STRATEGIC DIRECTION 9 W SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RENEWAL AND DESIGN Well designed housing a boost to liveability CITY CONTEXT Good urban design contributes to the liveability City Context 263 of the City and plays a major role in maintaining and What the Community Said 266 improving Sydney’s status relative to other cities

Cities attract people and investment through the range of Urban design is about spatial planning—the spaces between Why action is needed 267 employment, social, cultural, recreational, business and buildings—and understanding what needs to be controlled educational opportunities they offer, which all can contribute and what can be allowed or encouraged to happen. The best to overall quality of life. Global cities are even more attractive urban design provides a long-term vision for the physical form What the City of Sydney because of the depth of available economic and cultural of the City that allows for the small incremental changes to 271 opportunities. Sydney is particularly well positioned and contribute to the ultimate realisation of the long-term vision. is already doing enjoys a unique advantage—its central area is highly The reason that it is important to identify linkages, street attractive and liveable. networks or future parks and boulevards now is that it may well take the next 20 years or more to achieve. Objectives and Actions 275 The City is renowned for clear blue skies. It sits on beautiful Sydney Harbour, with world class parklands and has surrounding natural assets such as the beaches and bays Project Idea 296 along with heritage buildings and cultural and entertainment facilities that are popular with visitors and residents. If the City is to continue to attract and retain global talent, and compete for tourists and visitors, the quality of architecture, urban design and major renewal sites all have a significant role.

262 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 20302030 :: SUPPORTSUPPORT DOCUMENT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 263 While most of the City that will exist in 2030 Renewal sites provide the opportunity to greatly is here now, some parts of the City will improve the social, economic and environmental undergo signifi cant change and renewal performance of the City and Sydney Region Parts of the City are likely to undergo signifi cant renewal over the timeframe of 2030 vision. These areas will host up to 70 per cent of new dwellings and up to 50 per cent of new jobs, and include Barangaroo, frasers Broadway (former CUB site), green Square, Redfern-Waterloo, Ashmore Precinct and around Central Station and the Alexandra Canal. Additional locations may be identifi ed in future to cater for longer term growth and investment opportunities. The comprehensive Most roads, parks and probably the majority of the buildings changes in these areas, including infrastructure, roads, built in the City may be improved or renovated but will remain form and landscape, compared to the incremental change largely as they are over the next 20 years and beyond. that will occur elsewhere, provides an opportunity to greatly however, change is constant. The physical history of the improve the social, economic and environmental performance City is one of continuing intensifi cation, displacement and of these areas, and positively infl uence the way development expansion. Examples of this process are the graveyards, occurs generally in the City. abattoirs, rifl e ranges, gaols and industrial activities which Signifi cant action is required to meet the stringent and have been continually relocated to the edge of the City. ambitious environmental targets that the City of Sydney Current planning needs to anticipate the major changes has set. Renewal sites will be required to implement in the structure of the City and the distribution and innovative ideas in pursuit of these targets, as they will intensity of activities. need to ‘compensate’ for existing areas, where inertia and slow redevelopment provides fewer opportunities for an improved environmental performance. City of Sydney

Harbourside parklands Redevelopment on Sydney harbourside

264 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 265 What the WHY ACTION Community Is needed Said

Challenges facing the City: Throughout the consultation undertaken for “…where there is a 1 Responding to Sydney’s changing economic geography Sustainable Sydney 2030, people from local balance between communities and business placed emphasis 2 Ensuring renewal areas become extensions of the City on the need for authenticity, diversity and preserving the past sustainability in the design of existing and “…that is clean, and recognising 3 Presenting a coherent City-wide vision to guide individual projects renewal areas. healthy, efficient” the future” 4 Monitoring of development controls and approvals 5 Managing risks and ensuring the City is adaptable People want a City… 6 Recognising the role of the streets, parks and squares 7 Increasing the opportunities presented by renewal sites 8 Promoting a ‘fine grain’ subdivision and ownership pattern “…that supports “…with humanity “…this is sustainable 9 Aspiring to design excellence across the City and a human scale” with a low-carbon design for self “…with distinctively footprint” sustaining urban identity” buildings” The City is continually changing and 2. Ensuring renewal areas become intensifying, and up to 70 per cent of new extensions of the City integrated with the “…that is existing urban fabric. creative, edgy dwellings and 50 per cent of jobs to 2030 will be in consolidated renewal areas. It is There is a danger that planning for individual renewal areas and gritty” “…that is “…that is lively, thoughtful is done in isolation, where the result can be an ‘island’ of and edgy” important that new and existing areas have development and lost opportunities for integration with the “…with a soul” beautiful” a longer term capacity and potential for existing urban fabric. change to cater for future unforeseen risks Often these developments have been ‘monolithic’ with a single and changes. Additionally, the renewal of developer determining the final design of extensive areas. “…with design large areas presents significant potential to Even where there has been subdivision into development quality ‘super–lots’, only larger development firms are able to participate. introduce new sustainable infrastructure. excellence” New models of concept planning and delivery are required The reasons why action is needed to promote sustainable to allow for a more organic and ‘fine grained’ development development, renewal and design include the following: approach—which means providing for small scale and diverse spaces, with a variety of owners, at street level. Basic development rules need to be established, particularly 1. Responding to Sydney’s changing focused on integrating street networks, permeability and the economic geography. public domain with the surrounding area, and not just a focus on the final built form of particular lots. Changes in transport technology, the globalisation of manufacturing and the relocation of ‘gateway’ infrastructure, ports and airports have had significant impacts on cities 3. Presenting a coherent city-wide vision to around the world. In Sydney, the relocation of most port guide individual projects. activities to Port Botany, the shift from rail to road for the The greatest single impediment to achieving a coherent vision transport of most goods and the relocation of manufacturing for the physical layout and urban design of the City is the and distribution hubs to areas west of the City have opened up fragmentation of control and planning functions across the opportunities for urban renewal similar to the renewal of port different levels of government and different agencies. and inner city areas in much of the developed world. This fragmentation makes strategic planning difficult if not The State Government’s subregional strategy for impossible, makes place making difficult and means individual Sydney City considers the structure of the City until 2031. projects and buildings have little guidance on how they could Building upon this, Sustainable Sydney 2030 seeks improve the public domain or contribute to their context as to recognise major shifts in the economic geography much as they could. in the Sydney Region and provide a coherent structure The redevelopment of entire areas have been conceived as to guide development. ‘projects’ often with a narrow set of objectives not concerned The challenge for current strategic planning is to better with the integration of the area with the rest of the City. anticipate major changes in the economic structure of the An alternative approach would be to establish a coherent City and understand the future distribution and intensity of city-wide vision, that would provide an understanding of the different activities. This is important in order to avoid repeating role of particular locations, and how their redevelopment the detrimental impacts that major infrastructure can have, could contribute to the long-term vision. With this approach, and has had, on the liveability of parts of the City. planning for the whole place, rather than relying on the design quality of the individual project or building is the ideal. City of Sydney

