Greener Places

The Greener Places framework will help to create a healthier, more liveable, and sustainable urban environment by improving community access to recreation and exercise supporting walking and cycling connections and enhancing the ecological resilience of our urban areas.

Combine green infrastructure with urban development and grey infrastructure.

There is a global transition away from single-purpose grey infrastructure to more multipurpose infrastructure that mimics nature, provides critical ecosystem services, and promotes healthy and active living. The principle of integration proposes to combine green space with urban development and grey infrastructure.

Create an interconnected network of open space.

Greener Places promotes the creation of a network of high-quality open spaces that connect with town centres, public transport hubs, rivers, creeks, and employment and residential areas – creating a network of open space. The network includes physical and functional connections that benefit people and wildlife.

Deliver multiple ecosystem services simultaneously.

Multifunctional green spaces should be high-quality and high-performing, producing, social, environmental, and economic benefits. Multifunctionality represents the ability of green infrastructure to deliver multiple ecosystem, environmental, and other services simultaneously.

Involve stakeholders in development and implementation.

Participation relates to a planning process that is open to all and incorporates the knowledge and needs of diverse parties. It involves stakeholders in the development and implementation of neighbourhood, local, district, and regional green infrastructure policies and actions.

The Draft Greener Places Design Guide (PDF, 3.9 MB) provides information on how to design, plan and implement green infrastructure in urban areas throughout NSW. The draft guide provides strategies, performance criteria and recommendations to help planning authorities, designers and developers deliver green infrastructure.

Learn more about the guide

The Sydney Green Grid

Greener Places builds on the Sydney Green Grid strategy developed by the Government Architect NSW to create a network of high-quality green areas that connect town centres, public transport networks and major residential areas in Sydney. 

Find out more about the Sydney Green Grid.