The New South Wales Government has launched its first-ever metropolitan plan aimed at growth in Greater Newcastle.
Minister for Planning and Housing, Anthony Roberts, said the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan was the first metropolitan plan prepared outside a capital city in Australia and was the key to unlocking the future of Greater Newcastle.
“With strong connections to Northern NSW and Sydney, Newcastle is already acknowledged globally as dynamic, entrepreneurial and desirable, a national leader in the new economy and a true global gateway city.
“The new Metropolitan Plan builds on our existing $650 million investment in the transformation of this great waterfront city to create more job opportunities, new housing and attractive public spaces connected to better transport.
“Through a project called Revitalising Newcastle, we are providing more education and affordable housing opportunities, the Newcastle Interchange, a new multi-modal transport interchange at Wickham in the city’s west and wire-free light rail between Newcastle Interchange and Pacific Park, just 200m from Newcastle Beach.
“The new Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan puts the strategy firmly in place to attract more businesses and skilled workers, and to maximise the commercial business opportunities of the Port of Newcastle and Newcastle’s expanding airport, bringing greater exports and critical tourism capital.
“The Plan will also allow Greater Newcastle and the Hunter to leverage growing demand in Asia for agricultural produce, increasing environmental tourism and greater demand for educational opportunities and innovation in medical research.”
Mr Roberts said the Plan also sets out Greater Newcastle’s vision to be an inter-connected lifestyle city with a strong emphasis on liveability, local jobs within 30 minutes of home, and ready access to open space and recreation areas.
“The release of this plan demonstrates the NSW Government’s firm commitment to bring Greater Newcastle’s lifestyle city vision to life.”
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald, said the Plan would help facilitate greater collaboration between State and local government as Greater Newcastle grows over the next 20 years.