Two new approvals granted for NSW Sydney Metro West development
Two major planning approvals have been granted to the Sydney Metro West development in New South Wales and these new approvals will pave the way for more jobs creation as well as for massive tunnel boring machines to begin digging next year.
The first planning approval is for the Sydney Metro West Project Concept – from Westmead to the Sydney CBD – and station excavation and tunnelling works between Westmead and The Bays.
The second planning approval is for the delivery of two precast facilities at Eastern Creek to support the construction of Sydney Metro West. The two facilities are expected to support up to 240 local jobs as well as produce about 148,000 precast concrete segments to be used to build the 24-kilometre twin tunnel.
“We are ready to hit the ground with work on the new Sydney Metro West tunnels and station excavations, between Westmead and The Bays.
“The NSW Government is creating local jobs through local manufacturing, with the benefits of the Sydney Metro West project reaching further into the community than just at the station locations,” Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said.
According to Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes, the planning approvals push the development of Sydney Metro West forward, which is set to transform how people travel across Greater Sydney.
“This city-shaping project will have a target travel time of about 20 minutes between Parramatta and the CBD, cut crowding on three major train lines and take tens of thousands of cars off the road every day.
“It will create more than 10,000 direct jobs and around 70,000 indirect jobs, while delivering a vital boost to the local economy,” Minister Stokes said.
Sydney Metro West is due to connect new suburbs to rail for the first time through the delivery of stations at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays, Pyrmont and the Sydney CBD.
Due to the scale of the project, the planning approvals process is going to be done in stages.
Future planning stages will seek approval for the project's major civil construction. This includes station excavation and tunnelling between The Bays and Sydney CBD, tunnel fit-out, construction of stations and operations of the line between Westmead and the CBD.
The local community will be engaged for each stage of the planning process for feedback regarding the project.
The first of the three tunnelling contracts for Sydney Metro West is anticipated to be awarded in mid-2021.
Construction commenced in late 2020 and the State Government has invested tens of billions of dollars to deliver a new and better Metro network across Greater Sydney.
Source: Transport for NSW; Sydney Metro (1, 2)
Related Articles
Arrival of TBMs for North East Link Tunnels keeps major works on track
The North East Link Program – the largest investment in Melbourne’s north-east – is progressing well with the first of two massive tunnel boring machines (TBMs) set to arrive in Melbourne soon.
Western Sydney Airport marks new major contract milestones
Major works on the Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek is getting closer to take off, with a major contract award and the announcement of shortlisted bidders for the first bulk earthworks package that will prepare the site for construction.
Tender for Hobart Southern Project works now out to market
The next stage of works under the Southern Projects program in Tasmania are expected to commence in the summer construction season, with tenders for the Macquarie/Davey Street Bus Improvement project released to market.