Council to revitalise North Sydney CBD as Metro comes to town
North Sydney will be getting a much-needed facelift which is set to transform the older-style CBD into a new mecca boasting a central public plaza, “eat street” and the tallest building outside of the Sydney city area. The revitalisation is being driven by the new Victoria Cross Metro station opening in 2024.
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After years of being the poor cousin to the likes of Parramatta, North Sydney is “getting its mojo back” with plans to turn the drab centre into a pumping metropolis.
It will also regain its status of having the tallest building outside the Sydney city CBD.
Driven by the new Victoria Cross Metro station opening in 2024 and North Sydney Council regaining control of a major carpark next year, a master plan for the Ward St precinct has been released, an area with a land value of more than $200m.
North Sydney Council said 5481sq m of open space at the heart of the development will “supercharge” growth and expand the CBD further towards North Sydney Oval.
The precinct has two entrances to the new Victoria Cross Metro station, which will link to Bankstown and Rouse Hill.
“With the new Metro you’ll only be five minutes from Martin Place,” North Sydney Council general manager Ken Gouldthorp said.
“So the harbour — while it is still a great recreational facility — will no longer segregate the CBD is in the way it has before. I expect that we will see greater interaction.
“The northern and southern CBDs of Sydney will start to blur.”
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The Ward St Precinct will create 5000 additional jobs, a new knowledge and cultural hub, as well as a new central public plaza and “eat street”.
The 3.2ha site is between Miller, McLaren, Walker and Berry streets and has 18 major landowners.
“The North Sydney CBD is predominantly concentrated across all three blocks and this precinct is another full block,” Mr Gouldthorp said.
“That is a significant increase in size.”
The plan allows for a 57-storey tower (about 200m) on the site, overtaking Parramatta’s 54-storey 170m Altitude Tower as the tallest building outside the Sydney CBD.
Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson said the plans will inject life into the North Sydney CBD and offer job opportunities for people living on the new Metro line.
“It’s clear with this plan that North Sydney is really getting its mojo back,” Mr Johnson said.
“The fact that they are allowing 57 storeys is exactly the sort of thing a bustling centre like North Sydney needs.
“As well as being good for jobs it is also a plus for residents. The additional height means that surrounding suburban areas can be spared.”
The final masterplan is the result of three years of work.
About 70,000 travel to work in the North Sydney CBD every day.
Planning expert Stephen Gouge, from Knight Frank Town Planning, said “North Sydney has long been criticised for lacking in its feeling of vibrancy or activation”.
“The arrival of Sydney Metro is the game changer,” he said.
“It underpins the bubbling desire to see North Sydney evolve and get back to its best.”
Originally published as Council to revitalise North Sydney CBD as Metro comes to town
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