FAQs
What is the Anambah to Branxton Regionally Significant Growth Area (RSGA)?
A Regionally Significant Growth Area is an area identified as having an important role in accommodating future regional growth. The Anambah to Branxton RSGA is a designated growth area covering around 15,000 hectares over parts of the Maitland, Cessnock, and Singleton Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The NSW Government's Hunter Regional Plan 2041 identifies A2B as an area that can accommodate more housing and jobs over the next 40+ years. The RSGA aims to provide a substantial amount of new housing and employment opportunities over the next 40+ years, ensuring coordinated development with necessary infrastructure.
Why is this area being developed?
The Hunter Regional Plan 2041 identifies this area as a key location for housing and employment growth. The goal is to create well-connected, sustainable communities that align with infrastructure capabilities and investment. The Regionally Significant Growth Area (RSGA) designation recognises the area’s strategic importance to the Hunter’s future growth. It does not itself rezone land or approve development.
What is a Structure Plan?
A Structure Plan is a long-term guide for how an area can grow. It considers housing, jobs, transport, infrastructure, community facilities and the environment together. The A2B Structure Plan considers a range of issues and opportunities such as biodiversity, infrastructure, transport and traffic and flooding. It identifies areas for infrastructure provision, environmental protection, residential uses, new recreation areas and employment areas.
A Structure Plan is a high-level strategic planning exercise and does not determine the development potential or outcome for individual properties or current development proposals. Future development or applications for rezoning would still need to comply with the planning controls that apply at the time and, where required, go through the relevant planning and development approval processes.
How will the Structure Plan benefit the community?
The Plan aims to create connected, walkable neighbourhoods with homes close to jobs, schools, and services. It will also support local employment opportunities and provide open spaces and community facilities. A key objective of the draft Structure Plan is to ensure growth benefits existing communities as well as new residents.
Planning for infrastructure and services alongside growth is intended to support established communities while new precincts emerge, with investment and facilities planned in response to projected population and community needs.
How will environmental concerns be addressed?
Environmental studies have informed the draft Structure Plan, including biodiversity, wildlife corridors and areas for environmental protection and restoration. The Plan seeks to avoid locating growth in sensitive environmental areas. A biodiversity Assessment and a Flooding and Water Cycle Management Plan have been developed to ensure responsible development.
Key measures include protecting high value conservation areas, managing flood risks and incorporating green spaces and environmental buffers. Other studies also included addressing potential environmental hazards like bushfire and contamination.
Can I still continue to do what I have always done on my property?
Yes. If you have approved land use on the site, you have existing land use rights. The draft Structure Plan does not affect individual properties. The draft Structure Plan is a high-level strategic planning exercise and does not determine the development potential or outcome for individual properties or current development proposals.
Future development or applications for rezoning would still need to comply with the planning controls that apply at the time and, where required, go through the relevant planning and development approval processes.
Where is the Structure Plan up to?
The draft Structure Plan is now on public exhibition until Tuesday 6 October 2026, following an endorsement by and extensive collaboration between Cessnock City Council, Maitland City Council and Singleton Council with NSW Government agencies, technical specialists and other stakeholders like landowners.
The community is now invited to have their say by visiting their local Councils Have Your Say page and completing the online survey or making a submission. All feedback will be reviewed as the draft Structure Plan is refined and reported back to Councils and the Department for adoption.