2017 Strategic Business Plan for the Planning Minister’s Corporation OFFICE OF STRATEGIC LANDS STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN November 2017 © Crown Copyright 2017 NSW Government Disclaimer While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that this document is correct at the time of printing, the State of NSW, its agents and employees, disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of anything or the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance or upon the whole or any part of this document. Copyright notice In keeping with the NSW Government’s commitment to encourage the availability of information, you are welcome to reproduce the material that appears in Office of Strategic Lands Strategic Business Plan for personal, in-house or non-commercial use without formal permission or charge. All other rights are reserved. If you wish to reproduce, alter, store or transmit material appearing in the Office of Strategic Lands Strategic Business Plan for any other purpose, a request for formal permission should be directed to: Director of Office of Strategic Lands GPO Box 39, Sydney NSW 2001 Phone: 02 9860 1488 Email: OSL.reception@ planning.nsw.gov.au Cover image: Rouse Hill Regional Park Contents Executive Summary 4 Understanding the unique role of the OSL 6 OSL’s contribution to shaping Sydney 1951-2017 11 OSL’s contribution to shaping Sydney 12 Office of Strategic Lands Map of major acquisitions 18 Office of Strategic Lands List of major acquisitions 20 The case for change 2017 24 Repositioning OSL 25 Strategic Business Plan 2017-2027 27 Vision and value proposition 27 Goals, key directions and actions 31 Enhancing OSL’s operations 38 Funding the Strategic Business Plan 44 Timing and prioritisation 45 Appendices 49 OSL statutory powers and responsibilities 49 Strategic context 52 Strategic Business Plan for the Minister’s Corporation 2017 3 Executive Summary The unique role of the Planning The case for change Minister’s Corporation and Tremendous growth is forecast for Sydney and the Office of Strategic Lands brings increasing challenges of densification, demographic change and housing affordability. The Planning Minister’s Corporation is established Over the next 20 years the population for Greater under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Sydney is estimated to increase by 1.74 million1. Act 1979 (EP & A Act) and is administered by the Office of Strategic Lands (OSL) within the The Government is responding to this challenge. Department of Planning and Environment (DPE). In late 2017, a number of strategic plans will be released creating a multi-disciplinary vision It enables the Planning Minister to make strategic for Sydney. land investments: These include the Greater Sydney Commission’s • that are important to planning for the State; (GSC) final District Plans and Towards Our Greater • beyond the focus of any single agency or Sydney 2056, as well as the Future Transport Plan level of government; and an updated State Infrastructure Strategy. • with time horizons independent of In addition, the Department of Planning and budget cycle; and Environment (DPE) has recently published a number of regional plans to prepare for the • timed to benefit the State’s return on future needs of regions across NSW. investment and manage social impact… This Strategic Business Plan (Plan) is OSL’s …to promote the social and economic welfare of response to, and creates an ongoing foundation the community and a better environment. for, the Government’s strategic vision for Sydney and the regions. It has the authority and some funds to acquire land, and the expertise to improve and repurpose This Plan aligns to current planning priorities of land ahead of its transfer to the ultimate owner. the Premier, DPE and the draft plans of the GSC. To ensure continued alignment with the Contribution to shaping Government’s priorities this plan will be regularly Sydney reviewed and updated as needed. OSL has acquired land to deliver on the strategic planning vision for the Greater Sydney for more than 60 years. Its considerable contribution includes: • providing significant open space for regional and national parks, the reservation of harbour foreshore areas and beach headlands, as well as capital investments to improve lands; • acquiring land for major road and rail corridors such as the M5, M2 and M7 and the North West and South West Rail Link Corridors; and • enabling public places such as Rouse Hill Town Centre, acquiring land for Western Sydney University and Macquarie University and sites for key Olympic facilities. 