The NSW Government has announced changes to proposed Western Sydney growth corridors following community consultation.
The proposed corridors aim to help support growth of Western Sydney over the next 20 years.
Minister for Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, said the changes will reduce the total number of properties impacted from 1247 to 825 and halve the number of residential dwellings impacted from 399 to 200.
“We received constructive feedback from right across the community via the online mapping tool, email, phone calls and community sessions,” Mr Ayres said.
“We have listened to feedback and will continue to make refinements to the exhibited corridors as we work through the submissions made during the exhibition.”
The NSW Government has announced it will:
- Continue with the previously gazetted 1951 corridor for the Bells Line of Road Castlereagh Connection
- Relinquish the section of previously exhibited Bells Line of Road corridor from Castlereagh to Kurrajong Heights
- Provide for a future tunnel of approximately ten kilometres from north of Cobbitty Road, Cobbitty to south-east of Cawdor Road, Cawdor to minimise the impact of the Outer Sydney Orbital on communities at Cobbitty, Brownlow Hill, Grasmere and Ellis Lane
- Relinquish the section of the Outer Sydney Orbital north of Richmond Road while continuing to work with the Department of Planning and Environment and local councils on future options, with a view of mitigating any further impact on homes.
There has also been a reduction on the impact on private residences and properties by making more use of Government owned land.
NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, Melinda Pavey, said, “These changes reflect the voice of the community, in particular the decision to continue with the corridor connection around Castlereagh and the commitment to building a tunnel on the Outer Sydney Orbital from north of Cobbitty Road to south-east of Cawdor Road.”
“Today’s announcement means these communities have certainty.
“The consultation process has provided transport planners with a great deal of local knowledge and insight. A number of suggested minor adjustments to the proposed corridors will be investigated, and where technically feasible, will be adopted,” Ms Pavey said.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Andrew Constance, also announced the Government is allocating $100 million over two years to undertake initial property acquisitions for those who want to sell their land following the rezoning process.
“The Government is willing to sit down and have a conversation with any property owner interested in the option of selling,” Mr Constance said.
Any requested acquisition of rezoned properties would be under the recently revised and improved land acquisition process overseen by the Centre for Property Acquisition.
The State Government has stated that it will not gazette the remaining corridors until further refinements of the alignment are considered with affected property owners and communities.
