PLANNING FOR BANKSTOWN CITY CENTRE

Bankstown City Centre is Council’s premier strategic centre. Council is planning its transition into an important health, education and jobs hub as a great place for all.

Consultation has concluded

Status Update

In accordance with the Council resolutions of the 28 September 2021 and 26 October 2021 Council Meeting, Council has prepared a planning proposal and submitted the planning proposal to the Department of Planning and Environment on 31 March 2022 requesting the Department issue a Gateway determination.

The purpose of the planning proposal is to implement the Bankstown City Centre Master Plan and to implement Council’s draft Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme.

A copy of the planning proposal can be accessed via this page. A copy of the Site-specific Review Joint Panel Report that was also a requirement of the Council’s resolution can also be accessed via this page, or downloaded directly via this link.

The planning proposal will be publicly exhibited by Council subject to the requirements of a Gateway determination issued by the Department of Planning and Environment.

Background

In 2019, Council completed their Local Strategic Planning Statement (known as Connective City 2036) and the Bankstown Complete Streets CBD Transport and Place Plan. These documents set out the strategic land use and transport vision for Canterbury-Bankstown.

Connective City 2036 recognises Bankstown City Centre as the city’s key Strategic Centre. Connective City 2036 also identifies the need to develop a place-based and design-led master plan to lead the growth of Bankstown.

In line with Connective City 2036, Council has commenced the master planning process for Bankstown. The master plan provides the opportunity to co-locate genuine job-generating development with housing, services, utilities and social infrastructure.

The aim of this master plan is to improve the quality of development in Bankstown and create a place the community can be proud of. The master plan will develop mechanisms to improve the quality and sustainability of the city centre, implement the actions of Bankstown Complete Streets and create a great place for the community. This involves the preparation of a series of technical studies to guide growth and change. Once finalised, the master plan will be developed into a planning proposal that updates the objectives and controls of Council’s Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan.

This project is being partly funded by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Latest updates

Adopted Bankstown City Centre Master Plan

and supporting documents

Timeline

The master plan will be developed by Council’s multidisciplinary team of experts, with input from technical consultants and ongoing community engagement.

The draft Bankstown Masterplan was adopted by Council on 28 September 2021. Minutes for this Council meeting can be viewed here.

The Planning Proposal together with the master plan are to be reported to the Local Planning Panel and Council for submission to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment for a Gateway Determination*, seeking approval for public exhibition. *Before a planning proposal goes on formal exhibition, it must go through the ‘Gateway Process’. The ‘Gateway Process’ refers to assessment of the Planning Proposal by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. A ‘Gateway Determination’ is issued when the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment decide that a planning proposal can process to the next stage of the plan making process.

The Planning Proposal is submitted to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment for Gateway Determination including approval to proceed to formal exhibition.

The Planning Proposal will be on formal exhibition for public comment. The master plan will be exhibited as a supporting document.

Following exhibition, all submissions will be reviewed, and the Planning Proposal will be considered by Council to determine whether it will proceed for finalisation.

The final outcomes of the consultation will be documented here, and the Planning Proposal will be sent back to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment for finalisation and implementation.

FAQ

• What is a planning proposal?
• What happens to the Master Plan now it has been adopted by Council?
• What is a master plan?

