Working through collaboration

Collaboration in the planning and delivery of infrastructure, housing, jobs and great places is essential to realise the full benefits of growth.

The complexities of a growing region mean different approaches are required depending on the context. This ranges from nationally significant investment, corridors of renewal and land release, to a focus on a specific strategic centre or precinct.

The role of the collaboration also varies: it may be for the development of an integrated strategy where alignment of agencies is critical, for coordination of investment across different tiers of government to achieve land use outcomes, or for the delivery of specific projects.

Table 1 outlines the approaches supporting land use and infrastructure planning and delivery.

The suite of Collaboration Areas, Growth Areas and Planned Precincts are highlighted throughout this District Plan.

The Greater Sydney Commission's facilitation role in bringing together various parties with an interest in the District's future and channelling their collective energy into improved planning outcomes, is demonstrated by Collaboration Areas and support for collaborative processes. This collaborative approach is underpinned by Directions for a Greater Sydney and is central to the way the Commission works.

The responsibility for creating great places does not rest with any one organisation. As a non-statutory initiative, Collaboration Areas offer a new way of working to deliver improved planning outcomes in areas experiencing unprecedented growth and change. Collaboration Areas are a place-based process led by the Greater Sydney Commission to address complex issues that require cross-stakeholder solutions. This will be undertaken by identifying and aligning the activities and investments of government and stakeholders, based on evidence, to deliver significant regional and district liveability, productivity and sustainability outcomes.

Other collaboration roles by the Commission include providing expert advice on significant regional and district collaborations led by other State agencies such as NSW Department of Planning and Environment's Planned Precincts.

Each Collaboration Area starts with a Collaboration Area Agreement. The Agreement is a governance tool that sets out the shared vision and purpose, outputs and membership of each Collaboration Area. The collaborative process is characterised by:

• transparency: share information openly
• consistency: speak with one voice about the Collaboration Area
• respect: recognise that everyone has a view to contribute
• early involvement: involve stakeholders throughout the process
• exploration: explore and understand all perspectives before finalising recommendations.

A tailored approach for each Collaboration Area is established through the following steps. Members of each Collaboration Area will:

• establish a shared vision for the area
• identify impediments and opportunities
• agree to priorities for the Collaboration Area
• identify projects and initiatives to deliver the vision.

These elements will be documented in a Place Strategy which will identify the roles of State agencies and local councils, governance arrangement, strategies and actions required to deliver the desired outcomes for the area. It is also likely that these outcomes will be reflected in updates to the District Plan to provide enhanced clarity on the priorities for the area and provide certainty to the community and the private sector, and inform the NSW Government's investment and policies to creating great places (refer to Planning Priority C6).

In the Central City District, the Commission is leading the GPOP Collaboration Area to:

• grow the Westmead health and education precinct as a world-class innovation district
• increase the attractiveness and productivity of Parramatta CBD
• coordinate and optimise urban renewal opportunities to deliver greater liveability outcomes
• promote advanced technology and knowledge sectors on industrial and urban services land
• align infrastructure delivery with urban renewal (refer to Planning Priority C8).

Other State Government collaborative processes in the District include:

• North West Growth Area, led by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, which will achieve place-based outcomes in centres such as Marsden Park, where better alignment of land use and infrastructure planning can boost economic activity and deliver local jobs for the surrounding communities.
• Sydney Metro Northwest Urban Renewal Corridor, led by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, which will bring together the Commission, The Hills Shire Council, Transport for NSW, Landcom and other State agencies to maximise the land use benefits of transport infrastructure.

Examples of council-led collaborative processes include:

• Cumberland's Employment and Innovation Lands Strategy, an initiative led by Cumberland Council which involves collaboration with stakeholders such as tertiary institutions, State agencies and the private sector to develop a land use planning framework to set the direction for employment and innovation land within the local government area.
• Epping Town Centre, where Parramatta City Council is leading the review of planning controls and the Commission is collaborating with Council and other State agencies to address social infrastructure, traffic, heritage and commercial land issues.

Planned Precincts will be consistent with the objectives and strategies of A Metropolis of Three Cities and the relevant District Plan. They will be delivered in collaboration with councils and informed by the asset plans of relevant agencies.

Planned Precincts will be supported by a Special Infrastructure Contribution or similar satisfactory arrangement to help fund the delivery of essential community infrastructure such as health facilities, schools, open space and roads.

Greater Sydney Green Grid and improvements to regional open space will be delivered by collaboration between the Greater Sydney Commission and councils through the administration of the Metropolitan Greenspace Program (refer to Planning Priority C16).

Table 1: Approaches to supporting land use and infrastructure planning and delivery