The Greater Cities Commission (formerly known as Greater Sydney Commission) was an independent agency of the New South Wales Government responsible for land use planning across the Six Cities Region in New South Wales, Australia. The agency was brought into effect through the Greater Cities Commission Act 2022 [1] which stipulated the make up of the agency and its responsibilities. The objectives of the Commission were:
Under Minister for Planning, Pru Goward, the Greater Sydney Commission was announced in parallel with A Plan for Growing Sydney in December of 2014 [3] and formally empowered with the passing of the Greater Sydney Commission Act 2015 [4] under Minister for Planning Rob Stokes. The Commission was established to unify and improve strategic spatial planning for the metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia. [5] The Commission was led by Lucy Turnbull as chief commissioner from 2015 [6] until her resignation in March 2020. The role of chief commissioner was subsequently held by Geoff Roberts, previously the deputy chief commissioner. [7]
In December 2021, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced intentions for a new Cities ministry to oversee a region of 'Six Cities' encompassing Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle, and Wollongong. Subsequently, the Greater Cities Commission Act 2022 [1] came into force, creating a new regional agency known as the Greater Cities Commission, and repealing the Greater Sydney Commission Act 2015. [4] The reformed Commission oversaw a broadened remit encompassing the Six Cities Region: incorporating the Eastern Harbour City, the Central River City, and Western Parkland City districts introduced under the Metropolis of Three Cities Plan as well as the Central Coast City, the Lower Hunter and Newcastle City, and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven City.
In June 2023, the newly elected Minns Government announced that the staff of the Greater Cities Commission would be folded back into the Department of Planning and Environment. [8] Despite this, the commission remained functional and operational as legislated. The Greater Cities Commission was legally dissolved on 1 January 2024 with its strategic planning functions absorbed by the new Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and select other functions reverting to Investment NSW and the Office of Health and Medical Research. [9]
The Metropolitan Council, commonly abbreviated Met Council or Metro Council, is the regional governmental agency and metropolitan planning organization in Minnesota serving the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area, accounting for over 55 percent of the state's population.
Lucinda Mary Turnbull is an Australian businesswoman, philanthropist, and former local government politician. She served on the Sydney City Council from 1999 to 2004, including as Lord Mayor of Sydney from 2003 to 2004 – the first woman to hold the position. She has since held positions on a number of urban planning bodies, including as chief commissioner of the Greater Sydney Commission from 2015 to 2020. Her husband Malcolm Turnbull was prime minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018.
The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the governing body of New South Wales, Australia. The executive government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. There are also a number of independent agencies that fall under a portfolio but remain at arms-length for political reasons, such as the Independent Commission Against Corruption and Electoral Commission. The state Executive Council, consisting of the governor and senior ministers, exercises the executive authority through the relevant portfolio.
The City of Parramatta, also known as Parramatta Council, is a local government area located to the west and north-west of Sydney CBD in the Greater Western Sydney region. Parramatta Council is situated between the City of Ryde and Cumberland, where the Cumberland Plain meets the Hornsby Plateau, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of the Sydney central business district, in New South Wales, Australia. The city occupies an area of 84 square kilometres (32 sq mi) spanning across suburbs in Greater Western Sydney including the Hills District, and a small section of Northern Sydney to the far north east of its area. According to the 2016 census, City of Parramatta had an estimated population of 226,149. The city houses the Parramatta central business district which is one of the key suburban employment destinations for the region of Greater Western Sydney.
The London Plan is the statutory spatial development strategy for the Greater London area in the United Kingdom that is written by the Mayor of London and published by the Greater London Authority. It is updated from time to time.
Environmental planning is the process of facilitating decision making to carry out land development with the consideration given to the natural environment, social, political, economic and governance factors and provides a holistic framework to achieve sustainable outcomes. A major goal of environmental planning is to create sustainable communities, which aim to conserve and protect undeveloped land.
Mixed use is a type of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning classification that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions are to some degree physically and functionally integrated, and that provides pedestrian connections. Mixed-use development may be applied to a single building, a block or neighborhood, or in zoning policy across an entire city or other administrative unit. These projects may be completed by a private developer, (quasi-)governmental agency, or a combination thereof. A mixed-use development may be a new construction, reuse of an existing building or brownfield site, or a combination.
