The Greater Cities Commission (formerly Greater Sydney Commission) was an independent agency of the New South Wales Government responsible for land use planning across the Six Cities Region in New South Wales, Australia. The agency was brought into effect through the Greater Cities Commission Act 2022^[1] which stipulated the make up of the agency and its responsibilities. The objectives of the commission were:

• to lead metropolitan planning for the Six Cities Region,
• to promote orderly development in the Six Cities Region, integrating social, economic and environmental considerations with regard to the principles of ecologically sustainable development contained in the Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991,^[2] section 6(2),
• to promote the alignment of Government decision-making on infrastructure with land use planning,
• to promote the supply of housing, including affordable housing and a diversity of housing types,
• to encourage development that is resilient, including resilient in relation to climate change, and development that takes into account natural hazards,
• to support ongoing improvement in productivity, liveability and environmental quality,
• to provide increased opportunity for public involvement and participation in environmental planning and assessment in the Six Cities Region, including the involvement and participation of First Nations peoples,
• to promote economic activity in the Six Cities Region by coordinating the delivery of key economic precincts.

History

Greater Sydney Commission

Under former Minister for Planning, Pru Goward, the Greater Sydney Commission was announced in parallel with A Plan for Growing Sydney in December of 2014^[3] and formally empowered with the passing of the Greater Sydney Commission Act 2015^[4] under former Minister for Planning Rob Stokes. The commission was established to unify and improve strategic spatial planning for the metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia.^[5] The Commission was led by Lucy Turnbull as chief commissioner from 2015^[6] until her resignation in March 2020. The role of chief commissioner was subsequently held by Geoff Roberts, previously the deputy chief commissioner.^[7]

Formation of Greater Cities Commission

In December 2021, former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced intentions for a new Cities ministry to oversee a region of 'Six Cities' encompassing Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle, and Wollongong. Subsequently, the Greater Cities Commission Act 2022^[8] came into force, creating a new regional agency known as the Greater Cities Commission, and repealing the Greater Sydney Commission Act 2015.^[9] The reformed commission oversaw a broadened remit encompassing the Six Cities Region: incorporating the Eastern Harbour City, the Central River City, and Western Parkland City districts introduced under the Metropolis of Three Cities Plan as well as the Central Coast City, the Lower Hunter and Newcastle City, and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven City.

Dissolution

In June 2023, the newly elected Minns Government announced that the staff of the Greater Cities Commission would be folded back into the Department of Planning and Environment.^[10] Despite this, the commission remained functional and operational as legislated. The Greater Cities Commission was legally dissolved on 1 January 2024 with its strategic planning functions absorbed by the new Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and select other functions reverting to Investment NSW and the Office of Health and Medical Research.^[11]