The Department of Planning has re-activated some long dormant and long promised work on employment lands. In the past, the Urban Taskforce has been critical of the failure of the Department to resume work in this area.
An Employment Lands Development Program Overview Report has now been released. In brief terms the report says that 205 hectares of employment land was developed in the year to January 2010, but this was down from 264 hectares in the previous year. The report states that there is 15,370 hectares of existing zoned employment lands across Sydney and the Central Coast, with 71 per cent already developed. Apparently, of the 4,480 hectares of undeveloped land, 900 hectares is “serviced” and “ready for development” giving Sydney around three years supply. The Government says that they are working to provide 5 to 7 years supply of serviced employment land.
The report is available here. More information generally is here. Maps identifying employment lands are here.
NSW Planning Minister, Tony Kelly, has appointed an Employment Lands Taskforce to advise on strategies, policies and implementation actions to secure orderly development of employment lands in NSW. The taskforce will help:
- ensurie adequate land is zoned and serviced for employment; and
- develop policies and strategies to improve the coordination, delivery, servicing and accessibility of employment lands.
The Urban Taskforce’s Aaron Gadiel is a member of the Employment Lands Taskforce, as are key government agency heads. The first meeting will be on 3 March 2011.
