19 November 2008
Todays announcement by the NSW Government that it will update draft planning strategies for North West and South West Sydney was an opportunity to support $2 billion in new job-creating development in Western Sydney, according to the Urban Taskforce.
Now that the North West Metro and the South West Rail Link have been thrown out, we need past promises on Western Sydney jobs to be delivered, Mr Gadiel said.
Western Sydney could become the jobs centre of NSW radically improving the lives of the regions 1.6 million residents.
If we cant bring residents of Western Sydney to the jobs, then we must bring the jobs to Western Sydney.
The new strategies for the North West and South West must now rezone Western Sydney Employment Lands Investigation Area for development as a matter of urgency.
By creating tens of thousands of new local jobs in Western Sydney, locals will enjoy the benefits of less time spent travelling and more time with their friends and family.
Everyone in Sydney will win with reduced pressure on the existing congested public transport and roads.
We welcome the governments commitment to look beyond the traditional manufacturing industries and embrace business parks, offices and retail development.
Pharmaceuticals, information and communications technology and advanced manufacturing are crucial to the future of Western Sydney.
Many of these activities will be located in business parks away from older industrial areas.
We need to see Silicon Valley style development in the heart of the Western Suburbs, Mr Gadiel said.
Mr Gadiel said that it was also crucial to quickly rezone more land and open up new suburbs in the fringe areas of Sydney.
The construction sector is Australias third largest source of employment.
For every million dollars spent in development projects, 27 jobs are created throughout the economy.
Mr Gadiel said it was not enough to prepare new strategies.
Strategies alone wont work unless state government and local council development levies are radically reduced, Mr Gadiel said.
These levies can easily add between $70,000 and $90,000 top the cost of a home.
This kind of impost is not sustainable.
The Urban Taskforce is a property development industry group, representing Australias most prominent property developers and equity financiers.