4 Strategic Business Plan for the Minister’s Corporation 2017 The Strategic Business Plan Funding the Strategic The Plan sets the direction for OSL for the next Business Plan 10 years, focusing on the first five years. The Plan OSL currently funds its acquisition program considers the statutory powers of OSL, builds on through the divestment of surplus lands, the its expertise and aligns activities to Government Sydney Region Development Fund (SRDF) and priorities. It clarifies and expands OSL’s goals and debt financing. extends its reach to the regions of NSW. Additional funding will need to be secured to The three goals are: deliver this Plan for Sydney and regional NSW. 1. Key role in the delivery of the Green Grid; Options include the creation of regional development funds, bio-banking credits, grants 2. Support the delivery of strategic and debt financing and other mechanisms as infrastructure; and agreed by the Government. 3. Enable the Government’s strategic planning priorities. Eleven key directions support the delivery of the goals, which are in turn underpinned by actions and internal implementation roadmaps. Enhancing operations Strong engagement with partners, close integration with DPE and robust governance mechanisms will be critical to the successful delivery of the plan. OSL will develop performance measures and targets to track its achievement against the Plan and enhance its public reporting. Strategic Business Plan for the Minister’s Corporation 2017 5 Understanding the unique role of the OSL The Planning Minister’s Corporation enables The Planning Minister’s the Minister to make strategic land investments: Corporation enables the • that are important to planning for Minister to make strategic the State; land investments • beyond the focus of any single agency The Planning Minister’s Corporation is or level of government; established under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) and is • with time horizons independent of administered by the OSL within the DPE. The Act budget cycle; and provides OSL with broad powers to acquire land, subdivide and consolidate land, manage, • timed to benefit the State’s return on improve, lease and sell land, and otherwise deal investment and manage social with land for the purposes of the EP&A Act. impact… … to promote the social and economic welfare …that are important to of the community and a better environment. planning for the State… It has the authority and some funds to acquire land, and the expertise to improve and The purposes of the EP&A Act include the repurpose land ahead of its transfer to the provision of land for public purpose such as ultimate owner. green space, roads and rail corridors, protection of the environment, economic use and development of land, provision of communication and utility services, provision of community facilities and provision of affordable housing. ...beyond the focus of any single agency or level of government… Reflecting the Minister’s responsibilities for the strategic planning for the State, investments may enable projects with important benefits beyond the responsibility of a single agency or level of government, e.g. biodiversity corridor or unlocking land with multiple owners. A cross functional perspective also provides the opportunity to align strategic plans across agencies. …with time horizons independent of the budget cycle… OSL can acquire or divest identified land, enabling it to secure land for medium or long-term projects. Top: Harold Reid Reserve; Right: Sydney International Equestrian Centre 6 Strategic Business Plan for the Minister’s Corporation 2017 …timed to benefit the State’s It has the authority and some return on investment and funds to acquire land… manage social impact… OSL may acquire land by agreement, compulsory Early acquisition of land for future projects process or any other manner. Its activities are enables the Government to capture value in a primarily funded via the SRDF. However, it is able market where land values are increasing. It also to use additional funds or finance mechanisms as manages social impacts in high growth areas, agreed by Government. The development of allowing communities time to adjust to proposed alternative funding mechanisms will be an important changed uses of land for public purposes. outcome of the implementation of this Plan. …to promote the social and …and the expertise to economic welfare of the improve and repurpose land community and a better ahead of its transfer to the environment ultimate owner Consistent with the objects of the EP&A Act, OSL OSL manages and improves land for its intended pursues investments that facilitate a public planning outcome. This may involve rezoning, benefit. In particular, green space to provide land amalgamation, removing or constructing amenity, recreation or protect ecological values, buildings, providing or relocating utilities and land for transport corridors and land for specific constructing roads. planning purposes, e.g. catalyst projects. Once improvements are complete and/or the agency is ready to commence its project, OSL transfers land to the ultimate owner, e.g. local councils for green space or Department of Education for schools. Top: Putney Park; Right: South-west Rail 8 Strategic Business Plan for the Minister’s Corporation 2017 OSL’s contribution to shaping Sydney 1951-2017 For 66 years OSL has been acquiring land for 66 the benefit of Greater years Sydney.