The Minns Labor Government has released its Industrial Lands Action Plan which sets out a new approach to plan, secure, and manage the supply of industrial lands to deliver new jobs, drive investment and support the building of more homes.
The action plan is focused on opening up more land zoned for industrial or similar purposes, such as depots, distribution centres, factories and warehouses.
These services are crucial to the economic viability of our cities and towns because they not only create valuable ongoing jobs but are also critical for the production and delivery of construction materials required for building more homes.
The action plan will identify lands as State, Regional, or Locally Significant, to make sure that each plays a specific role in supporting economic activity and long-term growth.
This will also help guide infrastructure investments that unlock the potential of each area.
But the NSW industrial sector is facing escalating land values, increased rents and in some locations almost zero vacancies in industrial lands.
The Industrial Lands Action Plan outlines initiatives to boost the supply of industrial lands.
This includes:
- delivering a statewide categorisation policy and approach for the supply pipeline of industrial lands to replace the Retain, Review and Plan and Manage policies;
- making planning policy amendments to increase flexibility on land zoned for industrial purposes, and
- implementing an Employment Land Development Program to coordinate infrastructure investment for the supply of industrial land over the next two decades.
The Industrial Lands Action Plan will also provide industry, council and developers the opportunity to see where there is underutilised or isolated industrial lands which could be transitioned into alternative uses to align with NSW Government key priorities, such as alternative employment uses or housing.
For more information on industrial lands visit the NSW Planning website at https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/research-and-demography/employment-lands
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
"After years of neglect, our new Statewide approach will plot the steps to help us grow our industrial pipeline across the State.
"In 2024 alone, industrial related industries and activities contributed approximately $174 billion in gross value to the NSW economy, the Industrial Lands Action Plan provides industry, developers and councils with a holistic and state-wide approach to actively plan, secure, manage and monitor industrial lands across NSW.
"By unlocking the supply of well-located, serviced and competitive industrial land, we are helping to drive investment, create jobs and support the construction industry in the delivery of housing.
"More serviced and development ready industrial lands are required to shore up the supply chain for the housing and construction materials we need to build affordable, well-located houses across NSW."
