04 March 2015
As Sydney grows it will be important to build new urban housing alongside new metro and light rail routes, says the Urban Taskforce.
“The Urban Taskforce in conjunction with planners Architectus have developed a long term vision for rail infrastructure across metropolitan Sydney that becomes the structure for where new housing can be located,” says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson. “Michael Harrison, Architectus Director Urban Design & Urban Planning, a former City of Sydney Chief Planner, and his team have developed a series of plans that illustrate how current metro rail proposals could be extended to form a Circle Line for Sydney. A number of light rail loops have been added to the metro that radiate out to surrounding areas to lift housing density and improve access to jobs.”
“The main message we want to convey is that transport infrastructure and housing density are intertwined. A new light rail route must lead to more density with apartments up to 6 storeys high along the route. A metro line must lift heights at rail stations up to 20 storeys or more in key centres.”
“The NSW Government is already committed to half the Metro Circle Line we are proposing with the North West Rail linking Rouse Hill to Epping and then on to Chatswood. The Government has proposed to continue the metro from Chatswood under the harbour, through the city and on to Bankstown. The next phase in a few decades time will be to continue the metro from Bankstown to Liverpool, to Badgerys Creek airport and on to Penrith with a final closure back to Rouse Hill.”
“We have proposed a series of light rail loops that radiate out from Liverpool, Badgerys Creek, Penrith, Rouse Hill, Bankstown and Parramatta. These light rail routes are where new growth should occur.”
Michael Harrison of Architectus says, “Sydney needs some bold thinking to give a structure to the metropolitan area. The final rail transport network will unify all of metropolitan Sydney, maintain the importance of the Sydney CBD, reinforce the centrality of Parramatta, connect the two airports, strengthen the economic performance of the major metro cities and provide the armature to absorb Sydney’s growth and choice in urban living and employment.”
“Complementing the Metro Circle Line is a proposed new East West Metro Line that will need to duplicate the current heavy rail between Penrith, Parramatta and the Sydney CBD when population growth requires more capacity.”
Map of Sydney illustrating the Metro and light Rail proposals by Architectus
View over Western Sydney with proposed infrastructure and housing by Arterra Interactive
