Long Term Thinking Needed To Protect Industrial Land And Freight Corridors
The Australian Logistics Council(ALC) is calling on the NSW Government to protect industrial lands and corridors as it undertakes the Industrial Lands Policy Review in Greater Sydney.
The Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) is currently reviewing whether the current ‘Retain and Manage’ policy for industrial lands should be changed to permit rezoning and more ‘flexible use’ of industrial lands. This will potentially allow residential and other non-industrial uses on current industrial zoned lands in Greater Sydney.
Australia’s national freight task is estimated to be 725 billion tonne-km, and is forecast to increase by 25% to 962 billion tonne-km by 2040, meaning planning decisions made now will determine how that task is met.
ALC CEO Brad Williams said the protection and preservation of industrial lands in markets such as Sydney and nationally is fundamental to the future operating capabilities of the supply chains.
“The assured supply of industrial land, close to population centres and separated from residences, is essential to managing the cost of moving freight and the efficiency and productivity of supply chains, Mr Williams said
Long term thinking is needed to avoid poor planning decisions that will allow encroachment of residential areas on industrial lands placing pressure on critical supply chains,” he said.
NSW Ports CEO Marika Calfas said that consumer import and export volumes through the Port Botany precinct area are expected to increase year on year.
“The rise of e-commerce (accelerated by Covid-19), together with ongoing population growth in metropolitan Sydney increases the need for industrial land close to population centres to reduce transportation and logistics costs and meet customers’ delivery requirements,” Ms Calfas said.
Ports Australia’s CEO, Mike Gallacher stressed that the supply chain belongs front-and-centre in state planning.
“Proper state planning and prioritisation ensures net benefit for the state is maximised and sustained over the long-term,’ Mr Gallacher said.
“The work the NSW Government and other governments around the nation have done to protect critical industrial land surrounding major cities must be maintained if our ports and other supply chain links are to continue their service of providing for the nation,” he said.
ALC will to continue to engage with the broader industry and advocate for the protection of industrial lands and freight corridors that are critical to the future of Australia’s supply chain.
ENDS