Sydney having reached a population of 5 million can learn from cities of a similar size says, the Urban Taskforce.
“Sydney is the first city in Australia to reach a population of 5 million according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics and joins a group of cities of this size across the world,” says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson. “In our own region Singapore is a good city to learn from with its excellent public transport system and its booming economy.”
“Cities like Boston and San Francisco in America, Munich and Barcelona in Europe along with Singapore and Pune in Asia are cities of a similar size that we can also learn valuable lessons from on a range of issues, including urban density, travel networks and infrastructure provision.”
“It is timely that Sydney reaches the 5 million people mark the day before submissions are due on Sydney’s Draft District Plans, which outline how Sydney proposes to accommodate growth over the next 20 and 40 years.”
“The Greater Sydney Commission’s (GSC) District Plans and their metropolitan strategy ‘Towards Our Greater Sydney 2056’ have been on exhibition for 4 months and many community and industry groups have been working on submissions that are due tomorrow.”
“By 2056 Sydney will get to 8 million people according to the GSC which makes it a similar size to the current cities of London, Hong Kong and New York which are all economically successful cities. So Sydney should learn from these cities as potential models of our built form.”
“The Urban Taskforce believes the form of Sydney in 40 years’ time will be based on three types of development. Around railway stations (mainly metro rail in 2056) there will be tall towers of residential and commercial development creating a mixed use cosmopolitan character. On the fringes of the city and across many existing suburbs there will be a low rise built form that includes terraces and town houses as well as detached houses. Between these two parts of the city will be mid-rise apartments up to 6 or 8 storeys high but under the tree tops.”
“It is important that the GSC promotes the inevitable growth over the next 40 years with a realistic vision of how the city will develop physically so existing communities can see the benefits of the growth.”
“The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with the GSC as Sydney transitions from a 5 million person city up to an 8 million person city.”
