Schooling shortfall at Olympic venue’s housing project
A major housing project to host Australia’s last Olympics is on the cards, but details about surrounding schools are still scarce.
Sydney Olympic Park’s 2050 master plan was unveiled on Wednesday; There was a forecast for 15,000 homes, 10 playgrounds, nine public open spaces and four sports fields.
But the new plan, which also includes lowering the target for local jobs, has no definitive plan for new schools; It only mentions that the government will allocate land for schools.
Planning Minister Paul Scully said: “We have identified sites for these potential schools and work will be carried out in terms of libraries and other community facilities.”
“There are some trigger points that the Ministry of Education is working on through numbers… other areas have been identified and the ministry will be working on those trigger points as they need to make that investment.”
At a press conference on Wednesday, Mr. Scully noted that nearby Wentworth Point High School was a viable educational option.
Rezoned as a residential suburb in 2013, Wentworth Point became home to nearly 13,000 people in eight years; Among them, 2000 were under the age of 20.
But it only has one elementary school, and the high school opened in 2025 for seventh-graders only.
The state government has pledged $3.9 billion towards new and improved schools in Sydney’s west.
The 25-year vision for progressive development includes up to 26,000 jobs and encourages investment in innovation, sports, culture and business activities
Approximately 430 hectares of wetlands, parkland and public open space will be protected in the state-run area.
It also promises permanently discounted homes, with a target of 15 to 20 per cent affordable housing on state-owned land not currently subject to a long-term lease, and 5 per cent elsewhere.
But phased development is unlikely to reduce NSW’s contribution to Australia’s target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029, with the state already two years behind schedule.
“We need to make sure there is a housing pipeline for the future, because with the housing deal period ending on June 30, 2029, I guarantee someone will want to live in Sydney on July 1, 2029 and beyond,” Mr Scully said.
“We are encouraged to see the response to our planning reforms, but we recognize that we are entering a challenging period when it comes to the construction industry.”
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