Objective 3.1

Establish a modest Commercial Core in Bankstown

Proposed planning controls will introduce a B3 Commercial Core land use zone in Bankstown City Centre. It will be centred around the Civic Precinct the current Railway Station and the centre’s existing ‘Saigon Place’ and City Plaza to the south as illustrated overleaf.

A Commercial Core will support the development of commercial, health and education and arts/culture use by making these uses exclusively permissible with consent under NSW planning legislation.

It is noted that in February 2021, the NSW Government introduced the State Environmental Planning Policy Amendment (Build-to-rent Housing) 2021 which would allow for the development of build-to-rent housing in commercial core zones. Appropriate design controls will be required to ensure that buildto-rent development is designed for potential future alternate uses. Build-to-rent housing is addressed in further detail at Direction 9 – A City with Housing for All.

Why is this proposed?

cater for the State government’s employment targets, which are substantial, however do represent a long term view.

The Canterbury Bankstown Local Strategic Planning Statement is supportive of employment growth in the core area of Bankstown, stating: ‘areas near mass transit stops, will be modern locations for new businesses, jobs, shops and community infrastructure’.

Actions

A commercial core would leverage the new Metro rail development and the new university campus development in the Civic precinct. A modest commercial core has been suggested to find a balance between retaining and protecting employment floorspace (to reach employment targets) without sterilising a large section of the town centre outside core work hours. Sterilisation of city centres due to B3 commercial core zonings were identified as a risk during community consultation of the Land Use and Economic Study (SGS, 2020). The proposed approach is a balance between maintaining capacity for employment in the long term and ensuring an active and vibrant City Centre.

Establishing a B3 Commercial Core in Bankstown would provide a clear and consistent signal to the market that the centre will be a focal point for future employment growth. This is important for several reasons.

Firstly, State government has already designated Bankstown as a key employment centre within the Greater Sydney context.

Secondly, as business and government agencies have historically preferred to locate in neighbouring centres, a signal is required to highlight Bankstown’s new status. The establishment of a commercial core will help grow the employment centre and attract investment and interest.

Another reason to safeguard employment floorspace in Bankstown is due to the recent bias towards housing development in centres. Residential development in, or nearby town centres, is important to maintain vibrancy, activity and passive surveillance. However, the Bankstown Strategic Centre also must

Bankstown Land and Zoning Map

Neighbouhood Centre

Commercial Core

Mixed Use

Low Density Residential

Medium Density Residential

High Density Residential

Public Recreation

Private Recreation

Infrastructure

Areas of change

Sites required to deliver 50% of GFA as employment-generating uses