Making it happen

The regional plan takes an infrastructure-first and place-based approach to future growth.

This requires infrastructure providers, the development industry and public authorities to take an integrated and coherent place-based approach to land use planning through:

• an urban development program
• infrastructure benchmark
• place strategies for specific areas.

Read part 1 (PDF, 48.4 MB) of the regional plan to learn more.

Download the Hunter Regional Plan 2041 (PDF, 48.4 MB).

The urban development program (UDP) is the NSW Government’s program for managing land and housing supply and assisting infrastructure coordination.

The UDP already exists in Greater Newcastle but will be expanded to the Upper Hunter and MidCoast region. This will provide a strong evidence base through quarterly reporting of land supply, dwelling construction and demand.

Two UDP committees will operate with councils, industry and agency representatives participating in the Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle UDP, and Upper Hunter and MidCoast UDP.

The UDP committees will:

• identify and remove barriers and disincentives for infill housing
• oversee a pipeline of housing and employment land supply across the region to identify opportunities to increase supply across the Hunter
• track the supply of infill and greenfield land supply, completions, whether the land is serviced or contains biodiversity constraints/values, and infrastructure servicing data of housing and employment land
• identify opportunities to accelerate the supply of land for housing and employment including improvements to land rezoning, release, and servicing
• make land use and infrastructure sequencing recommendations that may result in more cost-effective housing and job delivery
• monitor the density of development across the region
• provide sequencing plan and delivery report.

An infrastructure benchmarking framework will allow us to build more homes or facilitate more jobs were infrastructure costs less.

The department is preparing a framework to assess the:

• capacity of existing infrastructure
• potential take-up scenarios of future development
• extent, type, cost and timing of new infrastructure.

The cost effectiveness of supplying infrastructure to homes or businesses will influence government decision-making on where new homes or jobs should be located.

Additional analysis will also consider the wider impacts and benefits resulting from this potential infrastructure investment.

Tier 1 (0 - 5 years zoned)

• Subdivisions approved with biodiversity offsets, and enabling infrastructure funding resolved

Tier 2 (6 - 10 years zoned)

• Biodiversity offsets resolved

Tier 3 (11 - 15 years zoned)

Tier 4 (16 - 20 years further investigation)

• Identified in an endorsed local strategy

Tier 5 (20 + years potential future investigation)

• Not identified in an endorsed local strategy

The Place Delivery Group program applies to areas moving from strategic planning to construction. It aims to realise the vision of the Hunter Regional Plan 2041 and the Central Coast Regional Plan 2041 sooner as on-the-ground outcomes.

A proponent, council or government agency can nominate a site to be considered by the Urban Development Program. Successful nominations will then be progressed through a Place Delivery Group (PDG) program.

The Department of Planning and Environment (the department) will establish PDGs from relevant public authorities that the Urban Development Program identifies. PDGs will use place strategies to deliver stronger place-based planning responses.

At present, strategic land-use decisions, including those relating to state infrastructure contributions, often precede capital investment planning by infrastructure and service delivery authorities.

Consequently, decisions on infrastructure investment often lag behind the identification and development of growth areas and increased housing in existing places.

For a growing Hunter and Central Coast, uncoordinated provision of services and infrastructure is not sustainable, efficient, cost effective or equitable.

Endorsed place strategies delivered under the PDG program will provide a more coordinated, collaborative, and holistic response to planning and infrastructure servicing issues.

To assist you with your proposed place strategy application we have developed a guideline.

Download the Place Delivery Group program for Central Coast and Hunter guideline (PDF, 513 KB).

Six cities planning

The Greater Cities Commission will produce a Six Cities Regional Plan. The plan will celebrate the diversity and unique offering of each city and how each contributes to broader region.

Once that plan is adopted, the commission will then work towards a city plan for the Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle City.

The Hunter Regional Plan 2041 will take the status of a district city plan until it is repealed by the commission’s City Plan.

Monitoring and performance measures

We will produce an annual report on the implementation of the regional plan to act as an accountability framework to each action and objective.

Measures will include:

• percentage of infill or greenfield development
• timeframe and responsibility to complete each action
• number of years of zoned and serviced land
• average travel time and mode of choice between and within the region
• amount of land retained for areas of regional biodiversity value
• the number of low risk, no risk, or high risk planning proposals.

The Place Delivery Group program applies to areas moving from strategic planning to construction. It aims to realise the vision of the Hunter Regional Plan 2041 and the Central Coast Regional Plan 2041 sooner as on-the-ground outcomes.

Summary

As one of the fastest growing areas in NSW, with almost 200,000 people estimated to move to Greater Newcastle by 2056, ensuring quality housing and creating jobs will be critical to the success of the city and region.

In order to support the forecasted population growth, and ensure that Greater Newcastle and the Hunter region remain productive, liveable and sustainable, the NSW Government is taking a strategic approach to planning the city over the next 20 years.

The Hunter Regional Plan 2041 and Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan 2036 identifies the Broadmeadow Regionally Significant Growth Area as a priority location for future growth. This means providing more housing and a greater choice of housing close to existing transport and the city centre.

Overview

The Awabakal people are the Traditional Custodians of the place we now call Broadmeadow.

Broadmeadow is an approximately 300ha site located in the City of Newcastle local government area. The area presents a unique opportunity to deliver state-led rezoning to increase the supply and type of housing for people living and working in Greater Newcastle and the Hunter Region.

The department is partnering with the City of Newcastle in the preparation of a draft Place Strategy for Broadmeadow that will inform the long-term vision for the area, and will ensure any future rezonings are in-line with the future aspirations for the area.

What's happened so far?

In December 2022, the NSW Government announced $73.5m towards the Rezoning Pathways Program – an initiative designed to unlock 70,000 homes across NSW by 2024. Broadmeadow Regionally Significant Growth Area has been identified as one of 10 sites to participate in this pilot program.

In early 2023 the department engaged a team of technical consultants to undertake a range of studies to better understand the opportunities and constraints in the area.

Community drop-in sessions were held through May 2023 for people to learn more about the project. An online survey was also released for community to share their vows and suggestions on how we can reimagine Broadmeadow over the next 20 years.

What happens next?

The draft Place Strategy, Master Plan and initial rezoning will go on public exhibition in late 2023 when the community will be invited to have their say.

The Hunter Regional Plan 2036 (PDF, 3.6 MB) provided the NSW Government’s land use vision for the Hunter. Since its release in 2016, the NSW Government has worked with councils, other stakeholders and the community to deliver on key priorities, which informed this regional plan.

These actions include:

• the release of the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan: Part 1 (PDF, 4.6 MB), Part 2 (PDF, 7 MB) and implementation of catalyst areas
• agreement to a memorandum of understanding with the Hunter Joint Organisation on implementation of the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan 2036
• exhibition of a draft Hunter Expressway Strategy and
• establishment of the Greater Newcastle Urban Development Program and release of the Greater Newcastle Urban Development Program Annual Report 2018-19 (nsw.gov.au).