THE WORK SO FAR The Government has already commenced elements of the Metropolitan Strategy addressing water use and management, the reform of local and State planning systems, planning for the new growth centres in Sydney's west and the Western Sydney Parklands. These important elements are integrated into the Strategy. PLANNING REFORM A major overhaul of the NSW planning system was announced in 2004. The reforms:
Planning reforms will deliver sustainable development while still preserving public participation. The reforms mean the Metropolitan Strategy actions and recommendations can be delivered in a timely and strategic way, across Government. There is particular emphasis on planning reform in Implementation and Governance. METROPOLITAN WATER PLAN The supply of water to Sydney is one of the city's key challenges and has an impact on every aspect of the Metropolitan Strategy. In 2004, the Government released the Metropolitan Water Plan, Meeting the Challenges and Securing Sydney's Water Future, which charts the city's course towards a sustainable and secure water system for people and rivers over the next 25 years. Considering both the needs of Sydney's residents, and Sydney's environment, the $1.4 billion strategy will ensure Sydney's water future through optimising water supplies from the existing system, as well as ensuring that Government, industry and households reduce their water use to sustainable levels. The Water Plan addresses:
The Plan's aims are integrated into the Metropolitan Strategy sustainability targets, and its provisions, such as water recycling, are incorporated across the Metropolitan Strategy's actions. WESTERN SYDNEY PARKLANDS In 2004, the Government announced the Western Sydney Parklands - one of the biggest, publicly owned urban parklands in the world. The Parklands will provide Sydney with a vast conservation and recreation haven equivalent in size to 25 Centennial Parks. With the new North West and South West growth centres, and Parramatta, Penrith and Liverpool growing to be Sydney's three regional cities, the Parklands will meet the recreation and open space needs of a growing population in Western Sydney. The Western Sydney Parklands is the culmination of 30 years of planning and is a key example of the benefits of planning for the future needs of the city. The planning for the Parklands is integral to the Metropolitan Strategy, especially in the Parks and Public Places and Environment and Resources Strategies. MANAGING SYDNEY'S GROWTH CENTRES In June 2005, the plans for Managing Sydney's Growth Centres were placed on exhibition. The Plans are one of the major directions of the Metropolitan Strategy. Recognising that the city requires over 23,700 new homes each year, yet needs to manage its urban footprint, the Government released plans for new communities in Sydney's South West and North West which will eventually house 160,000 dwellings. The growth centres, combined with existing land release programs, will provide between 30 to 40 per cent of new housing over the next 25 to 30 years. The requirements of new communities of this size must be considered within the context of the entire city's needs. The Growth Centres Plans outline the development of an estimated $7.8 billion of infrastructure, including roads, rail, bus networks, educational and health services, all linked to the staged release of land for new homes. The planning, infrastructure and services of the North West and South West growth centres are considered throughout the Metropolitan Strategy, and are integral to the development of, and access to, housing and jobs in key regional cities and major centres in Western Sydney |