The purpose of the West Dapto Green Network Master Plan (GNMP) is to provide a strategy to connect existing ecological corridors and open spaces throughout the new development

areas. The Plan delivers a comprehensive guide for the West Dapto Urban Release Area south of Wollongong. The new area of residential development will consist of approximately 19,500 new homes and 56,000 people when fully developed.

The GNMP reviews planned open spaces in the adopted Neighbourhood Plans and the West Dapto Development Contributions Plan to inform and guide the urban design and landscape development of future development applications.

A comprehensive review of existing data and mapping for ecology, hydrology, recreation, open space, culture and heritage, and infrastructure was undertaken to develop a set of key principles and preferred outcomes for the GNMP. The identified outcomes were then measured against existing open space planning and urban design guidelines through a series of detailed mapping and assessment processes. The master plan offered recommendations for the delivery of a significant network of trails and shared pathways, improvements to significant areas of riparian land, alterations in the recommended location and size of open space areas, crossing locations and open space infrastructure, and significant areas of revegetation and environmental reparation.

Through a sequence of detailed network plans and concept designs, the principles and recommendations of our master plan was tested to demonstrate the improved planning delivering better positioned open space with more effective connections for the community and illustrated a significant improvement in the connection of habitats and vegetation.