They also warned the aerotropolis was the victim of a vicious cycle where delays to the start of transport projects had stalled private development,which in turn stopped developers’ financial contributions that would help pay for those projects.
Western Sydney International Airport is taking shape.Wolter Peeters
The Property Council of Australia urged the government to consider a “silver solution” to build or upgrade six key arterial roads around the airport,saying the state’s preference for “gold-plating” infrastructure meant projects were going in the “too-costly basket”.
It was one of several submissions to a NSW parliamentary inquiry,obtained by theHerald,that criticised the paralysis of state and federal governments and warned the under-developed road network would prevent the aerotropolis from becoming a successful industrial precinct.
Ross Grove,the Property Council’s western Sydney director,said proposed road add-ons such as footpaths and cycleways should be discarded. “Nobody is going to hop on their bicycle with 20 kilograms of luggage to ride from Fairfield to Western Sydney Airport,” he said.
“Until we have an affordable road solution,international passengers to western Sydney will be landing on a runway surrounded by sheep paddocks and the occasional truck stop.”
Western Sydney Airport identified four key road projects as the most pressing:a new Eastern Ring Road,upgrades to Elizabeth Drive,the extension of Fifteenth Avenue and the construction of the Outer Sydney Orbital (M9).
An artist’s impression of the interchange between the M12 and Elizabeth Drive near the M7 in western Sydney.NSW Government
But the planning for some of those roads was among last year. Funding was also pulled for to the new airport,sparking a war with “capital D disappointed” NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey.
In its submission,the lobby group Business Western Sydney said the Commonwealth’s decision to withdraw those funds showed the need for “consistent investment priorities between all levels of government”.
It also warned of a vicious cycle:while financial contributions from developers could help pay for transport infrastructure,“their effectiveness is contingent on development progression,which is currently stalled by the lag in transport project commencements”.
Western Sydney International Airport on Thursday.Wolter Peeters
Premier Chris Minns conceded last week the planning system was frustrating and “not working”. He would not rule out a new agency to co-ordinate infrastructure delivery in the aerotropolis,but said he did not want to “swamp that community in even more bureaucracy”.
A NSW government spokesperson indicated the idea was still under consideration on Wednesday. The government also blamed the Coalition for leaving projects unfunded,saying it had inherited a planning and infrastructure “mess” at the aerotropolis.
On Thursday,federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King,NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully and airport chief executive Simon Hickey will address a summit on the airport hosted by the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue (WSLD).
In its contribution to the inquiry,the WSLD said the road network was not just about providing access to the airport but vital to securing private investment in the 11,200-hectare aerotropolis.
Its top priority was upgrading Mamre Road between Erskine Park and Kemps Creek. Developer lobby group Urban Taskforce echoed this in a recent submission about proposed road upgrades in Kemps Creek.
“The snail pace demonstrated by Transport for NSW on the upgrade of Mamre Road is alarming,” chief executive Tom Forrest said. He also backed the creation of a multi-agency task force to get projects back on track and resolve bottlenecks at the aerotropolis.
“The airport will open and be surrounded by fields with cows and the occasional pelican,” Forrest said. “There appears to be no leadership and accountability for infrastructure delivery as present arrangements are too ‘committee’ oriented,with all parties happy to see deadlines drift out while other agencies investigate issues.”
