10 August 2009
Development restrictions linked to the phantom Badgerys Creek airport plan carry a high economic and social cost and must be urgently dropped, according to the Urban Taskforce.
These rules prevent approval of new homes, schools and hospitals in areas that might be heavily impacted by aircraft noise.
They also ban any industrial activity that may pose aviation risks.
These restrictions would make a lot of sense if an airport was to go ahead.
But both sides of politics have nailed their colours to the wall and said that the Badgerys Creek airport plan is dead.
If theyre serious, the federal and state governments should order the immediate removal of all airport-related development restrictions in the Badgerys Creek region.
Western Sydney can become the jobs centre of NSW radically improving the lives of the regions 1.6 million residents.
Theres no point holding development activity back to accommodate a future airport, if no-one has any intention of building one.
Business parks, pharmaceuticals, information and communications technology and advanced manufacturing could all be located in land near the Badgerys Creek airport site.
We need to see Silicon Valley style development in the heart of the Western Suburbs.
The Urban Taskforce is a property development industry group, representing Australias most prominent property developers and equity financiers.
For every $1 million in construction expenditure, 27 jobs are created throughout the broader economy. The construction activity made possible by property developers contributes $69 billion to the national economy each year and creates 709,000 direct jobs. The construction industry is Australias third largest source of employment.
