Western Sydney’s 22km light rail network to be funded by taxpayers and private enterprise
A WESTERN Sydney light rail is set to deliver a major economic boost to the region through billions of dollars in housing and job-creating projects along its route.
NSW
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THE first sections of the billion-dollar Western Sydney light rail have been confirmed by Premier Mike Baird today.
Mr Baird confirmed that the 22km network will be based on the Parramatta CBD and run from Westmead to Strathfield, via Rosehill, Camelia and Sydney Olympic Park.
A branch line will be also built along the current underused heavy rail line between Rosehill and Carlingford.
The Premier described the network, which will be paid for by the taxpayer and private enterprise, as another part of Sydney’s “light rail revolution”, which includes the Inner West Light Rail and the Sydney CBD to South East Light Rail light rail, now under construction.
Developers of residential property along the new network, who will almost certainly benefit from a rise in property prices, will also be asked to contribute to providing infrastructure including upgraded roads and new schools through a “Special Infrastructure Contribution”.
This levy is expected to be set at about $200 per square metre of floor area as part of a “value capture’ scheme. The NSW Government has already set aside $1 billion towards the Western Sydney light rail project.
Mr Baird said the network will not only provide a new transport option, but give a massive economic boost to Western Sydney though more jobs and will “kickstart” the revitalisation of former industrial areas including Camelia and areas close to Sydney Olympic Park
Mr Baird said the routes announced today are the “first step” in a wider network. Other options considered were lines to Castle Hill, Bankstown and Macquarie Park via Carlingford and Epping.
“This, all of a sudden, opens up for tens of thousands of people, access to public transport,” Mr Baird said.
“This is a great day for the people of Western Sydney.”
A group of 20 Western Sydney businesses and organisations, which had been pushing for the line to run through Sydney Olympic Park, said it will fuel billions of dollars in housing and job-creating projects along its route, including a $1 billion town centre with shops, restaurants and offices on 5ha in the heart of the Olympic precinct.
The WestLine Partnership, which includes the NRMA, ANZ Stadium and the Australian Turf Club, has already indicated that private enterprise is firmly behind the project.
Its convener, Christopher Brown, said that developers could potentially contribute more than $1 billion in voluntary levies to help pay for the light rail and the clean up the industrial wastelands at Camellia, around the Shell refinery and the former James Hardie asbestos plant, enabling 21,000 new homes to be built over the next 20 years.
Planning Minister Rob Stokes said thousands of new homes could be built in areas close to the Parramatta River.
“The cost of infrastructure will be shared not only by government and the taxpayer, but those developers that are going to benefit from increased land values along the route,” Mr Stokes said.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance said a business case was yet to be developed and the exact route still had to be worked out. But he expected preliminary work to begin in 2018 with major construction to begin a year after that.
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