Fewer properties will need to be acquired for the Western Sydney Airport aerotropolis following the state government decision to reduce the amount of land earmarked for open space by 42 percent and an environment and recreation zoning by a third.
The about face has been given the thumbs up by some, while others have expressed concerns not all of the problems surrounding the establishment of the aerotropolis have been fixed.
Anne Stanley, the federal member for Werriwa, and Liverpool City councillor and mayoral candidate Nathan Hagarty, have cautiously welcomed the changes to the open space zone.
“These changes are a massive win for the community and for the individual landowners who were subject to uncertainty for too long,” Ms Stanley said.
“Following the State Government’s admission of failure with the original planning, I welcome these changes.
“However, it must not be forgotten that the concerns of the landowners should have been answered from day one.
“The landowners were not treated with due dignity and respect by this State Liberal Government and have suffered months on end without knowing what the future would hold for them.
“I am proud of everyone in my community who made a submission to the Independent Community Commissioner, and I commend the landowners on the work they have put in over the last two years.
“I hope that in the future, the needs of the community will come first.”
Councillor Hagarty said the proposed amount of open space in the initial plans was simply unworkable.
“This is a sensible set of changes and will provide some welcome relief for landowners. I congratulate all the landowners on the hard work they have put in to get to this point,’’ he said.
“There is still plenty of work to be done to ensure the State Government follows through on this commitment.
“We also need timely and adequately funded land acquisitions. I will continue to support landowners in their struggle as I have done since day one.”
Liverpool City and Penrith councils meanwhile have expressed concerns relating to the planning for the aerotropolis.
They say key details such as infrastructure, stormwater, development contribution plans and master planning guidelines are not covered in proposed changes to the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) now on public exhibition.
Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller says that both councils agree with the findings and recommendation from the Independent Community Commissioner Professor Roberta Ryan that community consultation should be open and transparent.
“It goes without saying that the community should have a voice, however we believe that exhibiting an incomplete package to garner feedback will mean the community is not getting the full picture of how this new city will be planned, built and maintained moving forward,’’ she said.
Submissions to the exhibition close on November 5, which the councils say does not give stakeholders enough time.
“Planning a new city is an incredibly complex task, and this process proves that nothing is finalised without community consultation,” said planning minister Rob Stokes, who announced the reductions in land for open space and recreation.
“We’ve listened to the community and the recommendations of the Independent Community Commissioner Professor Roberta Ryan, and reduced the amount of land earmarked for open space or an environment and recreation zoning,’’ he said.
“We will still achieve our vision for a Western Parkland City under these proposed changes, while allowing landowners to continue using their property as they do now.
“This means fewer properties needing to be acquired while still ensuring 95 per cent of homes in the Aerotropolis will be within five-minutes’ walk of open space,’’ he said.
The revised open space network will see 16 per cent of land in the initial precincts (869 hectares) acquired for parks and public spaces.
Under the proposed SEPP amendments, the environment and recreation zone at Wianamatta-South Creek will be reduced by a third and a rural zoning re-applied.
Previously permitted land uses would also be reintroduced in the aerotropolis and the government will consider options for the future of Luddenham.
The public exhibition includes proposed changes to the Aerotropolis SEPP; the draft Phase 2 Development Control Plan; and the Luddenham Village Discussion Paper. Submissions will be accepted November 5.
For more information, visit: www.planning.nsw.gov.au/aerotropolis
What about some fairness on the land owners that are not in the aerotropolis zone but have had there land uses changed? I’m in Silverdale.I put my DA in with Wollondilly Council in October 2020 to dual occupy my 28 acres. Prior to purchasing my block in 2019 I visited Council on many occasions to confirm we could dual occupy our block (we purchased with our son & amp; daughter in law) I have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on improving our land, installing an agricultural shed, fencing, draftsperson fees, various reports that were requested by council including 2 environmental reports all to be told on 23rd March that the rules have changed and we can no longer dual occupy our block due to the ANEC. Our current ANEC is <20 although in the year 2063 our land moves into the 20-25 ANEC bracket. Silverdale has 3 new subdivisions with hundreds of houses being built on 450sqm – 750sqm blocks. Wollondilly council have advised that we can build 1 x 7 bedroom, 4 bathroom home but not 1 x 4 bedroom & 1 x 3 bedroom homes. Either way the same amount of people will live on this 28 acre block and the same amount of people will hear the planes in 2063. Apparently not all of Silverdale will hear the planes. Just a few special blocks. It took Council nearly 6 months to advise (realise) that we could no longer dual occupy. We put our DA in on 20/10/20 council didn’t advise us until 23/3/2021 that we could no longer dual occupy. We are owner builders and sold our family home in Silverdale in February 2021, with a expected start of our new build in May 2021. Our family home settled on 6/4/21, We have had to live in our agricultural shed since settlement. Council have since visited our block to inform us we can not reside in the shed and have issued ‘stop’ use orders to us. Oh the irony! If Council had advised us when we first submitted our DA in October 2020 that we couldn’t dual occupy our block we would never have sold our family home and wouldn’t be living in our shed. I’d like to know how NSW Planning can change land usage when they haven’t even (or won’t) release the flight paths. The mind boggles at how stupid the State Government are.
Badgerys creek community have been deceived by implementing open space and storm water ways . Never it was highlighted in the first phase of the DCP. Nsw planning department decide to dump this problem in Badgerys Creek after what happened to the other Precint. People are very upset and stressed. People who lived here before the airport site was bought. The area was devalued for 4 decades and now this is dumped in our Precint.
Back of Badgerys creek was always water affected because of the creek..common sense that it would have storm water system there..where else would it go