Sydney Metro West project granted planning approval

Impression of Westmead Station, courtesy of Sydney Metro.

Two stages of the Sydney Metro West project have received planning approvals, paving the way for major construction to begin.

The sections of the rail line between Westmead and Sydney CBD, and between Westmead and The Bays have been approved.

Approvals were sought in stages due to the sheer size of the major project.

Stations have also been confirmed for Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays, Pyrmont and the Sydney CBD.

Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance today visited the site of two future factories at Eastern Creek, which separately received planning approval.

“We are ready to hit the ground running with work on the new Sydney Metro West tunnels and station excavations, between Westmead and The Bays,” Constance said.

Two new factories will now be created in NSW at Eastern Creek to support construction by manufacturing 148,000 precast concrete segments for the tunnels.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the approvals are a huge step forward for Sydney Metro West, which will transform the way we travel across Greater Sydney for generations to come.

“This city-shaping project will have a target travel time of about 20 minutes between Parramatta and the CBD, cut crowding on three major train lines and take tens of thousands of cars off the road every day,” Stokes said.

“It will create more than 10,000 direct jobs and around 70,000 indirect jobs, while delivering a vital boost to the local economy.”

Further approvals are needed for the last stage of the rail construction, between Sydney CBD and The Bays. Approval is also needed for the tunnel fit-out, station building and operation of the line between Westmead and the CBD.

The first of three tunnelling contracts is expected to be awarded in the middle of 2021.