The Growth Centres Biodiversity Offset Program
The NSW Government has established a $530 million conservation fund to protect areas of biodiversity value. This funding will be derived over the next 25 to 30 years from a special infrastructure contribution that applies within the Growth Centres as well as from general government revenue. Three quarters of the conservation fund ($397.5 million) is used to implement the Growth Centres Biodiversity Offset Program. The aim of the Program is to permanently protect some of the best remaining bushland in western Sydney and the surrounding areas. It is achieving this by acquiring land for new reserves and funding agreements with landowners to permanently conserve their land. This protected land is being provided by the NSW Government to offset the impacts on biodiversity that will be caused by the development of the North West and South West Growth Centres.
For more information on the Growth Centres Biodiversity Offset Program download:
More information on the biodiversity certification of State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Region Growth Centres) 2006 is available on this site.
EPBC Act Strategic Assessment on exhibition
The NSW Government is undertaking a Strategic Assessment of the North West and South West Growth Centres under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The Strategic Assessment assesses the potential impacts of urban development of the North West and South West Growth Centres on matters of National Environmental Significance protected under the EPBC Act. For more details see www.growthcentres.nsw.gov.au/strategicassessment-94.html.
Page last updated: 24 October 2012
