The Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan is part of the Government’s commitment to delivering the Western Parkland City. It will protect the region’s threatened plants and animals and support the needs of the community through the creation of conservation lands and green spaces close to homes.
The population of the Western Sydney is projected to grow from 740,000 in 2016 to 1.1 million by 2036, and to well over 1.5 million by 2056.
A thriving, liveable Western Sydney needs conservation areas for the area’s native plants and animals, and publicly accessible green spaces for local communities.
The NSW Government is developing a conservation plan for Western Sydney to help balance the future needs of the community, and protect threatened plants and animals in Western Sydney for the long term
The Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan will meet legislative requirements for strategic biodiversity certification under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and strategic assessment under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Terms of Reference for Western Sydney Strategic Assessment
An important first step in developing the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan was Public Exhibition of the draft Terms of Reference for the Western Sydney Strategic Assessment under the Commonwealth (EPBC Act). A strategic assessment is where a landscape scale assessment of impacts to matters of national environmental significance aims to meet environmental approvals under the EPBC Act.
The Terms of Reference set out what is required for undertaking the Western Sydney Strategic Assessment.
Public Submissions
Between 28 November 2018 and 25 January 2019, we consulted on the draft Terms of Reference.
Public Submissions Report
You can view how we considered your feedback in the public Submissions Report. This report provides an overview of the community and stakeholder feedback, including issues and themes, received during the consultation period. It also details how the Department considered submissions in finalising the Terms of Reference.