Sydney’s third city—to be built around the western Sydney airport—will be named after John Bradfield, the engineer who designed and oversaw the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the city’s railway network.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Bradfield would be Australia’s “first 22nd-century city” that would deliver up to 200,000 jobs across the western parkland precinct.
“I’m very pleased that this core of the city we are building will be called Bradfield in honour of that outstanding engineer who shaped much of Sydney’s transport network, who had the vision ... of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and who’s inspired generations of engineers,” she said on Tuesday.
The name was chosen after extensive community consultation and endorsement by a government panel.
Located north of Bringelly, Bradfield will cover more than 100 hectares and incorporate advanced manufacturing and be a research, science, and education centre.
The precinct will be adjacent to the Nancy Bird Walton Airport, that’s now under construction. The Airport is due to begin operations in 2026.
Standing in the paddock where the new city will be built, the premier said the area would create great economic opportunities with blossoming industries that will create jobs for the future.
“As we’re going through a difficult time for our state, it’s important for us to plan for our future,” she said.
Memorandums of understanding have already been signed with nearly 20 local and international organisations, who registered an interest in establishing enterprises in the future city.
The Premier also noted that it would create the opportunity for people living in Sydney’s second city Parramatta to look west to Bradfield rather than Sydney for jobs.
“And I couldn’t be more pleased about that,” the premier said. “We will be competing around the world for the best jobs.”
Plans are already well underway for roads and transport networks for the community, with Western Sydney Minister Stuart Ayres saying that the first building for the city would be under construction by the end of this term of the government in 2023.
The entire project, which includes a rail link to the airport, had been allocated $11 billion, and there had already been extensive rezoning of land in the area from rural to enterprise, he said.
Ayres also promised that the required infrastructure of roads, parks and public transport would be in place before houses and industries were built.
John Bradfield’s grandson Jim Bradfield said his grandfather would have been amazed to have his name associated with such a great infrastructure project.
“This is a great place for his vision, his drive and his enthusiasm to again flourish,” he said.