266 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 267 New residential development in Darling Park Wentworth Park 4. Ensuring development controls and driving modes of transport from pedestrian (including 7. Increasing the opportunities presented 8. Promoting a ‘fi ne grain’ subdivision and approvals are not adding unnecessarily to horse and bullock) to trains, trams and buses to the private by renewal sites to achieve City-wide ownership pattern that supports mixed use, the cost of renewal and development. motor vehicle and increased air travel that we see today. environmental targets. diversity and a strong identity. The dominance of the car has been made possible in Planning controls (LEPs and DCPs) and regular reviews are Australia, as it is in North America, by the relatively To a large extent, the major renewal sites in the City are The scale of the projects and buildings in renewal areas can needed so developments continue to meet the community’s inexpensive supply of fuel. already known. They are Redfern-Waterloo, the Australian make it very diffi cult to achieve the fi ne grain detail that broader interests. Over time, provisions and controls become Technology Park, green Square, Barangaroo, frasers people want at ground level. People, residents, workers and less relevant, as technology, expectations, development however, the big issue for Sydney is ‘future-proofi ng’ Broadway, and Ashmore Precinct. Other areas in the visitors respond to ‘authenticity’ in urban environments. approaches and uses change. Delays caused by out-of-date, it against the effects of climate change, and signifi cant City or adjacent to it that may be considered for Authenticity can not be manufactured or consciously unwieldy controls can add to ‘supply side’ costs. These are increases in energy and fuel costs that can be expected to redevelopment include Darling harbour, Sydney Airport, designed, it can only be allowed for and encouraged. not in the community’s interest – they add to the base cost of result from our need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and Botany industrial areas (to higher intensity industrial/ Authenticity depends on there being many ‘authors’ of development, through to sale prices and a barrier to market on the one hand, and reduced supply and greater demand logistics). There are also areas that might be suitable for development. A fi ne and small scale pattern of subdivision entry for new and innovative developers whose fi nanciers for oil on the other. It is likely that the current metropolitan development beyond the time horizon of the current vision is important because it allows for change over time, may be risk averse. approach of intensifi cation around transit nodes will be or will require more diffi cult trade-offs. These areas may have infl uenced by many peoples’ actions. This is the richness in recognised as being even more signifi cant as the impact compelling strategic locations (e.g. air rights above Central The existing planning and development control system can cities that can never be emulated by overwrought design: of the increased cost of fuel and energy is fully appreciated. Station railyards) or the potential for high amenity (e.g. with frustrate both communities confronting new development because it is actually about governance at the most proximity to Sydney Park and the Alexandra Canal). and the development industry alike. While system-wide Adaptability within the City should be provided by planning ‘grassroots’, detailed level, not design excellence. fine change depends on State government action, at City level for longer term development potential with such prospects Renewal areas within the City play an important role for grain patterns of ownership are not just about aesthetics. the opportunity exists to review long established planning in mind, while reviewing and changing planning controls the geography of the Sydney Region as a whole. The They are also about the local economy and social and ‘norms’, to install a system over time which meets local in stages. concentration of dwellings close to the City Centre reduces business networks. community aspirations in the public domain and good demand for land on Sydney’s fringe, as well as reducing The complexity and richness of relationships that design, while maximising clarity and simplicity for both large reliance on transport infrastructure. 6. Recognising the role of the streets, emerge between businesses on a main street like glebe and particularly small development proponents. parks and squares in public life. further, signifi cant action is required to meet stringent Point Road or Oxford and King Streets has little to do The City of Sydney is preparing a new City Plan which will The public generally thinks of the public domain as being environmental targets set by the City of Sydney. with a cleverly managed retail offering but everything to address these issues. Recently the City has worked with the collection of parks, gardens and squares that are spread Opportunities arise in renewal areas to achieve and exceed do with a subdivision and ownership and leasing pattern residents in local areas to analyse the character and urban throughout the City. however, it is the framework of streets environmental targets, in order to compensate for existing that allows many businesses to ‘have a go’. The role of design quality of these places. This work provides a sound and footpaths that are by far the most important element areas. Where there are large areas of renewal, economies urban design is to recognise that the fi ne grain is important base for further detailed reviews and refi nements to planning and the greatest in area (open space constitutes of scale for ‘green infrastructure’, such as green in promoting mixed-use and diversity, and contributes to controls. approximately 14 per cent, and the streets 16 per cent Transformers and water recycling facilities, may be achieved. the identity of a place. of the total area of the City). Liveable streets with shops 5. managing risks and ensuring the and places to sit in the sun or shade are by far the most 9. Aspiring to design excellence across the City. extensive parts of the public domain. City is adaptable. In planning for the future, effi cient, equitable and effective for the public domain to work well it needs to be continuous There is a degree of uncertainty when planning for the future processes, rules and frameworks, backed by a culture of and linked and good for pedestrians. While the City and considering the factors which, over the long-term, will design excellence, need to be instilled in the City. The City has a signifi cant amount of existing open space, there shape the urban environment. It is necessary to manage needs to generally allow for the extraordinary, while defi ning are opportunities to further maximise the useability and risk and ensure that options for change, renewal, re-use, particular locations where excellence is required. accessibility of these spaces. given that residents are redevelopment or intensifi cation are not precluded. prepared to trade-off private amenity for the benefi ts of An example of a high-level factor is increasing fuel prices. In living close to the City Centre, it is necessary to rethink the past, transport has played a key role in shaping Sydney’s the extent and role of the public domain. urban form. It has evolved as a result of changes in technology

268 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 269

What the City of Sydney is already doing

City Plan Development Control Plan (DCP) Review The City of Sydney is aiming to integrate planning controls As part of the City Plan, a draft Sydney DCP is being prepared across the City into a single plan. This will provide greater that provides consistent development controls across the consistency and certainty as well as meet the State Sydney Local Government Area. This will Government’s planning reform agenda. meet the requirement that Councils also prepare a single DCP for their area. The comprehensive review, consolidation and plan preparation process for the City Plan was initiated The single DCP will be an amalgamation (and review) in mid 2005. The initiative aims to address four key Council or of the existing DCPs that currently apply within the City. NSW Department of Planning (DoP) issues and requirements: At the commencement of the review there were 62 DCPs • the importance of efficient and streamlined administration and development-related policies requiring review and of the City of Sydney’s planning functions; consolidation. Provisions contained in more recently produced stand-alone DCPs, during the City Plan preparation Barangaroo site • the importance of reflecting the identity of City of Sydney as a single entity following the boundary process, are being incorporated into the draft Sydney DCP. adjustments and amalgamations in 2003 and 2004; Integration is essential. We need to plan for integrated places, • the requirement for City of Sydney LEP to conform particularly integrating renewal areas into the surrounding to the Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plan) Urban Design Studies Towards urban areas and neighbourhoods, by extending the pattern Order 2006, and to consolidate DCPs as they apply to The suite of urban design studies being carried out across of the existing City—building types, urban forms and street individual parcels of land by March 2011; and Sustainable and subdivision patterns. the City also inform the controls within the proposed DCP. • the necessity to address State planning reform initiatives The purpose of these studies is to identify existing built form Furthermore, Sustainable Sydney 2030 seeks to take a (changes to exempt and complying development) and character and desired future character for the study areas and Development, broad view of sustainability: not just the physical environment, amendments to State Environmental Planning Instruments recommend, where necessary, revisions to planning controls. but also the economic, social and cultural environment. (EPI) applying to areas such as Barangaroo, Ultimo- Renewal Renewal presents major opportunities to shape the future Pyrmont and Walsh Bay within the City of Sydney LGA. Five urban design studies have been completed for the areas of Chinatown, City East, Surry Hills, Glebe and Forest Lodge, of the City and implement infrastructure that makes a The City Plan is a major undertaking that includes contribution to the sustainability of the City. Green Square and Waterloo and Redfern. A further four and Design consolidating three Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) studies will be completed for the following areas: To achieve sustainable development, renewal and design across and approximately 60 Development Control Plans (DCPs) • Chippendale, Camperdown, Darlington, the City, Sustainable Sydney 2030 has the following objectives: and policies that have been adopted as a result of West Redfern and North Newtown; amalgamation, or are City-wide DCPs adopted by Council • Erskineville, Alexandria (West) and Newtown (South); The City has already experienced high growth since amalgamation. There are also various State level 9.1 Ensure renewal areas make major • Paddington, Centennial Park and Moore Park; and rates, but is still low density compared to Environmental Planning Instruments, applying to areas contributions to the sustainability of the City • Western fringe of the CBD. many global cities. When planning for the within the LGA. future of the City, it is necessary to take a 9.2 Define and improve the City’s streets, Each set of existing provisions takes a different philosophical The final result of the City Plan process will be a single set of approach to planning (for example, prescriptive vs. planning controls for the LGA within the current statutory and long-term view, to anticipate and plan for squares, parks and open space, performance based), and the outcomes sought vary. strategic planning context. long-term change after 2030, and to allow and enhance their role for pedestrians for the density required to accommodate and in public life the anticipated future growth. Local Environmental Plan Review 9.3 Plan for a beautiful City and promote The main LEP changes addressed as part of this review relate design excellence to the following key policy issues: • the Central Sydney Area (primarily floor space ratios 9.4 Continually improve development associated with commercial and controls and approvals processes to residential development); minimise compliance and supply-side • land use and transport (car parking); development costs • built form (character, floor space ratios and height); • land use/zonings; 9.5 Ensure renewal areas make major • heritage conservation; and contributions to the sustainability of the City • the Southern Industrial Area. Other issues may arise as a result of the Department 9.6 Plan for the longer term structure of the City of Planning’s Sydney City Subregional Strategy.

270 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 271 The pattern of buildings in 1996 showing tower block surrounded The pattern of buildings in 2004 showing the reinstated by large area of open space that provided little amenity. street pattern and fi ne grain building pattern

Stonebridge in 1996 An example of the commitment to high quality architectural ‘landmark’ design A typical street view of the renewed estate showing a mix of housing and in Stonebridge street defi nition.

