The housing crisis is undeniably one of the biggest challenges facing NSW in 2024, but change is afoot – with the government committing to the biggest investment in social housing in NSW history earlier this year, and the largest affordable housing project in Australia being built here in Sydney. Now, $75 million has been committed to building roads, parks, infrastructure and improved town centre access for more than 42,000 new homes across Western Sydney.
The grant funding comes from what the government has titled the Special Infrastructure Contributions fund, which supports critical infrastructure for homes – things like roads, schools, public transport and emergency services. Home to one of the fastest-growing populations in Australia, Western Sydney’s infrastructure hasn’t kept up with its population growth over recent years, and this funding aims to address that – to help support community growth in the area.
“In order to build a community, residents need access to a local school, connecting roads and critical services,” says NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully.
The $75 million in funding will support councils in specific local government areas in the Western Sydney Growth Centres – including Blacktown, Camden, Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, The Hills and Liverpool.
“New roads, open spaces, active transport and town centre access will make housing across these six LGAs possible, especially in Blacktown and The Hills,” Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said.
This funding round is the sixth round of funding from the Special Infrastructure Contributions fund, which has previously seen $34 million directed towards the Memorial Avenue Road Upgrade at Kellyville in North West Sydney, and more than $20 million toward the new Edmondson Park primary and high schools.
As well as supporting vital infrastructure, the grant is also open to state agencies including Communities and Justice, Education, Transport for NSW, NSW Health, NSW Police, Fire and Rescue NSW and the Planning Ministerial Corporation. Nominations for funding opened at 9am on Friday, October 18, and will close on Monday, December 16, 2024.
You can learn more about what the funding could mean for Western Sydney over here.
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