The Minister for Planning and Housing, Anthony Roberts, has issued a formal order for the merger of two Greater Sydney Districts to better facilitate planning around the Western Sydney Airport.
The new Western City District encompasses eight local council areas from north of the Hawkesbury River to Bargo in the south and west into the Blue Mountains. All eight local councils were consulted about the change, and have given it their unanimous support.
Greater Sydney Commission’s Deputy Chief Commissioner and Economic Commissioner, Geoff Roberts, has been appointed Interim Commissioner for Western City District. Commissioner Roberts has been advising government on the City Deal negotiations for the Western Sydney Airport region and will step into the interim role while the Minister consults with local stakeholders on a permanent appointment.
The Greater Sydney Commission is currently working to develop a new draft District Plan for Western City District. All feedback and submissions on the draft District Plans for West and South West Districts will be taken into consideration in the new draft plan.
The Commission would like to thank District Commissioners Sheridan Dudley (South West) and Sean O’Toole (West) for their contribution and commitment to their Districts from the establishment of the Greater Sydney Commission 18 months ago.
Ms Dudley and Mr O’Toole will continue to provide their expertise as consultants, staying on to chair their Collaboration Area stakeholder groups for Liverpool and Penrith respectively and provide ongoing advice to Geoff Roberts and the Commission.
The Minister is also taking the opportunity to rename the Central and West Central Districts to provide greater clarity around their location within the “Three Cities” vision.
This does not affect the current District Commissioner appointments or District boundaries.
The Greater Sydney Districts now become:
- Western City District (formerly called the South West District and West District) – local government areas of Camden, Blue Mountains, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Penrith, and Wollondilly
- Central City District (formerly called the West Central District) – local government areas of Blacktown, Cumberland, Parramatta and The Hills
- Eastern City District (formerly called the Central District) – local government areas of Bayside, Burwood, Canada Bay, Inner West, Randwick, Strathfield, Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra
- North District (unchanged) – local government areas of Hornsby, Hunter’s Hill, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, Northern Beaches, Ryde and Willoughby
- South District (unchanged) – local government areas of Canterbury-Bankstown, Georges River and Sutherland.