Sydney population growth faster than predicted, putting pressure on infrastructure, but beaches growth will remain slow

THE northern beaches population will grow by 18 by 2036 according to new government figures. Nothing compared to one part of Sydney which is expected to triple in size.

Aerial shot of Dee Why Beach from the Appliancesonline Legend Blimp. The northern beaches population is expected to grow by 46,000 people by 2036 according to new government figures.

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THE northern beaches’ population will grow by 18 per cent jump between 2011 and 2036 but the area will remain one of the slowest growing in Sydney, figures for the Department of Planning and Environment show.

The expected population growth for the area is 46,000 new residents over the next two decades.

A little more than 260,000 people call the peninsula home, a figure which will rise to just under 300,000 within two decades.

The northern beaches population will brwon by 18 per cent in the next two decades for a total population of just under 300,000.

That’s compared with a 24 per cent increase next door in Hornsby Ku-ring-gai and 9 per cent over in Mosman, North Sydney and Willoughby.

But that is nothing compared with Camden, in south west Sydney — not far from Sydney’s new Badgerys Creek Creek airport, which is expected to triple in size.

NSW planning minister Rob Stokes said population growth in Sydney’s seaside areas would be slower than other areas because they are expensive and how hard to is to add transport infrastructure.

Planning Minister and Pittwater MP, Rob Stokes has said the lack of growth in expensive areas such as the beaches, is down to the value of land, and the difficulty of adding transport infrastructure. Sydney as a whole is growing faster than predicted, putting pressure on infrastructure.

Overall, NSW’s population is set to rise by 2.7 million to 9,925,550 by 2036.

Sydney population is predicted to increased to 6.4 million by 2036 with NSW at 9.9 million.

Metropolitan Sydney will grow from 4,286,217 in 2011 to 6,421,850 in 2036.

The figures revealed that Sydney’s ageing population is growing too. Over the next 20 years the city will have almost half a million more people aged 65 years or more.

At the same time there is expected to be over 1.5 million babies born. That means family households will continue to make up half of all homes in Sydney.

Manly will take its share or more residents. Picture: John Appleyard

But because the population is growing faster than expected, more homes need to be built.

The data will be used to plan for growth, said Mr Stokes, who prefers building terraces houses, rather than tower blocks.

“These people will need a job, somewhere to live and a convenient way to get between­ the two as well as plenty of shops, cafes, restaurants and parks to enjoy on the weekends,” he said.

Balmoral Beach over Middle Head - the area is expecting 9 per cent more people by 2036.

Projections

263,700 people live on the northern beaches

In 10 years that’s set to climb to 278,000

In 2036 it’s expected to be 297,950

More homes will be needed for Sydney to keep up with population growth, especially in the south west.

That will mean there’ll need to be another 15,800 homes on the beaches for the population to live.

The northern Sydney health district, which includes the northern beaches, will have to serve 31 per cent more people.

For all the growth data visit www.planning.nsw.gov.au/projections