The authentic new Sydney Fish Market will sit at the heart of a revitalised Blackwattle Bay and return inaccessible parts of the Harbour foreshore to the community.
The NSW Government is revitalising Blackwattle Bay to deliver an authentic, vibrant and sustainable place connected to Sydney’s iconic harbour. Blackwattle Bay offers a rich identity and history, nestled between Pyrmont and Glebe on the harbour foreshore.
Renewal of Blackwattle Bay will deliver:
Blackwattle Bay, previously known as Bays Market District, is one of eight destinations of The Bays Precinct identified for renewal in The Bays Precinct, Sydney Transformation Plan 2015. It is recognised as one of the highest potential urban transformation sites in the world.
Blackwattle Bay lies in the Eastern City District of the Greater Sydney Commission’s Metropolis of Three Cities Regional Plan. Within the plan, an innovation corridor extends south from The Bays Precinct through Pyrmont, Ultimo, University of Sydney to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and swings around through North Eveleigh, Australian Technology Park to Central Station and parts of Surry Hills.
The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE), on behalf of the NSW Government, is undertaking a strategic review of the Pyrmont Peninsula and is outlining a coordinated vision across many renewal opportunities including Blackwattle Bay. The draft Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy incorporates the land component of the Blackwattle Bay Study Area in one of the seven sub-precincts of the Peninsula. This larger Blackwattle Bay sub-precinct is described as ‘… a place of transformation and renewal.’
The Blackwattle Bay Precinct Plan will align with the draft Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy 10 Directions and can deliver on the five Big Moves for Pyrmont.
Renewal of Blackwattle Bay represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver innovation and attract the jobs of the future for Sydney and NSW, equipping Sydney for the future and reinforcing its reputation as an internationally-competitive, resilient and prosperous global city to live, work and visit. The renewal is an opportunity to create stunning waterfront destinations and to deliver the kind of public spaces, promenades and workplaces that we can all be proud of.
Above: The Blackwattle Bay Study Area (Source, INSW)
To work towards achieving the vision for Blackwattle Bay, we need to rezone the land through a State Significant Precinct (SSP) process. The rezoning will propose a new planning framework and planning controls to enable its future urban renewal.
In 2016, the Minister for Planning recognised the renewal of Blackwattle Bay and the broader Bays Precinct as a matter of State planning significance and to be investigated for rezoning through the State Significant Precinct (SSP) process. Study Requirements for the Blackwattle Bay Investigation Area (formerly known as ‘Bays Market District’) were issued by the Minister in April 2017.
Work is under way to prepare the SSP Study and proposed planning controls for the Blackwattle Bay Investigation Area. The SSP Study will be based on a ‘Blackwattle Bay Precinct Plan’ which will provide a conceptual layout to guide development of planning controls for the precinct.
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) will place this on public exhibition for community and stakeholder feedback. Public exhibition is anticipated to occur in 2021.
Once the new planning controls are in place, future development proposals for the precinct will need to be approved through the relevant approval pathway.
Infrastructure NSW, on behalf of the NSW Government is constructing a new Sydney Fish Market at the head of Blackwattle Bay. Early works began in 2020 with the main construction works scheduled for 2021. View the project web page here for more information.
Above: Artist impression of the new Sydney Fish Market
The opportunity to transform The Bays Precinct has captured the imagination of locals, Sydneysiders, visitors and international experts for decades. Community and stakeholder engagement has been critical in development of the strategic and district plans.
Earlier this year, we asked the community and stakeholders for feedback on three urban renewal scenarios for the Blackwattle Bay area. The scenarios were a collection of planning concepts and ideas demonstrating what the future might look like if key elements were assembled in a particular way. Feedback from the community will help inform the preferred Blackwattle Bay Precinct Plan. View the scenarios consulted on earlier in 2020 here.
Above: Just one of the perspectives presented in the early engagement
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback or met with the project team during this engagement. A summary of the feedback received and what we heard during the early engagement can be viewed here.
We are considering all feedback received during the engagement in early 2020. Work is under way to prepare the SSP Study, including technical studies, consultation outcomes, a proposed precinct plan and proposed planning controls. The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) will place this on public exhibition for community and stakeholder feedback. Public exhibition is anticipated to occur in early 2021.
To stay up to date on news about Blackwattle Bay please subscribe to our eNews mailing list.
We encourage you to get involved in the planning process and invite you to contact us for more information and to provide feedback at any time. Our project team can be reached via:
Email: Blackwattle.Bay@infrastructure.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 1800 931 109
Our aim is to respond to enquiries within two working days if your query takes longer, we will contact you to provide an update.
Interpretation service
If you need an interpreter, please call TIS National on 131 450 and ask them to call Infrastructure NSW on 02 9216 5700. Our business hours are 0900 – 1700.
The community is being asked to provide feedback on early concept plans that will revitalise Blackwattle Bay, deliver new open space, and return inaccessible parts of Sydney harbour to the public for the first time in decades.
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