The Government Has Unveiled Lofty Plans for the Future of Western Sydney

When it comes to the future of Western Sydney, the Australian and NSW Governments are dreaming big. Very big.

Joining forces with local governments, they today revealed their ambitious plans for the Western Sydney City Deal, which aims to transform the area "into an economic powerhouse and one of the most connected and liveable places in Australia" over the next two decades.

The main focus of this vision for the Western Parkland City is the Badgerys Creek 'Aerotropolis', an industrial precinct that will centre around the new Western Sydney Airport. An Aerospace Institute at neighbouring North Bringelly will boast its own high performance secondary school and university, with 11 other new and relocated schools already in planning for the surrounding areas. Slated to be completed by 2026, the airport itself is expected to create as many as 13,000 jobs.

A new rail link to connect existing train lines in Western Sydney is also in the works. The North South Rail Link will connect the new airport and Badgerys Creek Aerotropolis with the T1 Western Line at St Marys, with a view to extend it up towards Blacktown and down towards Campbelltown. It's hoped the first stage of this will be up and running by the time the airport opens in 2026.

The governments have also revealed they're looking into the possibility of a 5G network to boost connectivity and are backing a $150 million liveability program, "designed to enhance local character in each of the participating councils".

There's a lot there, and it's expected to be rolled out over the next 20 years in tandem with the Smart Cities Plan. An implementation plan is expected to be released later this year. In the meantime, you can find full details of the Western Sydney City Deal here.