Executive Summary

Airports are economic powerhouses, driving jobs and economic prosperity. Sydney Airport drives the economy of New South Wales and Greater Sydney, including the CBD and the northern global economic arc. Drawing on the inspiration of the Western Aerotropolis, there is an opportunity to drive untapped economic opportunity south of Sydney Airport. Doing so would leverage existing assets, housing and connectivity, as well as growing jobs in an area of significant jobs deficit. It is time to build the Southern Aerotropolis.

The existence of strategic centres, innovation and health precincts, including ANSTO and Kogarah, major transport links, ample available industrial land and unparalleled liveability would underpin the Southern Aerotropolis. Like the future Western Aerotropolis, the Southern Aerotropolis would significantly increase the prosperity for Greater Sydney and New South Wales by growing jobs, especially knowledge jobs in existing and new centres.

It is hard to ignore the value proposition of Sydney Airport as it contributes $30 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the opportunity of expanding its economic influence south would not only grow GDP but would also increase local jobs and prosperity south to Wollongong, including the potential for a second container port at Port Kembla.

The NSW Government’s current infrastructure plans propose new infrastructure that improves connectivity to support and facilitate this growth, particularly ‘River Rail’, the rail link from Kogarah to Parramatta, shaping the future of the Southern Aerotropolis and connects the south to the Central River City.

Image: Beverly Hills

The regional plan for Greater Sydney, 'A Metropolis of Three Cities', envisages a city where everyone is 30 minutes by public transport to work and the facilities they need. This vision of a '30-minute city' is not currently achieved in the South District. Growing jobs south of the airport and connecting to the Central City, with 'River Rail', will transform the South District to a true '30-minute city'.

NSW has the largest economy in Australia and ongoing growth is of national importance. The local importance of growing prosperity in areas of significant social disadvantage, such as in the Canterbury Bankstown Local Government Area, will have major social and economic benefits and will transform lives.

Now is the time to invest in the Southern Aerotropolis, as NSW rebuilds itself from the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. NSW can leverage the untapped opportunities and potential of driving jobs south of Sydney Airport by utilising existing infrastructure and assets for immediate impact, essential for a swift recovery. This report calls for the following actions to realise the Southern Aerotropolis:

1. NSW Government-led strategic vision and plan for the Southern Aerotropolis in collaboration with local councils and key stakeholders; 2. A whole-of-government focus on business attraction and investment; 3. Identification and protection of infrastructure corridors, and advancement of the program for the construction of 'River Rail'; 4. Development of an integrated economic strategy; 5. Development of a university precinct in the South

District; 6. Investment in the liveability and urban quality of the strategic centres across the Southern Aerotropolis; 7. Future availability and retention of industrial zoned land in the Southern Aerotropolis (e.g., Sydney Airport and

Port Botany precinct) to support nationally significant trade gateways and employment growth; and 8. Improvement of the operation of A3 and A6 transport corridors.