Redevelopment of Blackwattle Bay

What they’re doing

Infrastructure NSW is seeking to change the planning controls that apply to Blackwattle Bay (previously known as the Bays Market District. As a State Significant Precinct, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment is the managing the request to change planning controls.

Infrastructure NSW prepared the State Significant Precinct Study and proposed planning controls for the precinct for assessment by the Department.

The renewal project seeks to deliver:

• approximately 1550 dwellings providing for a population of around 2800 residents and commercial and retail floor space with potential to deliver 5600 jobs
  
• 12 building envelopes allowing for towers of up to 45 storeys (RL 156 metres) transitioning to lower buildings of 4-8 storeys reflecting the context of the site
  
• approximately 123,000 square metres of residential GFA
  
• approximately 138,000 square metres of non-residential GFA for commercial, retail and community facilities including the new Sydney Fish Market
  
• a publicly accessible foreshore promenade providing continuous foreshore access between Glebe Island Bridge and the new Sydney Fish Market, 30,000 square metres of public open space; and
  
• a range of community and cultural facilities including local community buildings for facilities such as libraries, childcare facilities, and community centres, and a feature building in the public domain adjacent to Sydney Fish Market for cultural uses noting that ongoing consultation will be undertaken to reach agreements on ownership, delivery and ongoing management of public facilities.

The State Significant Precinct Study was on public exhibition for comment from 2 July to 20 August 2021 and over 2,400 submissions were received.

The City made a submission in response to the public exhibition. The Council also requested that the City undertake an urban design review of the Infrastructure NSW proposal. 

The feedback from exhibition has been compiled into a Summary of Submissions report and INSW is now preparing a Response to Submissions report before a final assessment is undertaken by the Department in collaboration with the City of Sydney, Transport for NSW and the NSW Office of the Government Architect.

Once the study assessment is completed, the Department will make a recommendation to the Minister for Planning regarding potential rezoning of the precinct.

Read more at planning.nsw.gov.au.