Lower Hunter Regional Strategy
The Lower Hunter is the sixth largest urban area in Australia and one of the State's major centres of economic activity. It is expected to continue to grow as people are attracted by its lifestyle and opportunities.
An overall plan has been prepared to ensure the region develops in a strong and sustainable way. The NSW Government's 25-year land use strategy for the region:
- Provides for 115,000 new homes to cater for a projected population growth of 160,000 people.
- Plans for up to 66,000 new jobs and ensures an adequate supply of employment land.
- Promotes growth in centres — a greater choice of housing and jobs in Newcastle's CBD and specified major centres.
- Creates important green corridors of land with high environmental value, which will be managed for conservation purposes. These corridors align with existing public reserves, some of which will be expanded.
- Protects high quality agricultural land, and natural resources such as water aquifers and extractive materials.
The strategy will guide local planning in the five local government areas of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Maitland and Cessnock, and inform decisions on service and infrastructure delivery. It will be reviewed every five years.
In February 2010, the NSW Government announced it had re-endorsed the strategy as a sound platform to guide the region's future growth.
Strategy-related plans and reports
Newcastle–Lake Macquarie Western Corridor Planning Strategy
The Newcastle–Lake Macquarie western corridor planning strategy (
Department of Planning 2010) helps implement the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy by identifying key planning principles, development criteria and infrastructure requirements to guide future urban expansion and conservation outcomes in a 20km long corridor running between Beresfield and Killingworth.
Review of industrial employment lands in the Throsby area
This review ( Department of Planning 2010) looks at the Carrington, Islington, Maryville, Tighes Hill and Wickham employment land precincts and makes recommendations for the adoption of future land use zones in the draft Newcastle comprehensive local environmental plan. Department media release
Regional Conservation Plan
The NSW Government has also prepared a long term Regional Conservation Plan for the Lower Hunter, which is available from the Department of Environment and Conservation's website.
Inquiries
Phone 02 4904 2700 or email hunter@planning.nsw.gov.au