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Preparing for the Future
Introduction
Blacktown City 2025 provides a strategic framework for Blacktown City Council to operate within over the next 15 years and beyond. Blacktown City 2025 will see Council move into the future with confidence, creating a City that current and future generations can be increasingly proud of.
Blacktown City 2025 is not just about how Blacktown will look in 2025, it is about Blacktown's people, their ideals, how they live and work, their environment and how we lead as a Council.
Managing the diverse issues facing Blacktown may be challenging, but the rewards of a happy, healthy and vibrant City through effective planning and sound management are immeasurable.
The exciting part of being involved in an area that is experiencing rapid growth is that the potential of Blacktown is immense. Planning for the future involves planning for our community as it is now, as well as for families and individuals who will make Blacktown their home in the future. It is an exciting yet challenging task.
who are we in 2008?
- The City of Blacktown covers 247 square kilometres.
- Blacktown has a population of approximately 300,000 persons, an increase of 6.5% since 2001.
- 24.6% of our population are children aged between 0-14 years.
- 17.4% are persons aged 55 years and over.
- The median age across the City is 32 years.
- 84% of our community are Australian citizens and 34.3% were born overseas.
- The top five countries of birth outside of Australia are the Philippines (5.9%), India (2.7%), New Zealand (2.4%), England (2.3%) and Fiji (2.0%).
- >38% of households speak a language other than English with the most common being Tagalog, Arabic, Hindi, Filipino and Samoan.
- Total number of dwellings is 93,412.
- 53.3% of households are couples with children.
- Around 1 in 73 Australians reside in Blacktown.
Our Village
Our City
The City of Blacktown is proudly diverse with 184 countries and 156 languages represented in the community. Drawn by its open spaces, leisure and educational facilities, community and service networks and its affordable housing, new residents are continuing to embrace Blacktown's 47 established suburbs and award-winning new communities.
As most of Sydney heads toward capacity, Blacktown will continue to grow. Blacktown is a youthful City and its potential will create opportunities for its residents well beyond 2025.
The City of Blacktown is a focus for major employment lands and will continue to experience significant growth in job numbers. Arguably the greatest influence on recent local economic growth has been the construction of the Westlink M7 Orbital Link that runs through the City. In fact, half of Sydney's industrial land development over the next 5 years is expected to occur along the M7.
Blacktown City Council is one of only 4 communities in Australia to become a Solar City under the Federal Government's Solar City program. The Blacktown Solar Cities project will prevent 25,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of taking 6,000 cars off Sydney roads. Blacktown City was chosen because the area was recognised as 'an Australian city of the future - young and diverse, and experiencing a growth in energy requirements'.
Issues
Every issue facing Blacktown raises its own challenges and opportunities. Without any strategic planning or partnership programs, these issues may develop as critical inhibitors. However, with careful strategic planning these issues can become great opportunities. Council itself is experiencing rapid and continued growth which brings its own challenges and opportunities.
Council will face increasing demands on infrastructure, community facilities, open space, public transport, waste disposal and depletion of scarce resources such as water. Community demands continue to grow in breadth and depth, and the expectation is that these demands will be satisfied with existing financial resources.
There are, however, many opportunities that come from increased growth, including a tolerant, cosmopolitan and proud community, a large and skilled local workforce and world-class facilities. Blacktown is a City with youth on its side. Through sound planning and clear strategic direction, the City can work towards fulfilling the opportunities ahead. Blacktown City 2025 is a framework by which Council can manage the future growth of the City. In short, it is Council's blueprint for delivering the Vision together.
Arriving at our Vision
Blacktown City Council regularly seeks the views of the community on a number of its new proposals and key strategies. Over recent years, extensive consultation has been undertaken on new strategies, plans and initiatives including the Social Plan, State of the Environment Report, Cultural Plan and Economic Development Strategy. Council has used the views expressed during these consultations to help shape Blacktown City 2025. Council welcomes your feedback on the Vision. Details on how to make a submission can be found here.
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