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The NSW Government has announced a $250 million funding package to create a legacy of green and accessible public spaces.

Announcing that the funding will supported 60 successful council proposals for more than 100 projects as part of the NSW Government’s inaugural Public Spaces Legacy Program, NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet advised “this pandemic has reminded us of the immense value we all place on our public spaces - our parks, streets, plazas, cycleways, foreshores, bushland and walking trails.

“This program and the funding behind it will not only lead to better public spaces, but the work to construct them will boost local economies through the creation of more jobs.”

NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the funding being delivered to councils was reliant on them meeting agreed targets to speed up local development applications.

Minister Stokes advised “this program is the first of its kind in NSW and demonstrates state and local government working together to create a legacy of beautiful public spaces that communities, for decades, can be proud of.

“In exchange for legacy funding, councils participating in the program need to speed up their assessment times. They have until 30th June to keep hitting their targets but, so far, the program has seen a 20% improvement.”

This innovative program will see legacy projects delivered across NSW including:

• Albury: More than two hectares of public space adjacent to the Murray River will be upgraded with a boardwalk and the construction of a shared zone market area to provide for up to 60 market stalls;
• Bankstown: Paul Keating Park precinct will be rejuvenated with an inclusive playspace in the heart of the CBD, plus more tree coverage and seating;
• Georges River: A car park will be converted into permanent green, public space, including smart furniture, more trees and shade. 
• St Leonards, Lane Cove: the new St Leonards Plaza will create a green space in the heart of the CBD to benefit local residents and workers with an accessible, active and vibrant public space;
• Double Bay: A road will be closed to create a public plaza in Knox Street, including seating and gathering areas, landscaping, lighting and public art elements.

Greener Great West Walk
The NSW Government has also announced that more than 26,000 new trees will be planted along the Great West Walk, a 65-kilometre urban trail linking Parramatta to the lower Blue Mountains through three Western Sydney council areas.

Commenting on this initiative, which involves the Penrith, Parramatta and Blacktown City Councils, Minister Stokes noted “one of Sydney’s finest green links will now be adorned with more trees, our greatest weapon in the battle against the urban heat in Western Sydney.

“We’re creating a city within a park and we’re doing that by linking our green spaces with living infrastructure like the Great West Walk.

“Penrith, Parramatta and Blacktown Councils have received close to $1 million for landscaping work which includes planting and maintaining around 11,000 trees in four locations along the Great West Walk, with more than 15,000 trees to be planted by our partners Greening Australia and Landcare.”

The investment will see 3,200 trees planted at Tregear Reserve in Tregear (Blacktown), 7,600 trees in Toongabbie Creek in Winston Hills (Parramatta), 100 trees at Ironbark Reserve in Cranebrook (Penrith) and 9,000 trees at multiple sites across the walk.

The Greening the Great West Walk initiative supports the ‘Greening our City Premier’s Priority’ program, which aims to increase the tree canopy and green cover across Greater Sydney by planting one million trees by 2022.

More than 500,000 trees have been planted so far.

For more information, visit www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/Planning-reforms/NSW-Public-Spaces-Legacy-Program and www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/great-west-walk

Images: Concepts for the Albury Riverside Boardwalk (top) and the new St Leonards Plaza at Lane Cove (middle) and newly planted trees on the Great West Walk (below).

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