CASE STUDy Urban renewal and generation Stonebridge, UK Stonebridge housing Action Trust in the Borough of Brent The project involved: ‘ A few years’ back, Stonebridge’s Housing The key design aspects that contributed to the London, was set up in 1994 as one of six housing Action • a combination of physical rebuilding and social Action Trust realised that just as design was success of Stonebridge are: Trust (hATs) to regenerate some of the most disadvantaged regeneration; part of the problem, it could also be part of the • Reinstatement of a fi ne grained street network local authority estates in England. • the integration of a mix of uses; solution. Residents were asked to work with and reintegrating the development with the Its aim was to both physically transform the estate comprising • an extended time period with a dedicated group of staff surrounding street grid; focused solely on the project, located on-site, which architects and urban planners to design a better 1,775 dwellings that was designed and built in the 1960’s and • A mix of housing types; allowed for a comprehensive engagement with the layout for their estate, and a team was set-up to provide innovative responses and programs for the social • The involvement of many architects and local community; to look at things like improved street lighting… and economic deprivation faced by local residents. A total of landscape designers; 1,145 homes were completed by the end of 2007, with further • commitment to high quality design; and Stonebridge’s experience shows us that bad • No single dominating developments: the largest sites cleared for development of a further 1,000. The open • the involvement of a wide range of architects. design doesn’t just build housing estates or single building was a block of 60 units and the spaces within the 1970s development are being replaced The physical renewal of the estate was accompanied by wide buildings that are ugly to look at. It can also largest single development contract was 313 homes; in the form of usable ‘London Square’ type amenities, as ranging economic and social development programs, directed decimate communities, depress people’s • Involvement of the community in the design process; opposed to wasteland, and commercial, business, and and coordinated by the hAT staff, which included child care community facilities grouped to form a heart to the area, spirits, create a vicious cycle of people • Long-term vision, as opposed to site-by-site feasibility facilities, community facilities, radio project, employment and allow the foot fall from activities to have spin-off degrading their environment, and in the over a period of 13 years that allowed adjustments to programs, new health facilities and programs, new school benefi ts to adjoining land uses. process, degrading themselves.’ design and approach; complexes together with after-school and related programs. • Land mark building strategy to establish Tessa jowell, Minister for Culture, Media and Sport. quality and street presence; ‘A key success factor of the Stonebridge • A focus on design quality as a means of attracting investment and building civic pride; regeneration program being the active • Effecting a wide uplift in land values through engagement with the community, and the investment, and capturing ‘the ripple effect’; recognition, and investment to address • Design competitions for all scales of development the linked issues of housing, health, to capture and encourage young/emerging talent; and employment and educational attainment.’ • Designing community facilities, based upon lifetime Andrew McAnulty, Chief Offi cer, Stonebridge Action Trust benefi t, costs and revenue streams—ensuring long-term viability.

272 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 273 Sustainable Development, Renewal and Design Objectives & Actions

Objective Ensure renewal areas 9.1 make major contributions to the sustainability of the City.

CITY Renewal projects are typically CITY IN The City’s renewal areas are NOW untested for broader sustainability 2030 sustainability exemplars. and community impacts. Renewal and redevelopment areas at @ The large renewal projects should have an t Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, Redfern Waterloo, obligation to ensure that they provide broad Australian Technology Park, the former Carlton community and environmental benefits given and United Breweries site, Green Square and the high proportion of public land and significant future areas will contain new residential and planning resources that are usually associated business communities, with sustainability with them. principles as their foundation. Excellence in design, and best practice environmental Simply considering these projects as real techniques are employed. Affordable housing estate developments is unlikely to achieve the creates balanced and inclusive communities. ambitious City wide targets for the reduction Development in these areas feels like a natural of greenhouse emissions, and minimisation of extension of the City, and is integrated into waste and water use. surrounding areas. The renewal areas need to also make a significant contribution to City-wide transport and affordable housing targets. Renewal areas meet aggressive Case Study In effect the renewal areas need to ‘do more’ sustainability targets. Java Island Amsterdam because of the inertia and difficulty in retrofitting Renewal and redevelopment areas make a the existing building stock. The current planning significant contribution to achieving City-wide Many urban renewal projects have taken place on the On the northern side of the island there is a road for local approach to renewal shows evidence of good targets for reduced greenhouse emissions, former dockland area of Kadijk, Java and KNSM islands. traffic, while the southern side of the island possesses practice but appears to fall well short of current water use and waste generation. They will Java Island is situated in the middle of IJ harbour. The old a shopping promenade with expensive owner-occupied world’s ‘best practice’ that will be needs to meet include sustainable infrastructure that enables port area is now a modern residential neighbourhood. The houses. The island is dissected by a cycle path with the aggressive but appropriate targets adopted them to ‘put back’ into the energy and water island is connected to the mainland via a bridge only, which gardens located on both sides. All land on the island by the City. networks. The renewal areas will also be accommodates pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. is being utilised, with housing yields very high. structured to minimise car use and include Collective approaches to potential affordable housing, which again contributes to Sjoerd Soeters wanted a fresh urban design for Java Island, www.amsterdamdocklands.com benefits not realised. while also fitting in with Amsterdam tradition. The canal district the achievement of ambitious City-wide targets. www.holland.com is designed around the principles of differentiation and unity, Development in renewal areas should not where every building is more or less the same but at the be treated in the same way as a single same time different from the next one. This has created and development. Because these are typically Collective solutions to achieve maintained a unified street façade. The interface between large developments the costs of applying new sustainability aims are utilised in buildings and public domain has been carefully considered. sustainable technologies can be spread across renewal areas. multiple development units, reducing the cost Java Island is very narrow, with dwellings on the island per unit to achieve targets. The development Sustainable infrastructure and services, transport designed to look like contemporary Amsterdam canal scale offers an advantage that should be and affordable housing solutions take advantage houses. Many of the residential buildings on the island realised. of the density and scale of development in the where designed by 19 young and promising architects, renewal areas. Best practice approaches are with the only similarities the buildings share is that they utilised and adopted elsewhere. are 4.5 metres wide and four to five storeys in height. The design of buildings allows for the layout to incorporate inner courts and public gardens.

274 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 275 Redfern-Waterloo Frasers Broadway (former CUB site) Barangaroo (East Darling Harbour) Green Square The Redfern-Waterloo area is located to the south of the The Frasers Broadway site is located in Chippendale, The Barangaroo site, formerly known as East Darling Harbour, The Green Square Urban Renewal area contains Sydney CBD. A number of Government owned sites in this south west of Central Station. The site is about a 900 m walk is a 22-hectare land parcel (owned by the State Government) approximately 280 hectares of land in Sydney’s oldest area are underutilised and traffic and neglect have blighted to both Central and Redfern railway stations. to the west of the City Centre. industrial area, located between the Sydney Central certain precincts. The existing high value development at Business District, the Kingsford Smith Airport and Port The site is a significant opportunity for large scale, The Barangaroo Concept Plan was released in late the Australian Technology Park (ATP), Redfern Station and Botany. Its heart will be the new Green Square Town high quality urban renewal on one the most important October, 2006. The current planning for the site is for a proximity to the CBD and strategic assets such as nearby Centre positioned at the Green Square Station on the ‘gateways’ to the City Centre. In 2006, the Minister for maximum of 388,300 square metres gross floor area, universities and RPA Hospital, suggest that there is inherent Airport Link Railway. Planning took over planning approval of the site under with half of the site as public parkland. The focus for untapped value in the area. Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment development will be at the southern and eastern edges The renewal area includes the suburbs of Beaconsfield and The potential for renewal and redevelopment is significant Act. In late October, 2006, a Concept Plan was released. of the site. Under current planning the site is anticipated Zetland, and parts of Alexandria, Waterloo and Rosebery. It and there are already many activities under development. The Concept Plan for the 5.8 hectare site includes up to to have up to 1,600 residents in 750 dwellings and contains a number of large key sites owned by government The Redfern-Waterloo Authority prepared a Built Environment 245,250 square metres gross floor area for mixed-use 16,000 workers over the next 10 to 15 years. and the private sector, as well as a rich and diverse stock Plan which forms part of the broader Redfern-Waterloo Plan development, catering for approximately 4,800 workers of significant buildings. It has a rich history and is socially, The Barangaroo development presents a significant (August, 2006). The broader plans include a substantial and some 2,800 residents in 1,690 apartments. Concept culturally, economically and physically diverse. opportunity to create premium quality development adjacent upgrade to Redfern Station, facilitating a research and approval, by the Minister for Planning, occurred in to the CBD, to position Sydney—and Australia—for the The Green Square Strategy for the redevelopment of innovation zone from the ATP to the University of Sydney February 2007. next wave of global economic development. In this way, this area is based on building upon and reinforcing key and the University of Technology. The Plan is intended to Barangaroo has a role in reinforcing and extending Sydney’s defining elements of the area, such as the stormwater encourage economic growth and the creation of up to 18,000 global and national economic status. It should be a focus for channels, the existing traditional neighbourhoods and the jobs. Some of the known future activities in this area are: globally competitive industries and activities. A key challenge existing industrial character. The strategy proposes • The Department of Defence new offices. is connecting the development successfully with the existing a transit oriented, ecologically sustainable community, • Channel Seven and Pacific Magazines are relocating to City Centre and ensuring a lively and active waterfront area. based on a mixed-use urban environment with a balance ATP, with some 2000 permanent jobs and the likelihood of residential and employment generating activities. of related industries also developing. Under current estimates Green Square will achieve by • Performance Space theatre has relocated from the year 2031 a total residential population of 28,000 Cleveland Street to CarriageWorks Centre for and a working population of 22,000. This redevelopment Contemporary Performance at the Eveleigh Rail Yards. strategy evolved from the Green Square Structural This venue will become a major cultural and arts venue Masterplan (1998), which formed the basis for the and a focus of Sydney Festival events. development of planning controls for Green Square. • A new pedestrian and cycle connection at the south-west end of the site across the rail corridor will join the ATP and North Eveleigh (by end 2008) • Plans for Redfern Station upgrade are under development, including an additional pedestrian and cycle link at the southern end of the station.

