The NSW planning system will receive the critical investment it needs to deliver better homes, more jobs, better public spaces and build better communities.
In just one year, the Minns Labor Government has reformed a chaotic and confusing planning system into a more streamlined and efficient operation, one that is focused on delivery.
The 2024-25 NSW Budget supports the Minns Government’s signature planning reforms to increase housing supply and support building more private, social and affordable housing to buy, rent and live in, get the renewable energy roadmap back on track and support job creation throughout NSW.
The Budget will help to build better communities across NSW by funding infrastructure like local parks, sports fields, roads and transport and water and wastewater.
The package of initiatives works together to support a diversity of housing choices, and to plan for homes closer to transport and jobs.
The Planning Package
- $253.7 million to overhaul the planning system and deliver on the Government’s election promise to re-balance housing around existing infrastructure. This will fund more planners and other critical staff to assess housing, job creation and infrastructure proposals
- $20.4 million of this will deliver improvements to the NSW Planning Portal
- $200 million reserved in Restart NSW for the Faster Assessments Council Incentives and Grants Program, which will incentivise councils to meet and beat their housing targets. Grants will help councils deliver infrastructure including roads, open spaces and community facilities
- $85.0 million from the Housing Infrastructure Fund in Restart NSW, as part of a total State and local council investment of $201.9 million, to fast-track infrastructure in growing regional communities including Tweed Heads, West Dapto and Wagga Wagga
- $5 million for the BlueScope Surplus Land Masterplan, preparing for the creation of a jobs centre for the State within the Illawarra
- $1 million to investigate a guarantee scheme which would enable residential developers to secure funding to accelerate the completion of residential housing.
The Public Spaces Package
- $12.7 million over 10 years for recreational improvements at Centennial Parklands, funded by third parties
- $8.5 million for priority infrastructure and asset maintenance at Sydney Olympic Park to support sporting and entertainment events to international standards
- $5 million investment in the Bays West Precinct. Funding will be used for preliminary design and planning works to support the future redevelopment of Bays West around the Bays Metro station and White Bay Power Station
- $3.4 million to address priority infrastructure maintenance at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, benefitting its 11 million annual visitors
- $2.6 million to commence the planning work to transform part of Moore Park Golf Course into new open space to support housing growth
- $2.5 million for the re-opening of Penrith Beach in the 2024-25 summer season. Last swimming season more than 200,000 people enjoyed a venue that had been locked up for years
- $2 million to masterplan a 32-hectare site at King Street Warrawong to create parklands, recreation, culture, arts, heritage, tourism and entertainment facilities for public use
- $1.6 million for priority infrastructure and asset maintenance at Parramatta Park.
Supporting and rebuilding services begins with an efficient and effective planning system, one that’s focused on delivery.
This Budget builds on reforms already made under the Minns Labor Government to streamline planning and fund infrastructure.
This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build better communities for NSW to ensure infrastructure is built alongside housing to produce better and well-serviced communities.
A plan to build a better NSW.
