A blueprint for the next 20 years of living in Newcastle has been created with everything from transport needs to housing.
The Draft Greater Metropolitan Plan has been released this morning looking forward to what the region should look like in 2036 and what challenges it presents.
Gary White, the NSW Chief Planner was in Newcastle this morning to announce the plan and said the city is a great example of one that has completely transformed from being just an industrial town.
"It's all about telling a story, a very exciting story about a city transforming itself from an industrial base into a new world economy over the next 30 years, it's a city which I believe will be talked about around the world as being an exemplary example of how a community transforms itself."
"When you start to hear things about cruise boats coming into your harbour when you start to hear about the strength that's coming out of the education sector, the strength that's coming out of health, your starting to see the front end of the very exciting process of the transformation of Newcastle," said Gary White.
The plan includes plans for the continued revitalisation of Newcastle, the growth of and our use of aerospace, and being strategic about the delivery of housing and jobs.
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| Local Mayors, Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald and NSW Chief Planner Gary White at Fort Scratchley this morning. |
"We need to create jobs in the right sectors, the sectors such as education, the sectors such as health an also recognising that there's a creative economy and a creative manufacturing economy. There are sectors associated with defence, they're all emerging, they're all opportunities that are presenting themselves for our future community as we go forward."
Greater Newcastle is expected to grow to 700,000 people in 2036 with the potential to continue growing well past that date.
"I believe in 10, 15, 20 years time people will be very proud to say they've come from Newcastle because I think it will be an exemplary example of a city that has transformed itself into a modern economy," said Gary White.
The plan is on exhibition until February 28 next year
http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Plans-for-your-area/Greater-Newcastle-metropolitan-planning
