The Western Parkland City
The Western Parkland City (WPC) is the economic powerhouse of Greater Sydney. Covering eight local government areas including: the Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Penrith and Wollondilly, the Western Parkland City is a major contributor to the national economy. Its industries and thriving city centres generate more than $56 billion per year Gross Regional Product.
The WPC presents 100,000 hectares of opportunity, surrounded by 700,000 hectares of rural and natural areas. At its centre will be the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, due to begin operations in 2026.
It's easy to see why the WPC is a place of tremendous growth and opportunity. The top five industry sectors include manufacturing, freight and logistics, health, tourism and agribusiness. It is also an area rich in nature - open and green, crossed by waterways, and rich in community, with a young, fast-growing culturally diverse population.
It is a city built on diversity, and the people we speak to are proud of their culture, their Country and the booming industries they have built.
Over the past 12 months, NSW has experienced change on an unprecedented scale. As we look to the future, we know we need to do things differently to ensure resilience, sustainability and opportunity.
Fortunately, the Western Parkland City has all the right ingredients and the momentum to lead recovery and growth in Sydney's west.
It's one of the many reasons why all three levels of government are investing over $20 billion in its future as Australia’s leader in advanced industry, agriculture, research, export, skilled employment, education and STEM.
At the heart of its future is the Bradfield City Centre: a new smart city being planned as the catalyst for advanced careers, innovative education, growing business, sustainable utilities and digital networks. All connected by new and renewed roads, trains and metro rail corridors.
The Western Sydney Aerotropolis
The Western Sydney Aerotropolis (Aerotropolis) is a 11,200-hectare area surrounding the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport located within the Western Parkland City. The Aerotropolis will become a hub of industry and innovation, attracting local and global companies drawn to the enormous potential of the Western Parkland City and the airport that serves it.
The Aerotropolis is located within the Liverpool and Penrith local government areas. These local councils form part of the Western Sydney Planning Partnership Office, a partnership between the eight councils of the Western Parkland City and the NSW Government, who are collectively developing the planning framework for the Aerotropolis.
The Aerotropolis will be a hub for industry, activating new opportunities in advanced manufacturing such as 3D printing; quantum computing; artificial intelligence; aerospace and defence industries; an agribusiness precinct for high tech food production and pharmaceutical manufacturing; a 24/7 global freight and logistics network together with new models of training and education.
This approach will help drive the delivery of more than 200,000 new jobs across the Western Parkland City. It will also deliver a boost to the City's existing industry sectors and businesses.
With 1.5 million more people estimated to be living west of Parramatta by 2036, now is the time to plan and deliver a city within which our future generations can live and thrive.
Current Government projects in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis
Building the Western Parkland City requires many projects and different government agencies.
Current major projects within the Aerotropolis include:
- Bradfield City Centre (Western Parkland City Authority)
- Western Sydney (Nancy-Bird Walton) International Airport (Australian Government)
- Aerotropolis Precinct Planning (Department of Planning and Environment)
- The Northern Road Upgrade (Transport for NSW)
- M12 Motorway (Transport for NSW)
- Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport (Sydney Metro)
- Fifteenth Avenue Smart Transit Corridor (NSW Government and Liverpool City Council)
The Bradfield City Centre
The NSW Government has announced over $1 billion in funding to start building the Bradfield City Centre. This is the next step in delivering Australia’s newest, most advanced, green and connected city.
The announcement included funding for:
- Enabling works that will provide the foundation infrastructure for Bradfield such as utilities and services to kick start broader private sector development;
- The first building that will include a visitor centre as well as a high-tech research facility. The facility will provide shared use equipment for research institutions and industry partners to enable collaborative innovation;
- New community and recreation facilities including 36 hectares of open public space, plus retail and childcare; and
- A new model for education and training to deliver 100 micro-credential courses.
Bradfield City Centre - Latest renders
Below you will find the latest renders of the vision for Bradfield City Centre. © Hatch RobertsDay
Master Plan for the new city centre
The WPCA has been granted permission by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) to prepare a Master Plan for the Bradfield City Centre.
