Parramatta Council raise concerns over contribution bill reforms

The City of Parramatta has raised concerns about proposed changes to the New South Wales State Government’s development contribution bill and has advocated for the retention of the Council’s own infrastructure contributions plans.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor, Cr Steven Issa, has written to the New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Rob Stokes, expressing concerns about the proposed reforms and urged for Council’s new CBD and Outside CBD Infrastructure Contributions Plans to remain in place. 

“Parramatta is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia, but our success depends on our ability to fund local community infrastructure,” Mayor Issa said.

“Over a number of years, Council has worked closely with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE), the community, landowners and developers to create a new planning scheme for the City of Parramatta, including the CBD Planning Proposal and Outside CBD Local Environmental Plan.

“Drawing on our extensive local knowledge, we have also developed our own comprehensive contributions plans, so we are able to ensure we have the community infrastructure to keep pace with the development.”

Council’s new contributions plan for developments outside the Parramatta CBD, which will help bring in more than $1.24 billion to fund community infrastructure over the next 20 years, came into effect in September 2021. 

A separate contributions plan for the Parramatta CBD has also been developed and will be considered by Council for approval in late October.

“The City of Parramatta is forecast to increase by nearly 200,000 new residents and over 70,000 workers in the next 15 years, and these planning mechanisms will support this growth,” Mayor Issa said.  

“With this incredible transformation comes increased pressure on our local facilities and services, so we need to ensure we have the necessary community infrastructure – such as libraries, community centres, open spaces, footpaths and cycleways – in place. Developer contributions play a key role in supporting this growth.

“Council has demonstrated its willingness to work closely with the NSW Government to achieve significant growth in housing and jobs. I look forward to continuing this close collaboration and discussing our proposal so we can manage our City’s transformation over the next 20 years.”