeholders. alongside a Discussion Paper produced by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment that introduces the statutory instrument to protect the corridors, as well as the SEAs that this document summarises. Looking south west from St Marys towards Orchard Hills Image credit: Spatial Media 6 | Western Sydney corridors | Summary document | March 2018 1.2 The corridors This will support: • the separation of freight and passenger rail We have identified four proposed long-term services to both improve the reliability and transport corridors, referred to as the Western capacity of passenger rail and meet future rail Sydney corridors. These are the Bells Line of Road – freight needs and economic competitiveness Castlereagh Connection corridor; the Outer Sydney • a decrease in the number of truck movements Orbital corridor; the North South Rail Line/South on Greater Sydney’s roads, with benefits for air West Rail Link Extension corridors; and the Western quality, congestion and safety Sydney Freight Line corridor. • reduced road congestion and commute times The corridors protect land for future transport infrastructure that will offer different travel • economic growth and job creation and transport options for different purposes to • east-west and north-south movements and meet future demand. As either major motorway, connections to existing and growing areas passenger rail or freight rail infrastructure, the of Western Sydney, including between the infrastructure will integrate with the arterial road growth areas. network and planned and existing rail networks, and connect with local roads and other transport The Western Sydney corridors are, therefore, services such as bus networks and walking and integral to the future prosperity of Western Sydney, cycling networks. Greater Sydney, and the people and businesses south to the Illawarra, and north through to the Central Coast and the Hunter Region. Collectively, they represent some 200 kilometres of new corridors, ranging from 40 to 300 metres wide depending on local conditions and requirements. Looking north over Western Sydney towards Castlereagh and Ropes Crossing in the distance Image credit: Spatial Media Western Sydney corridors | Summary document | March 2018 | 7 Figure 1. The Western Sydney corridors Transport for NSW is currently consulting on other transport corridors across Western Sydney. For more information visit transport.nsw.gov.au/corridors 8 | Western Sydney corridors | Summary document | March 2018 2. Corridor protection process The development of new transport infrastructure can be complex and take many years. Protecting the corridors now from future urban development will lessen disruption to people and the environment while making the best use of public resources. This is especially relevant given the pace of urban • Aboriginal heritage and non-Aboriginal heritage development – for example, Oran Park in the South • landscape character and visual amenity West Growth Area was only released for precinct planning in 2007; in 2016 it was already home to • water quality and hydrology more than 5,000 people. • traffic and transport While the land may not be built on for many years, protecting corridors now will ensure the • soils, geology and contamination communities of the future, and the Airport, are • noise and vibration serviced by new transport infrastructure at the right time. • socio-economic impacts. Corridor protection requires an understanding of In this regard, corridor investigation is influenced by forecast growth and requirements over a longer objectives to, wherever possible: term planning horizon to influence planning decisions today. It also considers how current • minimise impacts on communities and networks are used, identifying areas of congestion, the environment times of travel, and where people and goods travel • minimise impacts on residential areas including to and from. villages, new communities and housing areas With this knowledge, we can identify and protect • minimise the impact on ecologically transport corridors now, so that future generations significant areas can access efficient transport