Rezoning around Aerotropolis to create 17,000 jobs
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has released its first rezoning plan for the Aerotropolis, but what will it mean for local jobs?
Penrith
Don't miss out on the headlines from Penrith. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- New Orchard Hills defence facility will create more than 50 jobs
- Rocla workers strike as part of pay dispute
Plans to rezone land around the western Sydney Aerotropolis — to be called Western Parkland City — will see 17,000 new jobs created across 780 hectares of land to be used for employment.
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has released the first rezoning plan for the Mamre Rd precinct, which will also see land in Kemps Creek and Mount Vernon used for conservation and public recreation.
Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW chief executive Steve Mann said the prospect for the Mamre Rd precinct to bring future employment land supply was “warmly” welcomed.
“The Western Parkland City requires the creation of 200,000 new jobs over the coming 20 years, and the Mamre Rd precinct is a vital first step towards employment growth,” he said.
“This is a much-needed opportunity to unlock thousands of new jobs close to home as the Aerotropolis develops over the coming decade.”
Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler said he’d been briefed on the rezoning plan.
“It’s an area that is a natural extension of the industrial and employment areas in Erskine Park, and it certainly will provide much-needed employment land,” he said.
“Its closeness with the Aerotropolis and the Northern Gateway area, which will be further supply of our industrial employment land in the near future, is important.
“If you can get more people working close to home, you have better social outcomes of people participating more in their community, because they don’t have long commutes.”
The supply pipeline for industrial employment lands is dangerously tight, and the institute estimates there is only one year of rezoned and serviced land available for development.
“The rise and rise of e-commerce will heighten the demand for well-located and serviced land for warehousing and logistics,” Mr Mann said.
However, the ongoing uncertainty on mooted changes to development contributions is a major concern, with industrial land between two to three times the price of land in Melbourne and Brisbane.
An institute spokesman said there was a risk of losing jobs-creation investment to other states, however Cr Fowler said the amount of interest in western Sydney should keep investors interested.
“It’s always been a question of the market and supply,” he said.
“There’s always a risk (of investors leaving), but it’s not a major concern that it will impact on the development of western Sydney, especially given the airport and infrastructure that’s in place.”