7.1 SYDNEY

- The Sydney Metropolitan region covers an area of 10,500 square kilometres and its built-up area extends 70 kilometres west from the coast to the Blue Mountains and 60 kilometres from Palm Beach in the north to the Royal National Park in the south.

- In 2005, the region's population was four million or approximately 58.9 per cent of the State total. Population projections for the Sydney Metropolitan region indicate an increase of some 373,000 people, or 9.3 per cent, between 2006 and 2016. This increase is not expected to be uniform across age groups with:

• the population aged 0-14 years increasing by 1.7 per cent

• the population aged 15-64 years increasing by 8.1 per cent

• the population aged over 65 years increasing by 29 per cent

- The Government's 25 year Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney's growth was released in December 2005. City of Cities: A Plan for Sydney's Future is a detailed planning framework to deliver strong and sustainable growth and secure Sydney's status as Australia's gateway to the world.

- By 2031, Sydney is projected to have an additional 1.1 million residents, 500,000 new jobs and 640,000 extra dwellings.

- The plan also recognises that other Specialised Centres, Major Centres, Employment Lands and Renewal Corridors will be of particular significance. Together, these areas will account for 50 per cent of new homes and 50 per cent of new jobs over the next 25 years.

- New release areas will accommodate another 30 to 40 per cent of growth, the majority of which will be in the North West and South West sectors and provide new land for 160,000 dwellings over the next 25 to 30 years. The remaining growth will be accommodated in other existing urban areas of Sydney.

- Over the next decade the New South Wales Government is planning and implementing major infrastructure priorities to help transform Sydney into a City with:

• a strong global economic corridor

• more jobs in Western Sydney

• connected major centres

• a contained urban footprint

• stronger cities

• access to housing, jobs, services and open space

• stronger connections to the Central Coast, Illawarra and the Lower Hunter.

SYDNEY A GLOBAL CITY

SOURCE: TRANSPORT AND POPULATION DATA CENTRE INTERIM SLA PROJECTIONS AS OF MAY 2006

[Access: Sydney Major Projects - PDF]

[Access: Sydney - PDF]

[Access: Northwest Growth Centre - PDF]

[Access: Southwest Growth Centre - PDF]