Members of the public can now have their say on a plan that will transform the city skyline and help kickstart Sydney’s post Covid-19 economic recovery.

The draft Central Sydney Planning Strategy outlines a vision for buildings more than 300m tall, more office space, high-quality design and public places.

The strategy will be on exhibition from today for an extended 10 week period, due to the challenges presented by Covid-19.

The strategy will guide central Sydney’s commercial, residential and recreational future and will enable more jobs and growth while protecting the city’s iconic heritage and public spaces.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore says while responding to Covid-19 remained the City’s top priority, continuing the process to enact the Central Sydney Planning Strategy would contribute to the city’s recovery and future livelihoods.

“The Central Sydney Planning Strategy is the most detailed planning review of the city centre in more than four decades."

"It was the product of three years of deep research, block by block, carefully examining the way our city works and where sunlight falls,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore says.

“This is our blueprint for planning done well – allowing the city to grow with new skyscrapers that protect employment space, while making sure sunlight continues to shine through to treasured public spaces including Hyde Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Martin Place and Wynyard Park.

“We can build tall towers in the city, we can see our skyline rise with iconic, sustainable buildings, by following deep, evidence-based work that considers the current and future needs of our city.

“Our community, businesses, landowners and industry have the opportunity to contribute to plans for the future of our city.

"Now more than ever, it’s important to plan and lay the foundations for the road to recovery and our future.”

Proposed changes aim to provide additional growth opportunities in suitable locations, incentivise employment and enterprise land uses and ensure central Sydney continues to attract people, business and investment through an improved public realm.

These changes provide greater certainty, efficiency and transparency in realising the growth opportunities in central Sydney.

“If we want Sydney to maintain its status as a global city and economic powerhouse, it’s vital that we safeguard economic floor space whilst allowing residential development to continue in the city centre.”

The proposed planning controls, contributions plan and draft Central Sydney Planning Strategy will be on public exhibition for two months.

The key elements of the strategy include: prioritising employment growth; ensuring tower sites deliver a better experience for the public on city streets;
ensuring transport and local infrastructure keeps pace with growth; moving towards zero net energy for all buildings in central Sydney; protecting, enhancing and expanding central Sydney’s heritage, public places and spaces; strengthening of public open space; promoting design excellence by requiring all towers and major development to go through the well-regarded design competition process; monitoring outcomes and responding to issues that arise to ensure central Sydney’s ongoing success and the simplification and unification of central Sydney to reabsorb The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Ultimo (The Goods Line, Central Park and UTS) and Central Railway to Cleveland Street.

Having a single consent authority and framework will make planning more consistent and reduce red tape, uncertainty and hurdles.

Sarah Buckley

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