A tale of two cities: Contemporary urban planning policy and practice in Greater Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract

Greater Sydney is spatially divided in terms of socio-economic conditions and access to employment and urban amenities. Community engagement, urban planning policy implementation, and outcomes also vary in its planning system. It is argued that the urban divide in Sydney is underpinned by making exceptions for advantaged areas in the urban policy related to the provision of more housing. This paper analyses three cases of different community participation and urban policy practice in different areas in Greater Sydney through the theoretical prism of post-politics. It explores why the techno-managerial process causes suppression of community input into planning matters only in socio-economically disadvantaged areas and how the formal planning process could be contributing to gaps between different parts of Greater Sydney.