Bradfield City Centre sits at the heart of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, the area surrounding the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. The 114-hectare development will supercharge the creation of jobs and economic opportunities across Western Sydney.
The high-tech city will be an Indo Pacific hub for innovation, research and advanced manufacturing and offer new services and attractions for Western Sydney residents including world-class transport and infrastructure. It is being sustainably designed for the future with inbuilt digital capabilities and smart technology.
Bradfield City Centre’s location next to the new airport means that it will also be a global city supporting a night time economy and beautiful parks, playgrounds and a buzzing cultural life.
The DPE has prepared the Western Sydney Aerotropolis Precinct Plan to guide development across the five precincts of the Aerotropolis.
The master plan for Bradfield City Centre will refine and enhance the Aerotropolis Core Precinct Plan as it applies to the city centre. It will provide the framework for development across the city centre, guiding how the new city will take shape and evolve. Once completed, the master plan will outline a staged approach to development across the city centre.
The vision for the Bradfield City Centre
Read transcript
[Beginning of recorded material]
[Music]
Female voice:
Welcome to Australia's first 22nd century city, Bradfield. A high-tech city center on the doorstep of the Western Sydney International Airport, connected by a metro rail line as well as roads and active transport links Bradfield will be an energetic place with life, culture and public spaces.
Bradfield will attract the country's brightest minds, with opportunities at the national science agency the CSIRO and a world-class advanced manufacturing research facility where businesses can design and test ideas.
Bradfield will be a key Indo-Pacific hub, connected globally via the airport, and locally with the existing centers nearby.
At the center of it all is Bradfield, which is perfectly placed to be the beating heart of the Western Parkland City.
[End of recorded material]
The Bradfield City Centre will grow and evolve over the next 30 years to become a cyber-secure, hydrogen-ready location for advanced industries.
It will support wider employment, education and training opportunities in the Western Parkland City and drive the creation of tens of thousands of jobs.
This billion dollar investment will deliver a key Indo-Pacific hub for advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defence, agribusiness and pharma, freight and logistics, health and education.
Click here to read the announcement made by the NSW Premier, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP, the NSW Treasurer, the Hon Dominic Perrottet MP and the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, the Hon Stuart Ayres MP.
FAQs Bradfield City Centre
Where is the new Bradfield City Centre?
The new Bradfield City Centre is located within the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. It will be built on Government land near Badgerys Creek Road, Bringelly, on the doorstep of the of the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.
At the heart of the City Centre will be the new Metro Station which will be minutes by train to the Airport Station.
When will work start on the Bradfield City Centre?
Work will start on the Bradfield City Centre later in the year, subject to all necessary approvals and community engagement. The work will include the first building to be delivered in 2023, close to the site of the future Metro station.
This work will provide the foundation for the Bradfield City Centre which will continue to grow and evolve over the next 30 years.
What will the Bradfield City Centre be famous for?
The Bradfield City Centre will be Australia’s newest city centre. It will be a high amenity, active, cool and green environment.
It will be known as an advanced industry cluster for:
- Defence and aerospace industries, such as civil space, remote defence sustainment, unmanned aircraft systems, aviation services and training;
- Manufacturing and logistics, such as robotics, automation, additive manufacturing, warehouse and supply chain automation;
- Future transport industries, such as autonomous vehicles, electric transport and last mile mobility;
- Construction technology; such as prefabricated components, modular building systems and green buildings; and
- New energy and circular economy industries, such as renewable energy generation, lithium battery storage, biodegradable packaging and recycling.
Bradfield City Centre will be cyber-secure and hydrogen-ready, with high capacity conduit and common access ducts capable of housing hydrogen-gas pipelines and fibre-optic internet cables.
Why was the name Bradfield selected?
The Geographical Names Board (GNB) has officially endorsed the name Bradfield as the suburb encompassing the Bradfield City Centre. The postcode for the suburb of Bradfield is 2556.
