The Blackwattle Bay State Significant Precinct is an exciting urban renewal opportunity that will make the harbour foreshore more accessible and attractive. The precinct’s proposed new 30 metre wide waterfront promenade will complete the missing link of the 15 km foreshore walk from Rozelle Bay to Woolloomooloo.
Revitalisation of the precinct includes the approved relocation of the Sydney Fish Market to new modern facilities, which will support the NSW seafood industry while creating a major tourist attraction for Sydney.
State Significant Precinct rezoning
The Blackwattle Bay State Significant Precinct rezoning was finalised in December 2022. The precinct controls finalised have taken into account community and stakeholder feedback, including further feedback on the Response to Submissions revised proposal by Infrastructure NSW (INSW).
On June 8 2023 the Sydney LEP was amended to extend the deferred commencement date for the rezoning of the Blackwattle Bay Precinct to 8 September 2023. The commencement date was amended to allow for finalisation of an agreement for the provision of local infrastructure to support the rezoning.
The new planning controls enable:
- transformation of the waterfront industrial and commercial precinct into a vibrant mixed-use precinct with:
- around 97,500 m2 of residential gross floor area (GFA) allowing for approximately 1,200 apartments with a population of around 2,400 residents
- approximately 100,000 m2 of commercial and retail GFA allowing for approximately 5,600 new jobs
- new buildings ranging from 6 storeys to 35 storeys in height
- new homes close to jobs and services with existing and proposed public transport, including the proposed Pyrmont metro station
- nearly 34,000 m2 of new interconnected parks and public space, including a 30 m wide foreshore promenade linking Glebe Island Bridge and the new Sydney Fish Market, and completing the harbour foreshore walk around the Pyrmont Peninsula
- a sustainable precinct that requires development to meet high sustainability criteria and demonstrate design excellence
- contributions towards and provisions for infrastructure, including community and cultural uses and affordable housing.
What's happened so far
The rezoning investigation for Blackwattle Bay was undertaken in accordance with the State Significant Precinct (SSP) process. INSW prepared the SSP Study, master plan and proposed planning controls for the precinct for assessment by the department with input from the City of Sydney Council, Office of the Government Architect NSW and Transport for NSW.
The State Significant Precinct Study was on public exhibition for comment from 2 July to 20 August 2021. The department has published the feedback received, including a summary of submissions and the issues raised alongside the department’s assessment letter. These documents and submissions can be viewed at the NSW Planning Portal.
INSW submitted the Response to Submissions report together with amendments to the proposed master plan and draft planning controls. The department also made these documents publicly available for further comments between 28 July to 26 August 2022. The submissions, including the department’s consideration can be viewed at the NSW Planning Portal.
The precinct has now been rezoned and the amending planning instrument can be found at NSW legislation.
What happens next
The department is finalising infrastructure funding arrangements through a draft Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) and proposed updates to the Pyrmont Special Infrastructure Contribution (SIC). The draft VPA and any updates to the Pyrmont SIC are due to be exhibited and finalised in the second half of 2023.
The new planning controls will take effect once these matters have been finalised and landowners can prepare development applications.