Australia’s newest city Aerotropolis starting to take shape

The Western Sydney Aerotropolis is set to take-off, with the official opening of the First Building by Hassell at Bradfield City Centre and the release of the Minns Labor Government’s infrastructure delivery plan which will drive further investment into the region.

“The Aerotropolis is almost 40 times the size of Sydney CBD and provides an unprecedented economic opportunity for Western Sydney,” says Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns.

“We’re backing the region with over $25 billion of infrastructure investment that is going to ensure the critical roads and services are delivered as quickly as possible to give industry certainty and confidence to invest in the area.

“We asked Infrastructure NSW to develop the Aerotropolis Sector Plan to identify how and when we will do this. Today's announcement demonstrates the value in utilising whole-of-government coordination to deliver on our commitments.

“With Bradfield and the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF), we’re showcasing the NSW Government’s commitment to rebuilding the state’s critical manufacturing capability and delivering economic growth in the region.”

The Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) is the first step in delivering the new city of Bradfield at the heart of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and the start of an innovation ecosystem that will boost the NSW manufacturing industry.

“Western Sydney is a rich and diverse region set to boom with the opening of the new Airport. We’re building better communities by investing in the region,” says Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car.

“With Bradfield and the Aerotropolis, we’re giving kids in Western Sydney the opportunity to dream about a future with high quality jobs close to home.”

A landmark partnership agreement between the AMRF and 11 NSW and ACT universities will see this ecosystem rapidly evolve with the world class research capabilities of the universities combined with the AMRF’s industrial expertise and infrastructure.

“The First Building opening is another example of the genuine momentum building around Australia’s first new city in over 100 years,” says Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully.

“This is just the beginning of Bradfield’s future growth as it evolves into a world class city with 10,000 homes, 20,000 high quality jobs, and critical green open spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Under the agreement, the parties will work together to translate research into production and develop the next generation of advanced manufacturing experts through a paid internship program.

Critical to facilitating further growth in the precinct, the NSW Government has released the Aerotropolis Sector Plan, which sets out how essential government infrastructure will be delivered quickly and efficiently to service the development of thousands of hectares of employment land.

The Sector Plan, developed by Infrastructure NSW, provides certainty to industry, the community, and all levels of government around how infrastructure will be sequenced and prioritised in the Aerotropolis.

This will enhance the State’s competitiveness and boost the supply of serviced land to combat the critical shortage across NSW. It will also assist planning assessment authorities to align development with infrastructure capacity in the region.

This is the first time the Aerotropolis has had a concrete road map that brings together planning and infrastructure coordination.

With the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport due to open by the end of 2026, investment in Bradfield City Centre and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis capitalises on the opportunity to deliver more than 120,000 high-quality jobs and new industries that will see the Western Sydney economy boom.

The Property Council of Australia has welcomed the release of the Aerotropolis Sector Plan as a roadmap for the delivery of critical infrastructure providing investors with more clarity around priorities and timelines than ever before. 

Property Council Western Sydney Regional Director Ross Grove says while the plan provides more information on infrastructure sequencing, the need for a larger program of works was critical to the Aerotropolis reaching its potential. 

“This plan is the government’s first answer to the question of ‘what is happening and when’ - it is specific and measurable – and is the fruit of the government’s decisive restructure of governance and responsibilities in the Aerotropolis from last year,” Grove says.

“It is no easy task translating the tangle of road, water and rail commitments made over the last twelve to eighteen months into a program which is manageable, and which minimises disruption to other construction projects in the area. On this front, the Sector Plan gets a big tick.” 

According to him, while the plan responds well to the work already funded, there is more to do to unlock pressing infrastructure needs. 

“Luddenham Road needs to be brought forward and be backed-in with a funding decision to bump it up the priority list - it’s currently a semi-rural council road, with no kerb and guttering despite one of the three key north-south roads carrying traffic north of the new airport,” he says.

“As the Sydney Science Park and Burra Park developments progress, this road will need more forethought. Luddenham Road needs to be designated as a state road, with funding for initial planning work to draw up what it needs to become in the future. 

“It won’t happen overnight, but we need to start getting the planning and paperwork together to justify the funding and delivery of what will become a major north-south thoroughfare in the precinct’s future.”

Grove says the Property Council is set work with the NSW Government on the critical next steps for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. 

“Today’s announcement is a positive step forward and builds on a positive track record of fixing the governance mess, securing joint funding for Mamre Road and Elizabeth Drive, and progressing the planning and upgrade of Badgerys Creek Road South,” he says.

“The Western Sydney International Airport and Aerotropolis is the biggest infrastructure move in the country. It is a mammoth task with mammoth dividends for national productivity, connecting the region to the rest of the world and providing jobs closer to where people live.

“Western Sydney is where the future jobs and homes will be, and we need government and industry working together to make it happen.”

Find out more and read the Aerotropolis Sector Plan here. 

Images: BDA First Building / NSW Government