The New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) was a department of the New South Wales Government, responsible for effective and sustainable planning to support the growth in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It made plans based on evidence for the state's cities and regions, working with the community, business and local government to create places for people in NSW to live, work and spend their leisure time, while ensuring good access to transport and other services like shops and restaurants. The department was also responsible for the evidence-based assessment of state significant development applications.
Rose Butler Jackson is an Australian Labor Party politician serving as a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 8 May 2019. Since 5 April 2023, she has been serving in the Minns ministry as Minister for Water, Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Youth, and Minister for the North Coast. She is the former Assistant General Secretary of NSW Labor.
The New South Wales Electoral Commission, known as the NSWEC or the NSW Electoral Commission is a statutory agency with responsibility for the administration, organisation, and supervision of elections in New South Wales. It reports to the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.
North Arm Cove is a suburb of the Mid-Coast Council local government area in the center of the Hunter and the southern extremity of the Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia. It is located adjacent to Port Stephens and extends well north of the Pacific Highway. The suburb is sparsely populated, with most of the residents living in the southern portion of the suburb.
The New South Wales Labor Party, officially known as the Australian Labor Party and commonly referred to simply as NSW Labor, is the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). The branch is the current ruling party in the state of New South Wales and is led by Chris Minns, who has served concurrently as premier of New South Wales since 2023.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is a combined authority for Greater Manchester, England. It was established on 1 April 2011 and consists of 11 members; 10 indirectly elected members, each a directly elected councillor from one of the ten metropolitan boroughs that comprise Greater Manchester, together with the directly elected Mayor of Greater Manchester. The authority derives most of its powers from the Local Government Act 2000 and Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, and replaced a range of single-purpose joint boards and quangos to provide a formal administrative authority for Greater Manchester for the first time since the abolition of Greater Manchester County Council in 1986.
Otis France Rolley is the former planning director of Baltimore, serving from July 2003 until 2007. He was a Democratic candidate for mayor of Baltimore in 2011.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is a New South Wales Government transport services and roads agency established on 1 November 2011. The agency is a different entity to the NSW Department of Transport, which is a department of the state government of New South Wales, and the ultimate parent entity of Transport for NSW.
Urban planning in Australia has a significant role to play in ensuring the future sustainability of Australian cities. Australia is one of the most highly urbanised societies in the world. Continued population growth in Australian cities is placing increasing pressure on infrastructure, such as public transport and roadways, energy, air and water systems within the urban environment.
WestConnex in Sydney, Australia is the largest and longest road tunnel in world which is currently in use with a length of 26 km. A joint project of the New South Wales and Australian Federal governments, the motorway scheme created around 33 kilometres (21 mi) motorway with 6-10 lanes between Homebush and Kingsgrove, passing underneath Inner West suburbs including Haberfield and St Peters. The first of the tunnels, the M4 East, opened to traffic in July 2019. The second of the tunnels, the M8 Motorway, opened to traffic a year later in July 2020. The third of the tunnels which extend the M4 and M8 opened to traffic in January 2023. The final component of the scheme, the Rozelle Interchange, opened to traffic in November 2023.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is an independent statutory authority that sits in the Environment portfolio as part of the Planning and Environment cluster. It was established as an independent governing board in February 2012 separate from the Office of Environment & Heritage. The EPA is the state’s primary environmental regulator, working with businesses, government, community and environment groups to manage and reduce pollution, waste and adverse impacts on the environment.
Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport, previously known as Sydney Metro Greater West, is a rapid transit rail project currently under-construction in Greater Western Sydney. The project involves the construction of a 23-kilometre (14 mi) line as part of the Sydney Metro system. The line will operate between St Marys, where the line will connect to the Main Western railway line, and Badgerys Creek Aerotropolis at Bradfield via the Western Sydney Airport. It is intended to provide public transport for the upcoming Western Sydney Airport. Construction of the line started in December 2022 and is expected to be completed in late 2026 in time for the opening of the airport.
Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue is a not-for-profit organisation based in Sydney, Australia. It advocates the needs of the Western Sydney region by facilitating communication between Sydney's key opinion leaders in education, government and the wider community. The Dialogue works closely with organisations including the Western Sydney Business Chamber, Western Sydney Community Forum, Western Sydney University (WSU) and various state and local government groups.