Western Sydney City around Badgerys Creek Airport part of approach to making Sydney the Southern Hemisphere capital

A WESTERN City surrounding Badgerys Creek is part of an ambitious plan to transform Sydney into the Southern Hemisphere’s capital.

Greater Sydney Commission chief commissioner Lucy Turnbull at the 2016 Bradfield Oration. Picture: Adam Taylor

A NEW city in Badgerys Creek is part of a triple-pronged approach to making Sydney the “liveable, loveable” capital of the Southern Hemisphere.

In last week’s Bradfield Oration, Greater Sydney Commission chief commissioner Lucy Turnbull described a vision for three cities – western, central and eastern – where people could live within 30 minutes of where they work, study and play.

“Focused on the new Western Sydney Airport, we think a greater ambition for the west of Sydney is greatly needed,” Ms Turnbull said.

“This will not be a city as we know it in Sydney, and it will not rise from a desert like Dubai in the UAE, but it will build on ... the string of pearls – Camden, Campbelltown, Liverpool and Penrith.”

Ms Turnbull said ad hoc planning and “hoping for the best” would not suffice for the western city.

“A co-ordinated approach to delivering city-scale economic, social and environmental outcomes is required,” Ms Turnbull said.

“Focusing on a west city will allow us to ensure the resources we need ... go to the most vulnerable in the west and also to where the population is growing at the greatest rates.”

The site of the new Badgerys Creek Airport. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

Ms Turnbull listed equitable infrastructure distribution, tree cover, open space, transport accessibility, water security and energy costs as key focuses for the city’s future development.

The new western city, with the Badgerys Creek “aerotropolis” at its heart, could be called Bradfield – after the Australian engineer who oversaw the Harbour Bridge’s construction.

“The Greater Sydney Commission has been preparing a vision for the Greater Sydney Region that I hope Bradfield would be proud (of),” Ms Turnbull said.

“As he wanted, we are taking a metropolitan view of what Sydney needs – his works ranged from the Bridge which made him famous, (as well as) public transport and our water and sewerage system.”

Ms Turnbull said collaboration was an essential aspect of creating a bigger, better Sydney.

“We have to dream big...and respect the value of the neighbourhoods and suburbs that are part of the rich mosaic, natural and manmade, that make our great city,” she said.

If the GSC’s dreams are realised, the western city, the central city around Parramatta and the eastern city around the current Sydney CBD will make Sydney the Southern Hemisphere capital.

The Western Sydney Corridor Draft Concept, which proposes rail links between Western Sydney’s major cities and the Badgerys Creek Airport.

However, Federal Labor cities spokesman Anthony Albanese said the Federal Government was yet to present any practical proposals for realising this vision.

“We have Badgerys Creek Airport being built, it will open within the next 10 years and there is no practical plan for ensuring there is a rail line through the airport the day it opens,” Mr Albanese said.

“What these policies need is actual support – practical measures such as public transport, particularly going from north to south.”