Bradfield was selected because it represents NSW’s aspirations for an innovative, world-class city focused on advanced manufacturing, technology, education and research.
As a pioneer in engineering and construction, John Bradfield embodies the NSW Government's vision for delivering world-class new industries, better connected communities, and education and training to create a more prosperous Western Parkland City.
What will the Bradfield City Centre look like?
Current ideas for the first stage of the Bradfield City Centre are subject to the necessary planning approvals. We propose however to include:
- 36 hectares of public domain – including parks, plazas and water features;
- 60 hectares of land prepared for development - including earthworks, roads and utilities;
- The National Security Quarter - a new hub for advanced defence, and innovation sectors;
- Visitor centre and high-tech research facility - with shared space and equipment for international advanced industry firms and local manufacturers;
- Digitally-enabled city centre and public domain - including high capacity conduit, common access ducts, and smart infrastructure;
- Commercial and community facilities - including retail, cultural, childcare and car parking;
- A plaza adjacent to the new metro station - only minutes from the international airport; and
- Dining, entertainment and leisure - around public waterways.
What will be the first building?
The Western Parkland City Authority (WPCA) has made a request to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) for the Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements for the first building in the new Bradfield City Centre. This building will comprise an advanced manufacturing research and development facility and visitor centre.
Further to the first building in the City Centre, a cluster of buildings is proposed to coincide with the commencement of services on the Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport. This will include a dedicated facility for the CSIRO, Australia's national science agency.
For more information on community and stakeholder consultation for the Bradfield City Centre and planning for the first building, please register your interest here.
What jobs will this investment generate?
The funding commitment will deliver the first stage of Australia's newest city.
This city will attract globally competitive advanced industries, including defence, aviation, aerospace and advanced manufacturing. This will drive the creation of 200,000 new jobs across the Western Parkland City.
What is the New Education and Training Model (NETM)?
The NETM is a new approach to education and training which will deliver over 7,000 micro-credential courses for citizens of the Western Parkland City.
The NETM adopts a micro-credential approach, delivering small-scale packages of learning that allow people to build knowledge, skills and experience in a particular subject area aligned to employer needs.
For employers, this means access to an agile and highly skilled workforce who can meet the demands of advanced industry. For students and workers, it means access to lifelong learning and the potential for an exciting career that can evolve over time.
The NETM has recently launched its first micro-credential on additive manufacturing in partnership with WSU and GE Additive. Register your interest if you would like to propose a new micro-credential for the NETM or meet with our team to workshop micro-credential ideas.
How does the Bradfield City Centre relate to the precinct plans?
Draft Precinct Plans were recently exhibited by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment for the first five precincts (including Bradfield) to be delivered in the Aerotropolis.
The precinct plans establish the strategic vision and general objectives, proposed land uses and performance criteria for development of land. They also provide the approach to both infrastructure and water cycle management.
DPIE's precinct plans include detailed considerations such as a road network and open space such as parks. They include the physical characteristics that make up built-up areas such as building height, width, depth and scale in and surrounding the Bradfield City Centre.
For more information please visit the NSW Government Planning Portal.
Will any properties be acquired?
The Precinct Plans identify land required for public purposes such as roads, parks and water detention basins. These areas will need to be acquired to deliver the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
For more information please visit the NSW Government Planning Portal.
Community Commissioner for The Aerotropolis
The NSW Government has appointed Professor Roberta Ryan from the University of Newcastle to the role of Independent Community Commissioner to help address concerns of landowners in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. Key areas of focus for the Commissioner include advising people about planning, valuation and development processes and reporting findings to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces over the coming months.
You can contact the Commissioner via [email protected] or find out more here.
How can I learn more about Bradfield City Centre?
We are keen to share our ideas and understand your views, so we will be updating information and seeking your input as we progress the planning and development of the Bradfield City Centre.
Watch out for:
- distribution of a regular community newsletter (register for your copy here),
- updates to this website,
- social media updates on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and
- community conversations.