276 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 277 fIGURE 9.1 RENEwAL AREAS ObjECTIvE ACTION RENEwAL AREAS Defi ne and improve the Set sustainability targets for LONGER-TERm 9.1.1 individual renewal areas. INvESTIGATION AREA 9.2 City’s streets, squares, Specifi c targets should be set in each renewal area BARANGAROO for sustainable transport, affordable and moderate income housing and environmental performance parks and open space, related to the overall targets for the City and in relation to the surrounding social and economic contexts of the and enhance their role renewal sites. Transport targets would cover desirable mode share for pedestrians and in and car usage aims. The affordable housing targets would cover the public life desirable mix of ‘low cost to market’ and affordable housing (ultimately managed by ‘not-for-profi t’ agencies) and social housing if relevant. Environmental performance measures include: DARLING • Storm water quality and fl ows; HARBOUR • Potable water consumption; • Mitigation of heat island effect; • Life cycle, green house effect; • Waste and recycling; CENTRAL • Car ownership and car parking; TO REDFERN FRASERS BROADWAY • Support for alternative transport; and [Former CUB site] • Public transport provision. The targets should be integrated into the overall Environmental Management Plan of Council. REDFERN – CITy Additional open space provision is Large areas of open space EVELEIGH WATERLOO highly constrained. separated from surrounding ACTION RAILWAY NOw Undertake broad economic analyses WORKSHOPS residential communities. 9.1.2 of urban renewal in order to prioritise @ The total area of the City of Sydney Local sustainability. government Area is 2,615 hectares. Of this, The useability of and enjoyment from parks and approximately 520 hectares is roads, and 377 public spaces depends as much if not more on Any assessment of the sustainability of development ASHMORE hectares or 14.3 per cent of the City’s total land the land uses that surround and enliven them, needs to consider all costs, both private and public. area is open space. The City owns or manages their accessibility and the key facilities within The challenge will be to redirect as much investment approximately 187 hectares of public open space. them, than the quality or size of the open space as possible towards sustainability goals. In order to An additional 190 hectares is managed by other itself. It is important to recognise that the major do this an overall understanding of total costs, both GREEN SQUARE authorities including parts of Darling harbour, the open spaces of Sydney are largely as a result of capital and operational, costs to the public, developer Royal Botanic gardens and the Domain (63.4ha), happenstance rather than forward planning. and occupier over the life cycle of the building and and some signifi cant areas of institutional development is needed. open space including the University of Sydney Often, as a result, these large spaces are (14.7ha). separated from surrounding communities by Economic analysis is required to identify the busy roads (for example Prince Alfred, victoria relative benefi ts to society of different development These areas are linked in many instances to and Wentworth Parks) and are not linked to the approaches. NSW Treasury currently requires this sort ALEXANDRA CANAL/ extensive open space immediately outside the more active and higher density areas. Some of analysis for large greenfi eld developments, and the BOTANY ROAD City boundaries, including the extensive open of the densest parts of the City—for example, same techniques should be used to assess urban spaces of Centennial Parklands, private and haymarket and Potts Point—have only small renewal proposals and projects. public golf courses and the mill ponds. areas of open space nearby. This approach could be expanded to all development Although signifi cant additional development in renewal areas, in order to stimulate innovation and There is a danger that planning for large renewal is anticipated, given the high cost of land it prioritise environmental, social and sustainable transport areas like Barangaroo and Darling harbour could is unlikely that the amount of open space will outcomes. An analysis of various options would identify continue these problems of insuffi ciently activated increase substantially. The challenge is to where savings might be made and redirected. or integrated open space, and open space improve the quality and useability of existing separated from communities. At Barangaroo Included in these analyses should be a questioning of open space and to link spaces to each other. 11 hectares of land earmarked for parkland is ACTION current planning requirements. As part of the existing Require key sites such as barangaroo, remote from potential users in the City Centre, design excellence program, variations to current 9.1.3 frasers broadway, Ashmore and Green while the public areas of Darling harbour in the planning requirements can be considered if design Square to demonstrate step changes The City’s streets are not suffi ciently south are occupied by single purpose buildings and public benefi ts can be demonstrated. in environmental performance, housing acknowledged as public space assets. that do not relate to or enliven Tumbalong Park. for example, the cost of particular planning requirements, affordability, sustainable transport and Most of the public life of the City occurs in its Other parkland areas (for example, Wentworth such as the requirement for underground car parking, reduction in car ownership. remain major cost components and should be open to streets—in the walk between favourite shops, Park and harold Park) have had large portions excised from public access by leasehold to question if satisfactory alternatives can be provided. The City will foster partnerships with the private sector at the outdoor café or bar, in street festivals, in waiting for public transport, on a weekend bike other institutional uses. It should be recognised that planning policies have and other government agencies to achieve sustainability ride. The tendency is to think of ‘public space’ economic and fi nancial impacts and, by being and affordability targets. as the City’s parks and gardens only. A broader requirements, prioritise some outcomes over others. appreciation of the public domain is required, Sustainability outcomes need to be prioritised. Car with streets, seen as the most extensive and most parking needs to be thought of as a private choice, not important component and deserving of more as a public requirement. considered planning.

278 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 279 ACTION Specific principles or directions which would Prepare a comprehensive Public inform the plan include the following: 9.2.1 Domain Plan to define the long-term • Street blocks in residential and mixed- street and lane network, location use areas should be a maximum of 150m of squares and public places and generally 100m or less. An indicative and open space system, initially network of lanes should also be defined. focussing on renewal areas. • Parks will not be used to isolate different uses from each other, or be isolated from With constant churn and change in the City it is the people and activities that use them important that a comprehensive and long-term by impassable roads or simply by being plan for the City’s street and lane network— remote. Parks will be green oases within the location of small squares and public places City and include surrounding active sports and open space system—be prepared. Such a and recreational facilities, cafes and venues plan would make a strong statement about the to draw people to them. Open space linked to residential value the City of Sydney places on a high quality public domain. And, importantly, guards against • Squares and significant open space should creeping change through new development be defined in relation to Villages and Activity which might alienate, internalise or incrementally Hubs. A network of smaller public spaces privatise what should be public space. should also be defined and these should be CITY IN A comprehensive, continuous and New and more intense development is located to supplement and enhance existing legible network of pedestrian-friendly, supported by high quality, additional The City of Sydney should prepare a concentrations of activity, including shops, 2030 comprehensive and detailed Public Domain Plan significant transit stops, and civic buildings. traffic calmed streets linking parks, open space where possible. that would show: squares and public buildings is provided. • The creation of forecourts for even major t Land use planning will ensure that higher density • a comprehensive fine grained street and private buildings will be discouraged unless The street and lanes network will be residential development can take advantage of indicative lane network (including future already identified as part of the plan. comprehensive and fine grained, and integrated the park network. road reservations); An extension to this approach is proposed with the parks, squares and open space. Parks • accessibility for people with impaired or New parks will be encouraged and directly in the Strategic Direction 5: Lively, Engaging will be provided at a wide range of scales—from restricted mobility; accessible to areas with growing populations. City Centre chapter. small pocket parks with play equipment to large The few new parks that are created will be directly • road and footpath widths; regional parks; from intimate north-facing shaded accessible to areas of the greatest concentrations • street planting; The ‘actual’ implementation of the network will squares of a 100 square metres or so scattered take decades, but it is important to establish of residential growth. • street furniture; though the City, enlivened by a café or restaurant the plan, with defined setbacks and preferred • location and dimensions of large squares to the major civic places at Central, Town Hall building alignments, to ensure that new buildings and public open space; and Circular Quay. do not impede its realisation. Institutional or ‘private’ open space is • a network of smaller public spaces; The network will relate to the network of Villages available for ‘dual use’. • building set backs; and The first stage of the plan should focus on the and Activity Hubs, and help to intensify and knit renewal areas. This will involve working with • services (including proposed environmental together the surrounding areas’ complexity and To supplement the limited supply of accessible infrastructure reticulation). other agencies such as the Redfern-Waterloo multiple uses. open space, cooperative dual-use arrangements Authority and Sydney Harbour Foreshore for institutional open space or that associated with Authority to ensure the principles are reflected private strata developments are negotiated. This in the new development. will open up the existing enclaves for the public and ensure new developments address and benefit the public domain.

