Infrastructure corridors

Planning for future infrastructure corridors is essential for delivering the large-scale projects NSW will need in the future. This work often spans multiple phases over many years and includes protecting land from conflicting development.

Land corridors reserved for future transport and other infrastructure are protected under Chapter 4 of the Transport and Infrastructure State Environmental Planning Policy.

The Guideline for protecting land for future infrastructure (PDF, 1.4 MB) assists infrastructure agencies with the planning pathways that can be used to identify and protect land for the delivery of future infrastructure.  

Effective corridor planning and protection prevents costly delays and community disruption when delivering major infrastructure. Early protection of land ensures infrastructure can be delivered when needed.

The guideline offers:

• the planning pathways available to identify and protect land for future infrastructure
• advice on preparing the right information and level of detail to protect land
• guidance on when a specific planning pathway is appropriate
• information on how protection may be removed if projects are no longer required.

Interim corridor uses let communities benefit from economic activities, public spaces, and urban design projects while land awaits infrastructure delivery. This stops land sitting empty for years and helps landowners generate income similar to neighbouring properties. Development must be temporary but can run short or long term, depending on when the infrastructure is scheduled.

Chapter 4 of the policy establishes a planning pathway, including which state agencies need to be consulted and when, that can be utilised.

The Interim uses in a future infrastructure corridor (PDF, 587 KB) provides advice to consent authorities and developers on what interim uses may be considered appropriate in future infrastructure corridors. 

Chapter 4 of the Policy establishes planning rules for protected corridors. This prevents development that could interfere with future infrastructure projects to avoid land acquisition or project delays.

Development within these corridors is considered based on what was previously allowed on the land, compatibility with future infrastructure and timing of infrastructure delivery.

Protected corridors

• Newcastle future infrastructure corridor
• Greater Parramatta future underground infrastructure corridor
• Lower Hunter freight corridor
• North-south rail line and South-west link extension
• Western Sydney freight line and intermodal terminal 

The Outer Sydney Orbital – stage one corridor is under consideration.

To help consent authorities and landowners identify what uses were permitted on the land before it was identified as a future infrastructure corridor, mapping is provided for each corridor below.  

This mapping shows how each land parcel was previously zoned. Historical local environmental plans and relevant state environmental planning policies can be used to identify previous permissible uses.

• Lower Hunter Freight Corridor future infrastructure corridor – previous permissible uses maps (PDF, 11.7 MB)
• Newcastle Light Rail future infrastructure corridor – previous permissible uses maps (PDF, 480 KB)
• North South Rail Line future infrastructure corridor – previous permissible uses maps (PDF, 9 MB)
• South West Rail Link extension future infrastructure corridor – previous permissible uses maps (PDF, 2.1 MB)
• Western Sydney Freight Line future infrastructure corridor – previous permissible uses maps (PDF, 3.3 MB)