What we’ve learned during five years of planning the Aerotropolis
Five years ago exactly, the Western Sydney Aerotropolis Plan (WSAP) marked the beginning of an exciting new phase for Western Sydney and the Aerotropolis when it was released by the NSW Government to set the vision for the Aerotropolis. It outlined, at a high level, the Aerotropolis planning framework and the strategic intent of each of the five initial precincts, the remaining precincts, and key design principles relating to land use, landscaping, and aviation safeguarding measures.
Since then, a significant amount of development activity has taken place, including submission of multiple planning applications and approval of the initial State Significant Development Applications (SSDAs). The first SSDA in the Aerotropolis approved was Bradfield City Centre’s First Building (September 2022), followed by the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility (April 2025), from Bradfield Redevelopment Authority (BDA). The first industrial SSDA in the Aerotropolis (on which Urbis also worked) was the Luddenham Industrial Park by Barings (April 2025).
Urbis has been involved in two Master Plans in the Aerotropolis, being the Ingham Property Group Badgerys Creek Road Master Plan which was approved in July 2025 and the Base Farm Greendale Master Plan which was publicly exhibited in September 2025.
The WSAP is now due for review, and it provides an opportunity to reflect on what has worked and what can be improved to ensure the framework that is fit-for-purpose for development in the Aerotropolis.
This article on the Aerotropolis Master Planning pathway is the first of a series of Urbis perspectives on the Aerotropolis intended to offer an industry perspective and a potential review of the Aerotropolis planning framework. It is clear there has been a significant amount of progress made in this transformational precinct for Western Sydney. To maintain momentum, continued efforts will be required to ensure the Aerotropolis Planning Framework is robust and development can be staged and delivered with adequate support from infrastructure investment. We’re starting to see concerted efforts from government to address these issues, which is a positive sign.
First private sector Aerotropolis master plan approved
Following a two-year co-design process between the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI), the Technical Assurance Panel (TAP), and the Ingham Property Group (IPG), the Badgerys Creek Road Master Plan received approval on 11 July this year. Urbis supported IPG over the past three years, liaising closely with the TAP to deliver this milestone in the Aerotropolis.
This is the first private-sector Master Plan in the Aerotropolis to be approved by the NSW Minister for Planning. It followed a co-design process with the Technical Assurance Panel (TAP), comprising of key government agencies including the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI), Liverpool City Council, Transport for NSW, Sydney Water, Government Architect NSW, and the Bradfield Development Authority.
What does the Ingham Master Plan achieve?
Through the Master Plan pathway, Ingham Property Group will deliver:
- A 184-ha enterprise hub supporting 620,000 sqm of mixed use GFA and 12,400 jobs.
- Realignment of the blue and green grid network comprising of riparian corridors, open space, and stormwater infrastructure.
- Consolidation and relocation of a local centre, providing retail amenity for the precinct.
- Deliver high-bay warehousing through amended height provisions up to 52.5m.
- Realignment of the Eastern Ring Road and intersection with Badgerys Creek Road, with support from Transport for NSW.
- A bespoke complying development pathway and design quality review process for nominated development within the site.
In addition to the Ingham Master Plan, there have been two other Aerotropolis Master Plans, one for the Bradfield City Centre, by the Bradfield Development Authority, which was approved in September 2024. The other is by the Greenfields Development Company, for The Northern Road Greendale, which has completed the TAP process and recently exhibited.
About the Aerotropolis Master Planning pathway
The Aerotropolis Master Planning process enables landowners to amend the Aerotropolis Precinct Plan and the Western Parkland City State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP), deliver alternative development guidelines, and to create a tailored complying development pathway.
Who is eligible to undertake a Master Plan?
To be eligible for this pathway, sites must be over 100 hectares in area or otherwise can demonstrate the ability to meet the criteria relating to strategic alignment, economic benefits, public benefits and design excellence and infrastructure delivery. The high likelihood that the Master Plan can be delivered is also a consideration.
How is the Master Planning process different to a State Significant Development Application?
The Master Planning process enables proponents to vary the Precinct Plan and Western Parkland City SEPP provisions and provide an alternative design solution to better meet site-specific conditions through technical ground-truthing and investigations. A State Significant Development Application (SSDA) requires strict compliance with the Precinct Plan and SEPP provisions or clear rationale must be provided to justify any non-compliances.