280 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 281 Objective Plan for a beautiful 9.3 City and promote ACTION Develop agreements for dual use of ACTION design excellence 9.2.2 Investigate ways to increase community institutional and other open space, 9.2.4 engagement in improving local streets such as schools and universities. and lanes such as ‘Beautiful Lanes, Parts of the City and immediately adjoining areas Green Streets’ program. have extensive areas of open space in private or institutional ownership that provide visual Streets and lanes which are loved and nurtured by amenity, and in some cases limited access. their neighbours have a special feel. The City of This includes areas in Sydney University, the Sydney should develop a ‘Beautiful Lanes, Green Australian Technology Park, golf courses and Streets’ program to encourage community and schools. neighbourhoods to embrace and care for their CITY Beauty and design excellence Insufficient consideration of desirable streets and lanes. NOW encouraged by reference to simple built form and street edge conditions Given the difficulty in increasing the amount rules related to scale and built form. and an over-reliance on floor space of open space in the City, the City of Sydney Competitions for community-based street and ratio controls. should approach owners of these areas to work lane beautification, small grants for street parties, @ An unquestioned claim throughout the collaboratively to improve access and integrate the provision of free plants and ‘adopt a lane’ consultation process was that Sydney is a The basic means of development control in the these areas into the overall pedestrian, cycle initiatives should be investigated. ‘beautiful city’. Sydney’s natural setting and NSW planning system is the floor space ratio. and open space network. Different levels of geography provide for the iconic images of Elsewhere in Australia and overseas, particularly in agreement and dual use could be negotiated, ACTION Investigate further strategies to harbour, skyline and City edge against water city centres, more attention is paid to defining how from simply defining and allowing through 9.2.5 that most people think of when they think of the building should ’behave‘ or ‘perform’ in relation routes, to active dual use of the spaces, and activate the public domain. Sydney’s beauty. This is a resilient beauty, difficult to the public domain. This is done by defining: possibly to shared maintenance of facilities such Great cities have active and well used public to destroy by even incremental poor quality • clear height, setback and form controls to set as play equipment and play areas in schools. spaces where people congregate, walk or development. Nevertheless careless and reckless the overall bulk of the building; play. Increasing the liveliness and activity of development has created some ‘ugly’ parts of • ‘rules‘ for the street edge condition; and the City, and these provide a stark contrast to the public spaces also increases security and • landscape and activation by front doors ‘beautiful’ parts. ACTION Undertake strategic land purchase discourages vandalism. and business entries, where car park entries 9.2.3 or require dedication of land to Some of the City’s streets, waterfronts and small At ground level, where most people experience should be located. the City, there are significant impacts from poor implement Public Domain Plan. public squares could be more actively used if Where FSRs are the principal driver of development. On a noisy busy road, intimidated adjacent to or including outdoor cafes or food development scale, the development proponent The City of Sydney needs a strategic approach by speeding traffic, engulfed by swirling diesel outlets. These spaces attract more frequent use is not necessarily challenged to satisfy form to ensure that key sites or road reserves fumes it is difficult to appreciate the finer points than those without such activities. and bulk issues. Furthermore, with FSR controls identified in the Public Domain Plan will be of the visual composition of the façade across Incentives could include the City of Sydney the tendency is then to ‘push the envelope’ to secured as the City population grows. the street or the play of dappled sunlight on committing to accompanying improvements expand the allowable FSR rather than satisfy bulk the footpath. A purchase and procurement plan is required. to the public domain such as varying setback and scale aims on a performance basis. This would include: requirements, widening of footpaths to facilitate • a requirement that developers dedicate the display and/or sale of goods outside shops, Design excellence of individual new roads and lanes as part of a and outdoor seating associated with restaurants CITY IN Beauty and design excellence are comprehensive fine grain network (such (and similar premises) at concessional rates. developments will not necessarily result encouraged by reference to simple rules as dedication of open space and new A series of planned concessions or leases for 2030 in a coherent and attractive whole. related to scale and built form—there is roads along the Alexandra Canal and coffee stalls or kiosks could be instituted. its tributaries). Promoting ‘design excellence’ of individual t a move toward ‘block planning’ controls projects needs to done with caution because over- derived from an analysis of how • negotiating for the dedication of mid- emphasising the individual design can undermine block open space areas in renewal buildings should relate to the adjacent ACTION the coherence of the whole. Not every project areas and larger apartment developments Create generous channel-side open public domain. can, or should be, a ‘masterpiece’ and there as public domain (to create more widely 9.2.6 space and parkland links to Green needs to be exceptional and compelling reasons Defining the height, set-back, scale and built useable open space which would Square along water canals. for individual designs to break the rules. It is not form allows the rules to be simple and clearly otherwise by internalised as part of a strata Alexandra Canal should be recognised as a enough to rely on the design excellence provisions defined. The rules should be required to make subdivided development). human artefact (not a natural water course) and that are part of the Local Environment Plan. More good design easy and bad design difficult and • acquisition of sites in strategic locations the construction of weirs and other water control attention is required on the framing elements, in set out the non-negotiable minimum performance as they are put on the market (this would devices should be allowed to improve the amenity particular the streets and the public domain, and expected from buildings and development. apply particularly prior to rezoning where of the upper reaches. how the City is experienced at ground level, to the sites are intended to include public promote more universal ‘design excellence’. Alexandra Canal has the potential to be a major facilities, sustainable infrastructure or Design excellence and strategic affordable housing). water body and significantly improve the amenity Unfortunately, some projects currently being of the 1000m at the head of the channel that is planned or recently completed do not recognise objectives are met through A section 94 plan would also provide partial not adversely affected by aircraft noise. Previous the importance of allowing for the processes of public investment. funding from new development towards master planning has been constrained by State change in the City, or the importance of diversity, Public buildings should strive for innovation and the network. policies that have considered the channel to be changeability, adaptability, or of the primacy excellence in sustainability and design. They Refer to Project 9—Green Square a natural watercourse. that should be given to the individuals experience should also demonstrate and deliver against the at ground level. sustainability exemplar Polluted mud flats cannot be disturbed. The strategic objectives set out in documents such as construction of a mid–level weir or collapsible The Sustainable Sydney 2030 Vision, Metropolitan barrage should be investigated in order to allow a Strategy and the State Plan. constant water level to be maintained that would cover the mud flats, allow storm events to flow unimpeded and not disturb the sediments.