• What is a planning proposal?
• A planning proposal is a document that explains the intended effect of a proposed Local Environmental Plan (LEP) amendment and sets out the justification for making that plan. A Planning Proposal has been prepared to amend planning controls to facilitate the vision for the endorsed Bankstown Master Plan, and seeks to include Bankstown as part of Council’s draft Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme.
• What happens to the Master Plan now it has been adopted by Council?
• Bankstown City Centre Master Plan was adopted at the 28 September 2021 Council Meeting. In accordance with the resolution, Council has since prepared and submitted the planning proposal to the Department of Planning and Environment on 31 March 2022 requesting the Department issue a Gateway determination. A copy of the planning proposal and a copy of the Site-specific Review Joint Panel Report that was prepared in response to the advice received by the Canterbury Bankstown Local Planning Panel can both be accessed via this page. The planning proposal will be publicly exhibited by Council subject to the requirements of a Gateway determination issued by the Department of Planning and Environment.
• What is a master plan?
• A master plan is a long-term plan that provides a road map to guide future growth and change in our centres over the coming decades. Master plans have an important role in determining the look, feel and function of the urban environment. It guides and covers things like building heights, design, land use zones, new open space and protecting heritage protections. The Bankstown City Centre Master Plan will guide new planning controls that apply to properties in the centre catchment master planning area.
• Why does Bankstown need a master plan?
• The master plan provides the opportunity to co-locate genuine job-generating development with housing, services, utilities and social infrastructure to support a growing community in Bankstown. The master plan will develop planning controls to improve the quality and sustainability of the Centre and create a great place for people to live, work and visit.
• How do I know if my property is within the draft master plan area?
• The draft Bankstown City Centre Master Plan covers the area mapped below To see if any changes are proposed to a specific property please view the maps contained in the draft master plan. If you have further questions about a specific property, please request to speak to a member of the team.
• Will there be new homes in the Bankstown Centre?
• Council has a housing target for the whole of the CBCity Local Government Area that will ensure that our growing community have great places to call home. Based on analysis of current trends in Canterbury-Bankstown the Housing Strategy, a housing target of 50,000 has been set across the whole LGA to 2036. This demand must be met in a planned, controlled way. The draft master plan provides a proactive approach to planning, helping to prevent ad-hoc development. The draft Bankstown City Centre Master Plan plans for 12,500 additional homes in the Bankstown City Centre. These new homes will be supported with good transport services, community facilities, open space and infrastructure. The master plan also establishes actions to ensure diverse, affordable housing types for all households, tenures and demographics.
• Will there be more jobs in the Bankstown Centre?
• As the largest centre in CBCity, Bankstown plays an important economic role in the local economy and in greater Sydney. New investments like the Western Sydney University campus and regional hospital in the centre means more workers will be coming to Bankstown. The master plan seeks to grow the number of jobs in the centre from 11,000 to 25,000.
• How will the master plans reduce congestion on our roads?
• If we plan for ‘Business as Usual’, traffic congestion will increase in our centres. The draft master plan is focused on making the centre more attractive for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport and allow residents, workers and student to be less reliant on cars. There are multiple ways that this will be achieved:
  • Locating new development near train stations to help reduce the need for residents and workers to use cars;
  • Reducing the number of car parks required in new buildings;
  • Slowing the speed limit in the CBD to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety;
  • Advocating for improved public transport services and road upgrades where necessary; and
  • Complete Streets Bankstown, adopted in 2019, provides a public domain plan to improve pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and amenity

  A range of traffic and transport improves are proposed as part of the draft master plan. Council will also advocate to and work with Transport for NSW for improved transport outcomes.

  • Raising the design standards of new buildings;
  • Improving the quality of the public domain;
  • Improve the way waste is managed and collected;
  • Provide new open spaces and improvements to existing spaces; and
  • Celebrating heritage and character.

  Engagement Plan

  Stage 1: Early engagement

  • Early engagement with the community and landowners
  • Interactive mapping

  Stage 2: Exhibition of draft master plan

  • Council seeks community feedback on draft master plan.

  Stage 3: Exhibition Planning Proposal

  • Based on the final adopted master plan which is informed by Stage 2 engagement.

  Pending Council decision

  Who's listening

  If you have questions or want to learn more about the project, please email us or contact the Council officers listed below.

  By post to Mr Matthew Stewart, CEO, City of Canterbury Bankstown PO Box 8, Bankstown NSW 1885

  

  Patrick

  Coordinator Strategic Assessments

  The City of Canterbury Bankstown

  

  Joey

  Community Engagement Officer

  City of Canterbury Bankstown