City of Parramatta Council is calling on the NSW Government to strengthen its 20-year land use plan with a clear vision, ongoing commitments to infrastructure investment and a focus on growing jobs in Parramatta.
The Council has unanimously endorsed its submission on the draft Sydney Plan, saying a strong Parramatta is essential to Greater Sydney’s productivity, equity and resilience.
Lord Mayor, Martin Zaiter (pictured) said while the draft Sydney Plan calls out Parramatta as one of Sydney’s three CBDs, there was an opportunity to enhance the Plan through a stronger alignment to Parramatta’s 2050 vision.
“The next era of Parramatta’s transformation is right on our doorstep, and it is vital that we work in collaboration with the State Government to ensure the draft Sydney Plan includes the building blocks to make our vision a reality,” Lord Mayor Zaiter said.
“While it recognises Parramatta as a CBD, as it stands the draft lacks vision with no clear long-term housing and employment targets, and no commitments to jobs growth or future major transport links beyond Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2A.
“Council has a goal of 150,000 additional jobs by 2050, and there is a clear missed opportunity in the draft Sydney Plan to join with Council in taking the next steps towards planning for this.”
Lord Mayor Zaiter said that without supporting transport, education, health and digital infrastructure, continued jobs growth in Parramatta is put at risk.
“We simply cannot risk continuing a pattern where jobs and jobs growth are heavily concentrated in Eastern Sydney, and commutes for people in Parramatta and Western Sydney are unnecessarily long and painful,” he said.
“Extending Metro West beyond Westmead is pivotal for millions of future travellers to have fast access to frequent public transport to the three CBDs mentioned in the Sydney plan itself.”
The Lord Mayor said Parramatta will be home to more than 450,000 people in 2050 so the final Sydney Plan must balance housing and jobs growth to support long-term economic growth and opportunities for the growing communities of Western Sydney.
“Council is committed to a longer-term housing plan, and we are proud of the planning we are doing, exceeding our housing approval targets.”
“But we must balance housing delivery with city-building because we know that the most liveable cities in the world are built through balanced planning for homes, employment, culture, education, health and civic infrastructure.
“Council has a strong track record of working in collaboration with the NSW Government to strategically plan for and deliver major infrastructure for Parramatta.
“But we haven’t come this far to risk stalling now. This is a pivotal time in the transformation of Parramatta, and we invite the State Government to continue to work with us to deliver on our vision.”
Council has written to the State Government seeking a meeting with NSW Planning Minister, Paul Scully, to discuss opportunities to strengthen the final Sydney Plan, supported by a formal submission to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.
