The NSW Government has announced plans to develop about one million square metres of ‘dead space’ in Sydney’s CBD, and renew the railway line corridor between Central Station and Eveleigh.
The three kilometre area between Sydney CBD and Macdonaldtown train station is largely made up of rail lines and open park areas.
Planning Minister Brad Hazzard describes the present infrastructure in this area as the “Berlin Wall” of Sydney.
“What we have is an opportunity for that greater connectedness between the Redfern community side of the railway line and the Surry Hills side,” says Hazzard, adding that the proposal would provide thousands of jobs and homes while retaining and enhancing key heritage buildings, such as Central Station and Mortuary Station.
The plan includes the construction of seven new major bike paths, six high density neighbourhoods, the Australian Technology Park and high-rises over rail lines at Central and Redfern stations.
This model is inspired by cities like New York, Paris and London, where office, retail and apartment buildings have been built over train stations.
“There are only three crossings over the rail lines but building above the corridor will allow more crossings to unite Redfern and Ultimo,” Hazzard said.
The Planning Minister said the vision would reinvigorate Sydney’s “dead heart” and called on developers, urban designers and architects from Australia and around the world to present their ideas for the renewal master plan.
This initiative is part of the Draft Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney released earlier this year in March. The strategy highlights the need for 114,000 new jobs and thousands of new homes.
