The draft Master Plan for the Bradfield City Centre has been made available for public feedback, marking a major milestone in the planning of Australia’s biggest economic development projects, at the heart of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
The Bradfield City Centre Master Plan sets out a framework for future development within the new 114-ha city, five times the size of Barangaroo.
The Master Plan is set to position Bradfield City Centre as a centre for innovation, education, and skills development in the heart of Western Sydney.
It is expected to deliver 20,000 direct jobs and is positioned to emerge as Australia’s premier hub for advanced and emerging industries. It is expected to also create up to 10,000 new homes for the people of Western Sydney.
The proposal contains all key areas for a new city, including homes, streets and roads, city blocks, parks and open space, commercial and retail precincts, and the strategies to deliver the required infrastructure.
The development is backed by a more than $1 billion investment from the New South Wales Government and is anticipated to unlock billions more in private investment.
If approved, the Master Plan will outline a staged approach to more than two million square metres gross floor area of development across the city centre, located on the doorstep of the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.
Development has now begun in Bradfield with construction underway including the first stage of a new Advanced Manufacturing and Research Facility (AMRF), with electronics giant Hitachi, an advanced industry hub, due to open in 2024.
This exhibition represents the government “getting its skates on” to provide the vision to establish and grow Bradfield into a world-class city in line with the planned opening of Western Sydney International Airport in 2026.
Following the exhibition period, and if approved, the department expects that finalisation could occur by mid-2024.
Acting New South Wales Premier and Minister for Western Sydney, Prue Car, said that Western Sydney is the third largest regional economy in Australia, with one of the most rapidly growing populations.
“Providing better paid, highly-skilled jobs close to where people live, with the right infrastructure, is key to improving the lives of people in Western Sydney,” Ms Car said.
“This Master Plan shows how investment in the area surrounding the new airport will drive growth and better opportunities for all Western Sydney.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform Western Sydney and can only be realised if we work together to ensure it benefits everyone.”
New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, said that this Master Plan is a draft blueprint for a world-class city that will support Western Sydney Airport, attract investment, house thousands of people, and create thousands of jobs.
“This is the first Master Plan to be publicly exhibited after progressing through the new Aerotropolis master-planning pathway and it’s critical we hear directly from the community and stakeholders as we lay the groundwork for significant infrastructure plans,” Mr Scully said.
“Bradfield City Centre could deliver 10,000 new homes in coming years, making a significant contribution to more, and more diverse, housing supply in Western Parkland City.
“This is about making sure people have a say in how Bradfield best caters for the future needs and desires of residents, workers, and visitors.”