SSDAs need to demonstrate a genuine attempt to comply with the Precinct Plan and DCP and any variations to the provisions is required to be justified with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI). Whilst there is zoning flexibility within the Aerotropolis, there are complexities in the way Precinct Plan and Development Control Plan (DCP) compliance matters are interpreted and justified.
The Master Planning process also unlocks a complying development pathway for the site which cannot be achieved through an SSSA. A Master Plan enables the proponent to establish a bespoke Design Quality Strategy and Complying Development Code for the site in consultation with the TAP.
Scorecard: how did the initial Aerotropolis Master Plan perform?
When measured in terms of outcomes, the Master Planning has been successful in making technically detailed and complex planning controls more flexible. Many of the changes required multi-agency decisions. The senior level membership of the Technical Assurance Panel (TAP) guided the decision-making process. The panel for the Ingham project was established in October 2022 and the TAP recommendation was made in May 2024. The recommendation was made on the basis that the Master Plan provided an improved planning outcome for the future development of the Aerotropolis.
There were five formal half-day TAP meetings and several specialist sub-meetings to deal with specific issues such as transport, design excellence, and complying development .
While there are substantial site-specific design reviews and technical investigations required to establish the bespoke complying development code, it affords significant time savings for subsequent approval stages. These are realised as future approvals do not require DAs or SSDAs, subject to proposals achieving compliance with the bespoke complying development code.
The Master Plan was then required to go through another assessment process with DPHI to exhibit and subject the draft Master Plan to a second round of comments from the agencies which had participated in the process, as well as the wider community.
The Master Plan was formally exhibited for 28 days in November 2024 and adopted in July 2025. There were 52 technical reports which supported the exhibition. These reports are similar to those required for a SSDA, albeit on a precinct-wide scale. Studies included Airport Safety Assessments, urban design analysis to support the design outcomes (including the high bay component), and a comprehensive Connecting with Country Strategy.
The Master Plan addressed complex issues in relation to engineering design, road geometry, water-sensitive urban design and design quality. This necessarily involved many specialist reports which needed to be checked, revised, and re-submitted. There is a need for a large consultancy team over a long period, which is a considerable commitment for an applicant. There is also a significant application fee. Despite this, the outcomes are significant and include:
- The ability to deliver a wide range of buildings and infrastructure within a complying development framework, which is not otherwise possible in the Aerotropolis.
- A better road alignment which has enabled larger, more regularly shaped lots.
- A bespoke Design Quality framework, which genuinely reflects the anticipated built form of the precinct and replaces the State Design Review Panel.
- Greater certainty for future occupiers on what can be achieved on the site.
As a multidisciplinary consultant involved with several SSDAs throughout the Aerotropolis, Urbis has been working closely with DPHI and key government agencies to address some of the challenges to getting development off the ground to support the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and to realise the vision for the Aerotropolis.
Here are five critical takeaways to success of the Master Planning Pathway in the Aerotropolis:
- Consult early with key agencies as part of the TAP – Early consultation with key agencies such as Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and Sydney Water is critical to address matters relating to infrastructure servicing and delivery. This is highly influential on development staging and to ensure development is feasible and can be delivered in a timely manner.
- Understand infrastructure servicing requirements and whether the forward-funding of it is required – Infrastructure funding and contributions are evolving in the Aerotropolis. Significant demand for roads, stormwater management and utilities requires the private sector to fund the delivery of new and upgraded infrastructure.
- Explore design alternatives that achieve a superior planning and design outcome compared with the Precinct Plan and DCP – While there is zoning flexibility within the Aerotropolis, there are complexities in the way Precinct Plan and Development Control Plan (DCP) objectives and principles are interpreted and justified.
- Acknowledge water and landscape elements in the design – It is critical that Country-led and landscape-led designs and water-sensitive urban design and stormwater management measures are integrated with the urban design and built form components in the Master Plan.
- Designing with Country and delivering Design Quality – Engage with First Nations groups through the Connecting with Country process, and facilitate design quality for development in the Aerotropolis by engaging with GANSW, DPHI and local Council.
What's next?
This article on the Aerotropolis Master Planning pathway is the first of a series of Urbis perspectives on the Aerotropolis.
The next article will address infrastructure servicing in the Aerotropolis which is becoming a critical factor in the success and feasibility of projects in the precinct.
Stayed tuned for further insights on the Aerotropolis from the Urbis team.
