Decision details

Moved by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Thompson –

It is resolved that:

(A)       Council note:

(i)         the City of Sydney has long supported increased density in the Bays precinct, which includes Pyrmont, Ultimo, and Blackwattle Bay;

(ii)        in 2020, the NSW Government finalised the Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy, a 20-year vision for the precinct that facilitates approximately 4,000 new dwellings for over 8,000 residents and for 20-27,000 new jobs through increased floor space and height allowances, particularly near the future Pyrmont Metro West Station. Most people accessing the precinct will do so via public and/or active transport;

(iii)       the Pyrmont-Ultimo Transport Plan (2024) outlines 55 initiatives to create a sustainable, multi-modal and safe transport network to support the significant uplift in population and jobs in the Pyrmont-Ultimo precinct;

(iv)       the new Sydney Fish Market development is a $836M State Significant, publicly-funded project primarily led by Infrastructure NSW (INSW), which is forecast to attract 6 million visitors each year, providing a major boost to the tourism and fishing sectors. Construction is expected to be complete in late 2025;

(v)        this development, which is a key component of the broader Blackwattle Bay urban renewal area, will have a significant impact on how visitors, students, workers, and local residents access the precinct via the Anzac Bridge, Western Distributor, Wattle Street, Bridge Road, and Blackwattle Bay;

(vi)       conditions of consent for Stage One and Two of the new Sydney Fish Market require:

(a)        Pedestrian and Cycle Path Design;

(b)        Operational Phase Traffic and Transport Management; and

(c)        Community Engagement via a Community Consultation Committee (CCC);

(vii)      since 12 May 2021, representatives from Transport for NSW (TfNSW) have failed to attend a single Community Consultation Committee meeting in-person and, despite multiple requests from members of the Community Consultation Committee, have failed to provide:

(a)        timely information related to the location of the public ferry wharf;

(b)        the location of the no-wash zone;

(c)        details about the construction, cost capacity, frequency, route, size, and start date for the new public ferry;

(d)        detailed Traffic Management and Operating Management Plans;

(e)        measures to manage the parking overflow onto surrounding residential streets, especially during peak demand periods such as the lead up to Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year, and Easter Long Weekend;

(f)         a Safety Management Plan to address the issues of public safety for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, buses, and trucks in the vicinity of the new Sydney Fish Markets in the event of a major emergency, such as a sudden flooding episode;

(g)        measures to manage the huge increase in commercial and other boating within the Bay, and on-water traffic management that addresses the safety concerns for recreational rowers, dragon boats, and outrigger canoes;

(viii)    a range of traffic and transport concerns have been raised with Infrastructure NSW by both City of Sydney staff and the community, including:

(a)        the failure of the shared path design on Bridge Road to adequately manage pedestrian safety in accordance with the Transport for NSW Road Space Allocation Policy and Transport for NSW Cycleway Design Toolbox;

(b)        the proposal to close turning movements onto Banks Street (and expanding the off-ramp from one to 2 lanes to turn left into Pyrmont Bridge Road) from the Pyrmont Bridge Road off-ramp as part of the Western Distributor Improvements Project (to support Westconnex) is unnecessary and will have a detrimental impact on traffic flow to the area as well as affect the operation of the 501 bus route;

(c)        the desire to restore and reinstate the heritage-listed Glebe Island Bridge as an active transport corridor;

(d)        the need to address the long gaps in Transport for NSW’s Bridge Road cycleway where riders are not protected by separators and need to mix with eternal traffic due to the requirement of excessively long right turn bays at key intersections on Bridge Road that go against Transport for NSW’s own stated policy and design guides for safe cycling infrastructure; and

(e)        calls for speed reduction along Bridge Road to support safety and a better sense of place;

(B)       the Lord Mayor has consistently advocated for the NSW Government to invest in additional and expanded active and public transport options in the area to meet the growing demand for more light rail, bus, and ferry services, as well as safe walking and separated cycling connections. This includes essential upgrades to the L1 light rail line, noting the operator’s investigations into ways to achieve this; and

(C)       the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Minister for Transport, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music, Minister for Jobs and the Night-time Economy, requesting a meeting to:

(i)         discuss the NSW Government's investment commitment and next steps to deliver the initiatives outlined in the Pyrmont Ultimo Transport Plan to support high density development within the precinct in the short, medium, and long term;

(ii)        confirm that senior representatives from Transport for NNSW, Infrastructure for NSW, and Placemaking NSW will brief Council on 11 August 2025 on the new Sydney Fish Market development, including ongoing traffic and transport management approaches when the site is operational; and 

(iii)       request that prior to briefing Council, Transport for NSW meet in-person with representatives of the new Sydney Fish Market Community Consultation Committee and provide comprehensive answers to questions in part (A) (vii) above and noted in previous Committee meeting minutes.

Carried unanimously.

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