More than 200,000 jobs will be created whilst up to $100 billion may be invested in infrastructure over 20 years in Western Sydney as the NSW Government releases plans for one of the biggest employment booms in Sydney’s history.

The Government has released draft precinct plans for five precincts associated with the Western Sydney Aerotropolis which will surround the new Western Sydney Airport and will form a central part of the Western Parklands City.

It has also released plans which outline new infrastructure requirements along with a proposal for a special levy on new developments to fund local infrastructure.

The Western Parklands City is part of the Greater Sydney Commission’s plans to transform the Sydney Metropolitan Area into a city of ‘three cities’ by 2040 and to move away from reliance on the Sydney CBD as a source of economic activity and employment.

Currently home to around 740,000 people as of the 2016 Census, the areas’ population is expected to reach 1.1 million in 2036 and 1.5 million by 2056.

The central part of the new city will be the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, which will surround the new Western Sydney International Airport set to open in 2026 and will form a global Gateway which will leverage off the airport and surrounding infrastructure projects to become a major economic powerhouse.

Ariel view of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis (artist impression)

Draft plans for five precincts (see map below) have been released.

These are:

1.The Aerotropolis Core precinct.

Sitting immediately to the south-east of the airport (see map), this will be the central hub of activity.

Framed around the planned Aerotropolis Metro station, it will be a dense urban precinct that will support up to 50,000 to 60,000 jobs in areas such as advanced manufacturing, research and development, professional services, creative industries and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) focused educational facilities, and will facilitate the emerging aerospace and defence industries.

To facilitate innovation, business incubator hubs and shared office workspaces will also be featured.

A civic plaza may be constructed to support the Metro arrival experience.

2.The Badgerys Creek Precinct.

Immediately north-east of the airport, this will which directly support airport operations and will transform lower density and less intensive land uses and buildings to higher order employment-focused on technology, advanced manufacturing and industry uses with the opportunity for between 9,000 – 11,000 jobs

Lying directly beneath the flight path of approaching aircraft, this precinct will not be suitable for noise sensitive land uses such as residential housing.

3.The Wianamatta-South-Creek Precinct

Sitting east of the airport and north of the Aerotropolis Core, this will form the ‘green spine’ of the Aerotropolis and will be located along the broader Wianamatta-South Creek Corridor.

Defined as an environment and recreation zone, this area will provide an interconnected blue-green corridor for parks, sporting fields, waterways and potential permanent water bodies, walking and trials and community facilities. It will accommodate environmental and recreation functions including water flows, ecology and biodiversity functions as well as recreation and separate cycle routes.

Wianamatta South Creek (image supplied)

4. Northern Gateway Precinct

To the north, the Northern Gateway precinct which will serve as a major airport interface and will be a source of employment in areas such as freight and logistics, warehousing, technology, commercial enterprise, offices, industry, creative industry, fresh food markets, education, civic, health, visitor accommodation, recreation and entertainment.

Northern Gateway precinct

5. The Agribusiness Precinct

South-west of the airport adjacent to the Metropolitan Rural Area and framed by the proposed Outer Sydney Orbital road, this will be an agribusiness focused area and will offer access points to the airport for the development of agribusiness hubs.

These will include an Integrated Logistics Hub, Airport, Integrated Intensive Production Hub, Australia Centre of Excellence in Food Innovation, Fresh Product and Value-Added Food – Pharma Hub.

In addition to the precinct plans, the government has released the Greater Sydney Commission developed Place-based Infrastructure Compact which details infrastructure needed to construct the new city.

According to this document, as much as $100 billion could be needed in infrastructure overall over a 20-year period.

This includes major works the new Airport and Aerotropolis, the North-South Rail Link which will extend rail from St Marys station to the airport and Aerotropolis, a potential new east-west mass transit corridor that will connect the Western Parkland City to the Central River City and a potential Outer Sydney Orbital that will provide the city with direct connections to Greater Newcastle, Wollongong and Canberra. It also includes enabling water, electricity, gas, smart digital infrastructure, schools, health hubs, sporting fields, waterways, open space, emergency services and places for arts and culture.

At a local level, around $1.1 billion worth of funding for local infrastructure will be raised through a Special Infrastructure Contribution on new developments.

This, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said, would help to avoid mistakes of the past where cities and suburbs have been constructed without adequate planning for infrastructure or how infrastructure is funded.

Western Sydney Aerotropolis map

Stokes says the plans deliver a strong foundation for the region.

“After more than two years of planning and community consultation, we are shaping a strong vision for a new city with green neighbourhoods within 30 minutes of jobs and the necessary infrastructure to support growth,” he said.

The Precinct Plans along with plans for the Special Infrastructure Contribution and the Place-based Infrastructure Compact are on display until 18 December.

The public can have their say at www.planning.nsw.gov.au/aerotropolis.