282 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 283 The principle of the second man Any really great work has within it seminal forces capable of influencing subsequent development around it, and often in ways unconceived of by its creator… The principle of the second man: it is the second man who determines whether the creation will be carried forward or destroyed. Edmund Bacon, The Design of Cities, 1966

Block Planning and ACTION Prepare Public Domain Interface Performance-based Assessment 9.3.1 Guidelines to define desired Block Planning is the process of translating high-level strategic street edge conditions. plans and comprehensive public domain plans to the more detailed Comprehensive, detailed and specific Public level of the individual street block. This is to set out what is expected Domain Interface Guidelines for buildings and in terms of built form, land uses and contribution to the public domain—or ‘form, function and interaction’ respectively. development should be prepared to ensure the The objective of working at this more detailed level is to amenity of pedestrians and to contribute to the enable interested parties to resolve planning issues and to quality of the public domain. In high activity areas agree appropriate parameters for any future development or such as the City Centre, buildings should be built redevelopment of the block and surrounding area. to the street alignment, though performance criteria Typically, a block will be analysed with regard to built form, to allow for changes could also be suggested. heritage, landscape quality, circulation patterns and access. In other areas existing building alignments Key guidance for the planning would come from the long-term and setbacks should be maintained and large strategic planning for the area (that might include the introduction expanses of blank wall should be avoided. of a finer street pattern and definition of preferred land uses). Guidance would also come from the comprehensive Public In the 1970s incentives were given to individual ACTION Move towards ‘block planning’, ACTION Develop performance based criteria Domain Plan. developments to create colonnaded open space 9.3.2 including simple building envelope 9.3.3 to supplement building envelope Building envelopes define the limits for building footprints and areas in the City Centre. This resulted in a variety of controls over heights, setbacks controls. heights. Access points and linkages may be detailed and other street frontages, wind swept, empty forecourts and planning aspects including setbacks and new roads. colonnades. Incentives are now given for building and bulk. A set of block by block performance-based The advantage of block planning is that the full range of planning owners to ‘fill’ colonnaded spaces. Efficient and effective planning controls need to assessment criteria for development proponents issues may be resolved comprehensively and in a consultative However, these principles are insufficient to ensure make the ‘good’ easy and the bad difficult. wanting to innovate beyond the ‘building process, which should reduce the level of disputes as development envelope’ and block planning controls proceeds. A high level of certainty is introduced into the development the quality of the public domain in some locations. During consultation for Sustainable Sydney 2030, should be prepared. approvals system without the straightjacket of rigid controls. There cannot and should not be a single set of there was broad agreement that while quality Ultimately, this makes floor space ratio (FSR) controls less relevant, generic ‘rules’ for how buildings relate to the street of design should be encouraged, perhaps the The Public Domain Interface Guidelines given that they bear little relationship to urban design factors or due to the complexity and variation in conditions most effective way for this to happen was to (see previous page) would inform the characteristics of built form suited to different uses. For example, the across the City. Every street in the existing and depth of residential buildings should generally not exceed 18 metres, actually ‘loosen–up’ the planning controls to allow performance criteria. There is an array of other while up to 25 metres or more may be possible for commercial office future network requires individual consideration. excellence and variety to occur. existing work including the series of design space and in excess of 35 metres may be required for some retail The guidelines should address the following issues What constitutes good development can be studies that will also be useful. uses such as supermarkets for efficient planning. None of these that will be more or less important: complexities are addressed by FSR controls. defined in the first instance by clear place– specific The City has an extraordinary diversity of • floor levels of the internal floors adjoining the controls for acceptable uses, how the development built form and street and subdivision patterns. The development potential of a site may still be expressed street to allow for adaptability and conversion as an FSR for individual parcels of land, but these would should relate to the public domain, and how its In many areas this physical variety is matched between residential and commercial uses; simply be an expression of the results of the block planning. built form should relate to its neighbours. and derived from a similarly mixed range of land • adaptability and flexibility of the Once the built form, land uses and way the buildings are These controls can be set conservatively to achieve uses and activities close to each other. This ground level spaces; expected to relate to the public domain is resolved the broad community acceptance. To exceed these diversity should be continued in renewal area development controls can be expressed in two ways: • location and design of car parking; basic controls the developer is then challenged at a fine grain scale.F or large developments, • location and frequency of kerb cuts aspirations that might inform performance Compliant Proposals to innovate in order to improve to performance for vehicle cross-overs; based controls would include: For each ‘element’ of development (eg, height, setbacks, of the design. • landscaping of setbacks if any; • A fine grained sub-division pattern allowing car parking, etc), a set of objective measures are formulated This allows the developer to optimise the design multiple ownership; (e.g. maximum height is 9.0 metres). Any development that • amount of active frontage; in a variety of ways to achieve a required result. complies is deemed to be approved with respect to this • maximum dimensions for blank walls; • Considering how subsequent intensification element. This introduces certainty into the system. However, With block by block planning to define the height, • amount of glazed frontage; and change might occur (see above: assessment of the application is limited to the elements of set back and building envelopes to respond to the The principle of the second hand); the proposal that do not comply, and assessment is against • location and frequency of residential particular context of the development, FSR controls the overall performance criteria and objectives that the and commercial entries; • Multiple land uses or providing for a mix controls are intended to achieve. become less important. of occupiers of different scales; • location and restrictions of service access; Other ‘non– negotiables’ can be included, for • Provisions to involve a number of • privacy; Non Compliant Elements of Proposals example, avoidance of overshadowing parks designers in larger projects; and Any non-compliance elements of a proposal will be assessed • pedestrian amenity and weather and major public places, and adequate sound • Leaving open opportunities for easy by considering how the proposal still meets the performance protection; and proofing. Further work should be undertaken to modification in response to market shifts, criteria and underlying objectives (e.g. must not overshadow • materials of the building at ground level. public open space between 11 am and 2.30 pm at the equinox). identify how block planning controls could be for example, ground-floor being adaptable This introduces flexibility into the system and encourages Much of the initial thinking for this work has implemented. to retail, commercial, home office or innovation, but at the same time requires that the innovation commenced, and needs to be consolidated. There Further work should be undertaken to identify how residential uses. still achieves the overall objectives for the Block and site. are significant parts of the City, particularly in the block planning controls could be implemented in renewal areas, that do not have adequate controls future, consistent with State Government planning on how buildings should address the street. frameworks.

284 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 285 New Approaches to Major Renewal Sites CURRENT PRACTICE DESIRABLE PRACTICE STREET PATTERN Large street blocks with centre sub-division Fine grain lanes makes access to entries Large continuous building form and carparking easier and allow smaller subdivisions with mixed use housing Little sub-division potential

CAR PARKING Below ground level private parking Car share and grouped parking Restricted adaptability —adaptable —less costly Not cost effective —green wall —above ground Potential heritage building site Limited private parking, single level only

ACTION Continue to protect the heritage ACTION Encourage the reuse and 9.3.4 values of objects, buildings, places 9.3.5 adaptation of heritage and other and landscapes. existing buildings. The City of Sydney recognises the importance Many buildings (heritage protected or otherwise) and contribution that its many beautiful have intrinsic worth, either in the structure or buildings, public places and landscapes make design of the building itself, or in its contribution to the enjoyment and perception of the City. The to the surrounding area. Creative interventions PUBLIC DOMAIN City has put in place a range of controls and and alterations to buildings ‘in situ’ should be mechanisms to ensure that their heritage values encouraged. The City constantly evolves and No public domain within the block Increased active frontage to internal block are preserved. as well as surrounding streets this should be facilitated and embraced while Limited active frontage only In addition the City has identified and described allowing for the history of a place or building to to surrounding main streets Increased public domain the characteristics of a number of ‘Special Areas’ be glimpsed or remembered. Re-using buildings that have distinctive characteristics that should also delivers environmental benefits as the be recognised and preserved. embodied energy is retained. The City of Sydney will continue to provide There are few architectural designs that do not support for individuals and groups whose benefit by being juxtaposed with other built activities and initiatives aim to improve the quality elements. The City, unlike other parts of the of the City’s heritage and built environment, and Metropolitan area, is not made-up of isolated develop plans and policies for the appropriate objects set in paddocks. Retaining traces of management of heritage and archaeology past use and activity, while allowing for reuse within the City. and adaptation, also adds to the perception of The City of Sydney will also maintain a heritage ‘authenticity’—in this case the activity of previous database that comprises inventories for heritage ‘authors’. items, conservation areas, heritage streetscapes ADAPTABILITY and archaeological sites. A pro-active approach can be taken in relation to heritage buildings where these are subject The City of Sydney will investigate how these to development applications. Proponents of policies and controls can be integrated into the Development Applications relating to non- block planning approach to planning outlined on heritage buildings should also be encouraged to previous pages to improve clarity, simplicity and adaptively re-use. For empty or other landmark certainty. buildings the City of Sydney could pro-actively At the same time, the City of Sydney recognises aim to work with owners, tenants and emerging that the City is continually evolving and that design practices to give another life to buildings. contemporary and innovative design can provide sympathetic responses to heritage that could not be anticipated by necessarily conservative controls. The City of Sydney will therefore will encourage early discussion about development and design proposals in relation to heritage.

