The NSW Government has appointed Infrastructure NSW to coordinate the infrastructure to support housing, energy, and freight, logistics, and employment priorities around the new Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
The government said that it has listened to concerns from local leaders, businesses, local government and stakeholders regarding delays to the delivery of essential infrastructure exacerbated by a lack of coordination.
This new direction, to be led by the state’s Infrastructure Coordinator General, Tom Gellibrand, will see Infrastructure New South Wales take on the responsibility to coordinate infrastructure around the aerotropolis.
Infrastructure New South Wales will lead three immediate areas of work that require better collaboration between agencies to resolve issues:
- Infrastructure to support employment priorities: focus on freight logistics and employment-related development in Western Sydney and the Aerotropolis
- Infrastructure to support housing priorities: supporting housing development as per New South Wales housing targets and housing reforms as well as the National Housing Accord
- Support the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap: coordination of enabling and complementary infrastructure essential for delivery of energy and transmission while supporting thriving local communities across New South Wales
Infrastructure NSW also has ‘step in’ powers if required to actively resolve roadblocks or disagreements between agencies in delivery.
The Western Parkland City Authority will be renamed as the Bradfield Development Authority to be led by incoming CEO, Ken Morrison.
The Bradfield Development Authority will focus solely on delivering Bradfield Town Centre and supporting investment attraction within the aerotropolis.
This follows significant steps taken by the government to ensure infrastructure delivery is aligned with planning and development processes.
New South Wales Premier, Chris Minns, said that from increasing housing supply across the state to delivering critical infrastructure across Western Sydney, the State Government is committed to cutting red tape and getting the state moving again.
“The area around Western Sydney Airport deserves to be an employment hub that is connected to growing regions across Sydney and these changes will help deliver this,” Mr Minns said.
New South Wales Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney, Prue Car, said that the aerotropolis is vital to the future of Western Sydney.
“We need to work together in a more coordinated way to deliver what will be a game changer for the region,” Ms Car said.
New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, said that it is essential that all parts of government are working together to support the delivery of homes, jobs and the energy transition.
“Today’s announcement creates a whole-of-government coordination of infrastructure decision making which will help to get the greatest benefits from the successful development of the aerotropolis for residents and businesses in Western Sydney,” Mr Scully said.
“Infrastructure NSW will now be tasked with developing a sector plan for the Aerotropolis to identify the type, location, and timing of infrastructure required to support the master plan and zoning for the broad Aerotropolis area.”
Infrastructure NSW CEO, Tom Gellibrand, said that he is proud to support the New South Wales Government priorities of increasing housing supply, enabling the transition of the energy supply, and coordinating infrastructure to support the delivery of the aerotropolis.
“Today’s announcement strengthens the role Infrastructure NSW has already been playing in coordinating infrastructure delivery for the people of New South Wales,” Mr Gellibrand said.
“We will continue to work with agencies, to improve the whole-of-government coordination of infrastructure delivery to support housing and population growth across the state, as well as coordinating infrastructure to support the aerotropolis.”
Image: Taras Vyshnya/shutterstock.com
