The Minns Labor Government has established the Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct — marking the formal beginning of what the government describes as the most significant inner-city urban transformation in Sydney in decades.

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney's newest precinct, a connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area's natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood encompassing Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station site, New South Wales.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker housing. The development will combine new residential density with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney's working harbour.

Located minutes from the Sydney central business district and connected to a new Metro station, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct aims to rebalance housing growth toward well-serviced inner-city locations and contribute to addressing the state's housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority operates as an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, reporting to NSW Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper, who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

Bays West Precinct aerial artist impression | Credit: NSW Government

A new suburb

As part of the announcement, the Minns Government confirmed the Bays West precinct will receive a new suburb name — the first major suburb built in close proximity to the Sydney central business district in decades. Served by a new Metro station five minutes from the CBD, the suburb will encompass the area currently referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. It is expected to become one of the most populous suburbs in Sydney's inner west and one of the city's premier cultural destinations.

International design competition

The Bays West Delivery Authority is progressing an early works program that includes the first stages of an international design competition. The Bays West International Design Competition aims to embed design excellence into the project from the outset, delivering an urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of the former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW. It will launch with a global Expressions of Interest before moving to an invitation-only stage assessed by an advisory panel, which will provide recommendations to Cabinet. The successful team will play an ongoing role in the development of the precinct.

As part of the broader transformation, a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government's unsolicited proposals process.

"The establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line," says Premier of NSW Chris Minns. "This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city's edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century."

"The new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney's newest suburb," adds Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper. "The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services."

Main image: White Bay Power Station, Bays West Precinct. Artist impression:-.

All images: Supplied / NSW Government

Architecture & Design Team

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