286 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 287 ACTION Work to establish competitive ACTION Ensure the design of major 9.3.6 design processes for all public 9.3.7 infrastructure contributes to the buildings. public domain. All public buildings and major works in the Major infrastructure investments need also to public domain, commissioned by the City, State be seen as critical interventions in the public and Federal Governments in the City of Sydney domain. They should meet public expectations local government area could be the subject of with regard to design, should contribute to the an adequately resourced competitive design quality of the public domain just as any building process, including design competitions. The is expected to, and provide opportunities for aims of this action are manifold—promoting other activities to be part of the project. Circular design, providing opportunities for emerging Quay Railway Station and the vaults beneath practices, engaging the community in the approaches to the Harbour Bridge are good discussions about broader urban design issues examples of large infrastructure integrated into as well as the specifics of a proposal in addition the street, with spaces created and available for to finding the best design response. use. Darling Drive and the Western Distributor do not display these integrated attributes. The results of the competitions should be publicly exhibited and presented in a public forum by the designers and jury in order to generate interest in the quality of design in the City. Competition entrants should be required to show how their buildings can address both design and strategic objectives included in such documents as the Metropolitan Strategy or Sustainable Sydney 2030. The City of Sydney would need to work closely with other governments and agencies to implement this approach.

Heritage site in Glebe

288 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 289 Objective Continually improve 9.4 development controls and approvals processes to minimise compliance and supply side costs

Better strategies for street parking CITY Development controls may impact on CITY IN Developments in the City are carried NOW the cost and diversity of development. 2030 out as cost effectively as possible. The City of Sydney has a good record in Development controls provide certainty and ACTION ACTION @ addressing what are often complex development t flexibility through a block planning approach. Regularly review streamline Review car parking requirements approvals. Nevertheless, to the extent that there Building envelope and land use controls, 9.4.1 development controls. 9.4.3 to reduce development costs and are cost imposts, uncertainties and time delays and heritage and environmental performance The adjustments to development controls outlined improve affordability with an initial from unclear or unwieldy development controls, requirements, are established following detailed under Objective 9.2 above will both encourage focus on Green Square. or delays in the development approval process urban design and local area consultation innovation by development proponents, within Car parking provision in residential developments the cost of development may increase. This and analysis. Flexibility is provided by a clear development criteria supplemented by can be reflected in higher end prices. It also clear expression of performance criteria for will be optional for consumers and will be performance controls, while also minimising encouraged in purpose-built structures that are narrows prospects for new market entrants the controls. compliance ‘costs’. who might have a lower risk tolerance than adaptable to other uses over time. The decision Development approvals are dealt established developers. Controls will be continuously monitored to to purchase a dwelling should be separated with expeditiously utilising the latest ensure they meet both community expectations from the decision to purchase a car space. Many available technology. regarding development forms while meeting the people choose to live in the City without a car because it is easy to do so when compared to Car parking increases the cost Housing will range from compact apartments legitimate aims of proponents to minimise the elsewhere in the metropolitan area. Requiring on- without car parking through to luxury costs of development. of development. site car parking provision is therefore an imposed accommodation. Where it is provided, a high cost. For this reason, car spaces should be Car parking is a particular concern on the proportion of car parking is in dedicated development cost side, with underground provided at a very low rate, be on a separate title structures distributed across the City. ACTION spaces at $45,000 each (or more) to produce. Regularly review the development and marketed separately from the dwelling where Controls which link approval for a dwelling unit to 9.4.2 approval process for applicants. they are in the same development. Car parking the provision of car parking, automatically add to will be more efficiently provided in dedicated The development approvals process will the bottom line cost of production. structures distributed throughout the City that will be continuously reviewed to minimise the also provide facilities for alternative modes such requirements to obtain approvals commensurate as car share and bicycle facilities. with achieving planning objectives (i.e. maximise complying and exempt development) and to Car pooling/car sharing and bicycle storage ensure timelines are as short as is practicable. facilities should be required in all developments. In the future, adoption of block planning and performance based controls will make it clear as to information requirements to be submitted with applications. ‘On-line’ techniques of sharing information and tracking approvals through the system will be utilised.

290 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 291 Objective Ensure new 9.5 development is integrated with the diversity and ‘grain’ of the surrounding City’ ACTION Establish Development Integration ACTION Review current planning for renewal 9.5.1 Principles as Guidelines. 9.5.3 areas against the Development ‘Development integration’ principles should Integration Principles. inform the block planning and design of new The Development Integration Principles should development, including that in the major renewal form a reference for discussions with the Sydney areas. These principles could also be reflected in Harbour Foreshore Authority, Redfern-Waterloo performance criteria. The comprehensive Public Authority, Landcom and property owners in Domain Plan discussed earlier will also provide a the renewal areas on new models of concept framework within which new development would planning and delivery. This is to allow for a sit. Key principles include: more organic and fine grained development • Single use enclaves will be restricted to approach with scope for a range of architects, activities that need to be isolated due to designers, investors and entrepreneurs to their unacceptable adverse impacts on influence outcomes. surrounding areas; Basic development rules need to be established, • The existing subdivision grain and street particularly focused on integrating and extending network pattern should be extended into the public street networks, improving permeability new development areas or precincts; and the public domain, with less of a focus on the • The flexibility and evolving nature of the Green streetscapes are encouraged final built form on particular lots. Delivery then surrounding City should be repeated, by needs to provide for many ‘authors’—architects, using good patterns that already exist; designers, investors and entrepreneurs. • Open space and plaza areas should be CITY New large scale development CITY New development is integrated and integrated with the street network and part of Surrounding areas also contain public assets typically not integrated into surrounding connected into the surrounding City the wider public domain; such as road reserves, railway stations and NOW IN public housing areas. Combining these assets City areas. 2030 or neighbourhood. • Development should allow for the involvement of ‘many authors’—architects, designers, with those in the renewal areas as part of @ The City has an extraordinary diversity of built The surrounding, existing subdivision, street businesses investors; integrated broader area planning provides form and street and subdivision patterns. In t pattern and building types and forms are the opportunity for more effective transport, • Development should allow for diversity and many areas this physical variety is matched and reflected in large new developments. Single- use affordable housing and public benefit outcomes. derived from a similarly mixed range of land enclaves are restricted to activities that need to evolution over time and allow for a variety of Appropriately structured, integrated development uses and activities close to each other. This be isolated due to their unacceptable adverse economic activities and spaces (small as well projects offer the prospect of partnering with the diversity, in a relatively small area, is largely what impacts on surrounding areas. as large floorplate users); and private sector to enhance social wellbeing, and distinguishes the City of Sydney from other parts • Street edges should be activated, with the building social capacity and relative equality. of Sydney and reflects an earlier (and arguably) number of address points and front doors more sustainable era of living. The ‘grittiness’ and authenticity of the opening to the street maximised. ACTION Current development and property investment City is extended into new development These could be illustrated with best Review models of delivery for practices often encourage the amalgamation and renewal areas by providing for practice examples. 9.5.4 major renewal areas. of sites and single land uses either to package- multiple owners and investors. The existing models of urban renewal project up projects that are attractive to institutional New development allows for a variety of ACTION Review development controls delivery tend to favour larger development investors or as a result of planning requirements activities—large and small—and provides for companies, with the result that development such as requiring on site car parking even on 9.5.2 against Development Integration ownership patterns that allow for evolution and designs are usually driven by short-term market small sites. Principles and Guidelines. churn and change. Large developments under imperatives. This might produce an optimal For example, the ‘business park’ model is single ownership are avoided in the renewal The City of Sydney’s development controls financial return but may not return the greatest attractive to property investors. However, while and redevelopment process, allowing many should reflect the development integration benefits to the community. it may be an effective means of attracting ‘authors’—designers, architects, builders, principles outlined above (they should There is a need to explore alternative models of investment to some parts of the metropolitan business investors—to influence the evolution also be reflected in any proposed block delivery with the renewal authorities and property area, it is highly questionable whether it is an of the City. planning system). developers. Concept planning and delivery appropriate or necessary format in any part Some controls are not delivering against should allow for a more organic and fine grained of the City of Sydney for a number of reasons. these principles. The mixed use controls in development approach, consistent with the Extensive single use enclaves are not active for the southern mixed employment area have Development Integration Principles, with scope much of the time, business areas are quiet after produced some poor developments. In other for a range of architects, designers, investors hours, and they have little relation to adjacent areas ‘coarse grain’ development is still and entrepreneurs to influence outcomes. areas. This is because by being isolated they encouraged, for example, the provision of tend to provide their own recreational, dining, incentives for site amalgamation or on-site The pattern of ownership of the land is one of the convenience retail facilities that are shut on car parking. In particular locations this might fundamental factors that influences the way the weekends and at night and not welcoming for be appropriate but a more context-specific City evolves and adapts. An option in renewal the general public when they are open. Local approach is required. areas is to provide for a single development businesses do not benefit. manager and staged development offerings to provide opportunities for smaller developers and builders to get involved.

