Place Strategy

• What is a Place Strategy? What will it do?

• A Place Strategy is a high-level strategic planning document focused around a particular area. It identifies impediments and opportunities and sets out a shared 20-year vision and the priorities and actions necessary to guide the delivery of that vision.

  The Place Strategy provides a common reference point to ensure coordination and delivery of planning, infrastructure and government services are delivered in a cohesive way that supports the long-term aspirations of the area.

• Are Planning Proposals included in the Place Strategy?

• A Place Strategy does not rezone land but provides a spatial representation of key planning factors which need to be considered in future Planning Proposals. This may include areas of heritage value, key transport links, areas where development is anticipated and where key supporting infrastructure will be provided to service growth (e.g. schools, hospitals, sewer, water, roads).

• Why is Broadmeadow being considered, and not other parts of the City?

• The Awabakal people are the Traditional Custodians of the place we now call Broadmeadow.

  The Hunter Regional Plan 2041 sets out the long-term vision for the region, and identifies the wider Broadmeadow Precinct as a Regionally Significant Growth Area. This means the area is considered unique in being able to support opportunities for growth, close to the city centre and surrounded by existing infrastructure.

  Given this unique opportunity, it is important that any development in the area is delivered in a strategic and coordinated way which aligns to the long-term vision for the area.

• Why are CN preparing the Place Strategy?

• As the local planning authority, City of Newcastle are well placed to bring together the various components, including the community’s input to develop a Place Strategy that is both appropriate for the area, and akin to our aspirations for the region

• What area in Broadmeadow forms part of the strategy?

• The site consists of approximately 280 hectares of land, primarily within Broadmeadow and Hamilton North. It also extends along Belford and Tudor Streets.

• Why is the boundary different from the Hunter Regional Plan?

• The Hunter Regional Plan 2041 identified the initial Broadmeadow Regionally Significant Growth Area boundary.

  Since the release of the Hunter Regional Plan, further work has been undertaken and the Broadmeadow Regionally Significant Growth Area investigation area has been slightly amended.

  This adjustment considers additional surrounding land and opportunities that could be realised as part of the long-term strategic planning process.

  Given the nature of this strategic planning work, the investigation area may continue to change slightly over the coming months as the project progresses.

  Differences between the regional plan boundary and the revised investigation area include:

  • Land on the northern side of Tudor Street is included in the investigation area where it is part of the existing Hamilton Urban Renewal Corridor
  • Land owned by the NSW Government at Woodville Junction (railway junction) and the Sydney Trains Depot at Hamilton is included in the investigation area
  • A low density residential area near Kings Road, New Lambton, and medium density residential site in Georgetown is included in the investigation area so the interface between the precinct and their neighbouring areas can be considered
  • The edge of Wallarah Oval, New Lambton is included in the investigation so the interface between the precinct and recently announced new Newcastle Basketball facility can be investigated
• How will the precinct be divided up to reflect unique areas?

• Investigations are currently underway to develop the place strategy and structure plan. Through this process, the investigations will inform the best location for the different sub-precincts, such as commercial, retail, housing and entertainment that will reflect areas of unique character in the precinct.

• What is a structure plan?

• A structure plan will be included as part of the place strategy and covers the entire 300ha precinct. The structure plan will be a high-level spatial plan that identifies the precinct boundary, the location of land uses, such as housing, open spaces, community facilities and roads.

State-led rezoning

• What is State-led rezoning?

• In December 2022, the NSW Government announced $73.5m towards the Rezoning Pathways Program – an initiative designed to unlock 70,000 homes across NSW by the 2024.

  Close to established services and infrastructure, the Broadmeadow Precinct will play an integral role in the region by helping to provide safe, secure, affordable housing for people living and working in Greater Newcastle and the Hunter.

  Over the coming months a series of technical studies including, environmental, water and utilities, heritage and transport will be undertaken across the Broadmeadow Precinct to better understand opportunities and constraints for future reuse on a range of surplus land.

  Stakeholder and community engagement will form an integrated part of the process. A public exhibition period for the rezoning is expected to take place in late 2023.

• Where can I find further Information?

• Further information on the NSW Department of Planning and Environment's 'Hunter Regional Plan 2041' can be found here: Making it Happen - Hunter Regional Plan 2041

• Where will the re-zoning occur in Broadmeadow?

• Department of Planning and Environment are at the early stages of the project with detailed investigations yet to be completed. Rezoning is expected to take place by mid-2024.

• Will there be affordable housing options available?

• Affordable housing, including diverse housing types will be investigated as part of the project.

• What’s the difference between social and affordable housing and what’s being proposed as part of this project?

• Close to established services and infrastructure, the Broadmeadow Precinct will play an integral role in the region by helping to provide safe and secure, housing for people living and working in Greater Newcastle and the Hunter.

  Investigations are currently underway to develop the place strategy and structure plan, including investigating the appropriate provision of social and affordable housing. Proportion of social and affordable housing will form part of the exhibition material when the place strategy and first-move rezoning are placed on public exhibition.

  Affordable housing is often managed by not-for-profits and is home to people whose income isn’t high enough to pay market rent in the area where they live or work.

  Social housing is housing for people on very low incomes or people in housing crisis, which the government or community housing providers own or manage.

• What housing density will be allowed across the precinct?

• The place strategy will identify where low and high-rise housing and other non-residential land uses are preferred across the precinct. The rezoning (discussion paper) will have specific details on the location and density for the parcels of land the NSW Government is proposing to rezone within the precinct.

  Both the draft place strategy and proposed rezoning discussion paper will be on public exhibition in early 2024.

Large-scale Sites within the precinct

• What’s happening with Hunter Park?

• Hunter Park is 63 hectares of land within Broadmeadow area which is being transformed into a sports and entertainment and lifestyle precinct.

  As the priority of the Hunter Park redevelopment, Venues NSW plans to build a new Entertainment Centre and upgrade the existing McDonald Jones Stadium.

  Venues NSW have prepared a Business Case for Hunter Park which is being considered by the NSW Government.

• What’s happening with Light Rail, Faster Rail and Rapid Bus?

• Transport for NSW are responsible for public transport. City of Newcastle (CN) and Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) will work with transport as part of preparing the Place Strategy. Transport, including public transport, roads, walking and cycling will be considered to meet current and future needs.

• What's happening to the Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot?

• The Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot is a State Heritage item and a significant piece of Newcastle's history. The Hunter Regional Plan 2041 envisages that this site could be adaptively reused for purposes which do not impact on heritage values. The site will considered as part of the Place Strategy investigations.

• What’s happening near the railway station?

• The Broadmeadow Railway Station and Nine Ways are within the precinct and will be considered in the Place Strategy.

• What about site constraints like flooding and contamination?

• This is part of technical investigations CN and DPE will be undertaking to inform the Place Strategy. Constraints such as flooding and contamination are known and need to be considered.