Decision details

Moved by Councillor Thompson, seconded by Councillor Miller -

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         the NSW Government recently announced the large-scale redevelopment proposal for the Bays West precinct which includes plans to renovate and re-open the Glebe Island Bridge;

(ii)        the City of Sydney, alongside neighbouring Councils, have long advocated for the re-opening of the Glebe Island Bridge as an active transport and pedestrian connection between the Balmain Peninsula and the CBD, and the Lord Mayor’s advocacy to NSW Government ministers dates back to 2009;

(iii)      in recent years, this has involved consistent community campaigning alongside considerable advocacy from the MP for Balmain, Kobi Shetty, and her predecessor Jamie Parker;

(iv)      as such, Council welcomes the inclusion of a renovated and publicly accessible Glebe Island Bridge in the recent Bays West announcement by the NSW Government; and

(v)       the plans to re-open the Glebe Island Bridge could, and should, be brought forward. There is no valid reason to delay this part of the plan until the homes are delivered in Bays West in the 2030s;

(B)      Council further note:

(i)         the Bays West Precinct includes plans for the development of 8,500 homes to be built around the future metro station, alongside new ferry services, open space, cultural venues and active transport infrastructure;

(ii)        while the transformation of this under-utilised and well-positioned site is welcome, the deeply inadequate allocation of just 10% affordable and essential worker housing must be urgently addressed by the NSW Government to avoid Bays West becoming another enclave for Sydney’s wealthiest;

(iii)      the NSW Government must increase this allocation to at least 30% public, social and affordable housing and a percentage dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households, in perpetuity, in line with election commitments and community expectations;

(iv)      Glebe Island’s port functions play a key role in supplying construction materials, with one of the few sites in Sydney Harbour where goods can move easily between ships and land, and close to major development areas; and

(v)       in November 2025, Sydney’s Working Port Coalition met with the Lord Mayor about the importance of maintaining a working harbour at Glebe Island alongside any new housing development; and

(C)      the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the NSW Premier, Minister for Transport, John Graham MLC, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully MP and Minister for Lands and Property, Stephen Kamper MP, to request plans for the renovation and re-opening of the Glebe Island Bridge be brought forward and to take place prior to the redevelopment of the Bays West Precinct.

The motion, as varied by consent, was carried unanimously.

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