292 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 293 Objective Plan for the longer term 9.6 structure of the City

ACTION Identify and plan for longer term ACTION Identify development opportunities 9.6.1 renewal areas in a city wide, 9.6.3 in airspace above roads, rail and integrated way to maximise social other infrastructure in Darling and economic benefits. Harbour in conjunction with Areas with strategic advantages including access long-term planning for Barangaroo. to major open space and recreation facilities, There is approximately 11 hectares of air space transport and employment should be identified. above roads, rail and the monorail stabling In these areas development controls should be areas in Darling Harbour. There is the potential reviewed to ensure that short-term development for significant development in this area in will not compromise the long-term potential. In conjunction with the longer term changes to these areas a comprehensive and fine grained the Western Distributor (ongrade and cover), Alexandra Canal Concept street and lane network should be defined, rationalisation of the main road routes to the including strata subdivision and built form, and south, relocation of the Entertainment Centre, Planning for future growth and change Current planning decisions do not setbacks should be subject to performance convention centre and exhibition centres and CITY CITY criteria related to the future potential. NOW needs a longer term outlook. IN preclude longer terms options. the creation of a major new park to provide Initially, investigation should be undertaken for better amenity for the increase in workers and The City will, of course, continue to develop after 2030 Planning controls have been developed to areas on both sides of the Alexandra Canal, residents in this part of the City in the long-term. @ 2030 so there is the need to anticipate and plan protect the prospects for anticipated and and areas east and south of Green Square. for the longer term, notwithstanding the difficulties t long term desirable distribution and range of These opportunities should be explored in of anticipating future trends. different activities. Plans are reviewed to ensure partnership with the Sydney Harbour Foreshore that growth assumptions remain relevant and Authority and the State Government. The City is undergoing continual change. Much of development trends and patterns are monitored ACTION this is incremental change on a site by site basis Investigate railways, including above to ensure that development controls are where the surrounding context is well defined and 9.6.2 Central Station where the potential appropriately flexible and responsive. ACTION Identify renewal and regeneration will change slowly. However, as the economic for entertainment, exhibition and 9.6.4 geography of the Sydney metropolitan region as a opportunities in and around convention facilities would benefit Department of Housing areas. whole changes, whole areas of the City of Sydney from co-location with Central Station. may be transformed within a relatively short time. There are over 9,000 Housing NSW dwellings Most of the areas likely to change have been, and There are 24 hectares of air space above rail in the City. Much of the built stock will need to will continue to be in the southern parts of the land between Central and Erskineville Stations be replaced or upgraded by the year 2030. The City. However, there are some areas in the north, and 10 hectares above the suburban and renewal and regeneration of the Housing NSW including east Darling Harbour-Barangaroo, that country platforms and approaches at Central estates needs to be integrated with and be part will change as port activities close down. itself. Cities around the world are reclaiming of the renewal of these wasted, alienating areas as development the surrounding areas. These opportunities Possible longer term trends and new imperatives economics make the land value greater than around sustainability and liveability need to be should be explored in partnership with the the construction cost of building over the rail. Housing NSW. taken into account in the planning for these areas. Federation Square in Melbourne and the Planning for a longer term outlook also allows Forum at St Leonards are good examples. City of Sydney to readjust targets if growth occurs At Central—given its unique level of transport ACTION Work with the Redfern-Waterloo at a different rate than anticipated. accessibility—functions such as major entertainment, convention and exhibition 9.6.5 Authority (RWA) to support social facilities could be considered and planned regeneration and initiatives and Alexandra Canal for in the medium-to-long-term. a physical renewal of Redfern The development of airspace above Central and Waterloo, including exploring Alexandra Canal should be recognised as a human has been constrained by State policies that have Rail Station is linked to proposed Sustainable the potential for a new train station artefact (not a natural water course) and the construction considered the channel to be a natural water course. Sydney 2030 projects including Darling Harbour, at Bourke Street. of weirs and other water control devices should be Polluted mud flats cannot be disturbed. The undergrounding of the Western Distributor, allowed to improve the amenity of the upper reaches. The capital City of Sydney has prepared local construction of a mid-level weir or collapsible barrage resolution of the southern access to the City, and action plans for areas ajoining RWA. The City will Alexandra Canal has the potential to be a major water should be investigated in order to allow a constant making Harris Street and Wattle Streets liveable. work with the RWA to integrate these plans with body and significantly improve the amenity of the water level to be maintained that would cover the These opportunities should be explored in the RWA plans for Redfern and Waterloo. 1000m at the head of the channel that is not adversely mud flats, allow storm events to flow unimpeded and partnership with the State Government. affected by aircraft noise. Previous master planning not disturb the sediments.

294 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 295 PROJECT IDEA R CONNECTING GREEN SQUARE PROJECT IDEA Sustainable development and renewal

LOCATION Green Square, Zetland

VISION IMPLEMENTATION IDEAS

Connecting Green Square T Partnership between City of Sydney, W Limit the intrusion of retailing and pure offi ce activities W Ensure the pattern of streets and sub-divisions have the aims to ensure environmental Landcom, development industry and in core and strategic industrial lands and protect suffi cient capacity to adapt to different uses over time and provide improvements in renewal areas local communities. sites for light industrial and urban services. for diverse and inter-mixed activities. The area around green and also improve the environmental W Consolidate residential mixed use areas stretching Square Town Centre has the potential for vibrancy and from Roseberry to Woolloomooloo. diversity similar to that in Surry hills, further enhanced by performance of the City as a AIMS whole. The Green Square Town W Improve public transport connections to the City a linked network of open space. Centre is strengthened with W Strengthen green Square Town Centre Centre and connect the Inner West with the Eastern W Over the short-to-medium-term, retain the lands around supporting residential and business by increased connections to the City and Suburbs. Promote walking and cycling by ensuring Alexandra Canal for strategic employment uses. Investigate activities and improved public surrounding activities. a permeable street network. the long-term potential for mixed-use development with transport connections. A long-term W Ensure renewal areas improve the overall W Provide car parking at rates that support public trans- residential in the upper reaches of the Canal and along the structure for the southern part of environmental performance of the City and port, walking and cycling, minimises local car traffi c and western edge of Sydney Park. A new centre would support the City is proposed to preserve are integrated into the surrounding fabric. can be adapted to other uses over time. the increased residential development, including a comprehensive and fi ne grained street and lane network. future development potential, W Enable the City to adapt to change W Accommodate mixed-use development, employment W Extend the green Network and provide open space and ensure the City can continue to and evolve over time. change and intensifi cation of existing mixed employment adapt and evolve over time and area to the west of green Square Town Centre. recreation corridors along Alexandra Canal to green Square establish open space corridors Town Centre and Moore Park. Revitalise the canal and make from Alexandra Canal and Sydney it a beautiful place to walk, cycle and live. Park through Green Square Town Centre to Moore Park. The area around Green Square has the potential to have the vibrancy and diversity of Surry Hills. It has the potential to have a linked network of open spaces that Surry Hills does not have. BENEFITS TO THE CITY Centennial Park # Improved environmental performance of the City. Redfern # Preserved long-term future development Green Square Town Centre potential of the City. # Support for public transport. Take advantage of existing open # Increased walking and cycling and spaces Perry Park and Sydney Park associated health benefi ts. # More jobs closer to home. Open space and liveable streets # Reduced noise and improved pedestrian along tributaries and visual amenity along main streets. # More affordable housing with innovative Long-term links to and from Rosebery approaches to car parking provision # Adaptability and resilience in urban and built form. Long-term potential for new hub # A feeling of authenticity with a diversity near Sydney Park of activities, authors, housing, buildings and landscapes. Increase public domain

296 SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT SUSTAINABLE SYDNEY 2030 : SUPPORT DOCUMENT 297