A rural lands strategy is a document prepared by a council which addresses the strategic planning issues relating to the rural lands in a local government area.

Penrith City’s latest draft Rural Lands Strategy has been prepared to acknowledge recent government plans and investments for our City and provide a strategic approach to the protection and management of the social, economic and environmental values of the rural lands.

The objectives of the public exhibition are aligned to the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum and the principles endorsed in the Penrith Community Engagement Strategy and Community Participation Plan to:

Inform: Provide clear and timely information to the community about the draft RLS before being considered by the Elected Council.

Consult: Facilitate meaningful and genuine opportunities to listen and understand community views, needs and ideas about housing in Penrith City prior to the finalisation of the RLS.

Involve: Enable access to a broad range of people within the community to ensure the views represented are as inclusive as possible.

The draft RLS sets out a framework for managing and protecting the rural lands in Penrith City. The five priorities of the framework are:

• Priority 1 – Secure the rural edge
• Priority 2 – Protect ecological health and biodiversity
• Priority 3 – Preserve open space, natural beauty and cultural connections
• Priority 4 – Support a diverse rural economy
• Priority 5 – Provide housing and services to meet the needs of the community.

Each of the five priorities identified in the draft RLS is supported by desired outcomes that identify what implementation of these priorities would result in. There are multiple outcomes for each priority.

The draft RLS explores each priority and discusses ways in which Council can move towards the desired outcomes. These are formalised as actions in an implementation plan. The implementation plan also includes detail for each action on which area of the rural lands it applies to, the role Council will play in implementing the action and the timeframe it will be delivered in.

An earlier draft of a Rural Lands and Villages Strategy was exhibited with the Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) in late 2019. A number of factors have made it difficult for Council to finalise the Strategy to date, including:

• The locations of Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport stations having not been announced until June 2020.
• Continuing development of plans by the State Government for critical precincts such as the Aerotropolis and the Greater Penrith to Eastern Creek Investigation Area (GPEC) (particularly Orchard Hills).
• Lack of clarity in relation to the finalisation of the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan and the implications it will have for the Penrith LGA.
• Lack of clarity in relation to the ongoing planning for Penrith Lakes and the likely outcomes for the site.

A draft Rural Lands and Villages Strategy (2019) was exhibited with the Local Strategic Planning Statement in late 2019. This document has been updated to produce the current revised draft Rural Lands Strategy.

We have removed reference to the rural villages in the title. While the draft Rural Lands Strategy does make reference to the rural villages, it is intended that the rural villages will be addressed more comprehensively, including preparation of character statements, in the Corridors and Centres Strategy that is currently in preparation.

Council’s Local Strategic Planning Statement sets out the 20-year vision for land-use in our local government area, the special characteristics which contribute to local identity, shared community values to be maintained and enhanced, and how growth and change will be managed into the future. The LSPS is succinct and focuses on the vision and priorities for land use in the local area.

The LSPS covers a range of land use considerations and has a broader focus than the Rural Lands Strategy, which details long-term plans specifically for rural lands.

The LSPS provides a clear line of sight from the regional and district plans released by the DPE or Greater Sydney Commission, to Council's Rural Lands Strategy.

For further information about the Rural Lands Strategy, please contact Council’s City Strategy team on 4732 7777 or email: citystrategy@penrith.city