Planning for the future

More jobs and homes in Australia’s global city

You can preview 2 draft plans to shape the future of the City of Sydney area, with targets for new homes and jobs, better design and heritage protection.

Forgotten Songs artwork

Sydney is one of the world’s most attractive places to live and do business – and we plan to stay that way.

You can have your say on 2 new plans designed to balance the need for more housing and jobs while protecting all the things we love about our city.

These 2 plans – the local strategic planning statement and housing strategy – set a 20-year vision for how we use land in the City of Sydney area.

They include targets for encouraging 200,000 new jobs and 56,000 new homes in the local area by 2036.

The City of Sydney area last year generated more than $130 billion of economic activity, or 7% of Australia’s economy.

We need to continue as a leading knowledge-based economy.

We’re approving some of the tallest buildings that aviation authorities will permit, including 505 George Street, Circular Quay Tower and Greenland Tower. The Central Sydney Planning Strategy – now under review – will see building heights in the city centre rise.

This will go a long way to providing the floor space needed for those 200,000 jobs.

We also need a mix of housing. The high cost of housing has affected Sydney’s liveability and we’ll continue to push for urgent state and federal government investment in social and affordable housing.

And of course, ensuring great spaces means conserving heritage buildings, supporting our retailers and high streets, and upholding our standards of design excellence.

The planning statement provides strong economic opportunities in East Sydney, Surry Hills, Redfern–Waterloo, Chippendale, Camperdown, Ultimo and Pyrmont and north Alexandria.

It also supports our plans for greening the city, pathways to net zero carbon emissions and better infrastructure.

See the plans and give your feedback until Friday 11 October.

Published 2 September 2019

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