FINAL PLANS FOR SYDNEY'S AEROTROPOLIS TAKE OFF

Spanning 11,200 hectares, the Western Sydney Aerotropolis presents a generational opportunity to create a thriving economic hub set to provide thousands of new jobs closer to home for the people of Western Sydney.  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.

The Plan, developed by Infrastructure NSW, sets the stage for the future of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, detailing the timing, delivery and prioritisation of essential government-funded transport and water infrastructure. This is the first time the Aerotropolis has had a concrete road map that brings together planning and infrastructure coordination, including:

• setting out a plan for how and when infrastructure delivery priorities will service land
• providing confidence to industry on when development can take place
• providing a foundation for stronger coordination across government and aligned delivery of infrastructure programs
• identifying principles on how government processes can be streamlined and how infrastructure can be delivered more efficiently so committed funding can go further

The multi-billion-dollar project is made up of five initial precincts, though as the development progresses over the next 40 years, land will be acquired for a further four more. With 1.5 million more people estimated to be living west of Parramatta by 2036, the Aerotropolis is predicted to become Australia’s third largest economy once completed in 2050.

As Premier Chris Minns explained, "The Aerotropolis is almost 40 times the size of Sydney CBD and provides an unprecedented economic opportunity for Western Sydney. 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."

In a major milestone for the Bradfield City Centre, located at the heart of the precinct, the First Building, the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF), was officially opened in the first week of March, 2025. A synechdoche for the region, the building sets a strong precedent in sustinabaillity for future Aerotropolis developments. Its modular design makes it adaptable to future changes and allows components to be disassembled, reconfigured or reused as Bradfield evolves. Minister for Planning and Public Space Paul Scully was excited with this massive step.

“The First Building opening is another example of the genuine momentum building around Australia’s first new city in over 100 years. 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."

Over 30% of Bradfield will be dedicated open space, with an average 40% tree canopy cover throughout the city. Sustainable development controls include passive thermal features in buildings, cooling urban design measures through thoughtful street and building layout, use of cool materials in public realm design and mandatory green roofs.

Sydney Water will deliver Australia’s largest stormwater harvesting program to offset impacts of development on local waterways, particularly Wianamatta South Creek. This integrated approach retains water in the landscape and provides recycled wastewater to cool and green Western Sydney. The scheme will meet NSW Government waterway health targets and will be more efficient than managing stormwater lot by lot.

Construction of Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre

With the Western Sydney International (WSI) 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.

As of January 2025, there are approximately 57 State Significant and Council Development Applications (SSDAs & DAs) in the planning assessment process or recently determined. This represents more than $10.5 billion in investment value. Two private sector-led master plans are in assessment stages in addition to the approved Bradfield City Centre master plan, representing an investment of more than $15.2 billion.

Transport Infrastructure Under Construction

Click here to read our article about Bradfield City Centre

Click here to read our article about the Western Sydney Airport Metro Line