PIA applauds the long awaited release today by the Greater Sydney Commission of a plan to integrate strategic land use planning with infrastructure and investment. The Growth Infrastructure Compacts is a new concept and mechanism to achieve this principle which will be embedded into state government policies to achieve the direction of a “city supported by Infrastructure”.
The announcement that this integration of land use and infrastructure will occur by collaboration through the levels and agencies of government and the community in Greater Sydney is welcomed.
PIA NSW has strongly argued for the management of growth with local and state infrastructure in all submissions on the District Plans, Regional Plans and the EP&A planning reforms.
“Collaborative planning to ascertain the vision for identified areas for growth is critical and must include all levels of Government. This type of collaboration when planning for the land use together with the funding and staging of infrastructure has been successful in cities worldwide, with the best cases in urban renewal” say PIA NSW President, Jenny Rudolph
With regards to the Directions for a Greater Sydney 2017-2056 also released today, the leadership shown by GSC is respected, however GSC should also coordinate the implementation, otherwise the outcomes will never occur. If GSC will not be involved in implementation, then one direction that is missing from the 10 common guiding principles that will help navigate the future of Greater Sydney principles, is governance and delivery.
PIA NSW agrees with the principles set out in the Directions for a Greater Sydney. PIA NSW President states that “We have been concerned about the housing supply discussions over the past 12 months that have lacked a strong link to strategic planning. Planning for growth along the lines of these ten guiding principles is necessary not just to supply housing and jobs but to ensure growth occurs in the right places with the right outcomes for our communities. This must include affordable housing and rental housing targets.”
PIA calls to be involved further as both of these documents are implemented. The development of the criteria for the Growth Infrastructure Compacts as well as the sequencing is critical to good town planning.