Sydney Olympic Park masterplan criticised for being too dense, lacking jobs and parking

Thousands of parking spots are set to be slashed at a Sydney sports and entertainment hub to make way for an overhaul that is expected to squeeze in 25,000 new residents.

Opponents have labelled the Sydney Olympic Park masterplan too dense.

Parking woes are expected to escalate at Sydney Olympic Park, with 5000 car spots due to be slashed as part of a contentious masterplan designed to squeeze in an additional 25,000 residents by 2050.

The state government’s bold plan to convert the post-event ghost town into a thriving metropolis with 13,000 new dwellings, shops and restaurants for up to 30,000 residents has faced backlash, with opponents also citing overdevelopment and an inadequate number of jobs.

Spaces will be wiped out at the P5 and P6 carparks so the land can be repurposed for two sporting fields, a BMX pump track, apartments, and an indoor recreation and civic centre overlooking the Brickpit and parklands.

Parramatta Council is also poised to lodge concerns over an excessive number of dwellings planned for the suburb – which will also host a Metro station – in its submission to the NSW Planning Department.

Pro-development Liberal councillor Steven Issa criticised the plan for cramming in too many homes at Sydney Olympic Park, which is now home to 5250 people.

An artist’s impression of the vision for Sydney Olympic Park in 2050.

“It’s just too dense,’’ he said.

“How much can one suburb take?’’

He said the masterplan was “OK” “in isolation”, but ambitious plans to transform Rosehill and Camellia into mini-cities with 45,000 homes meant the Parramatta area would shoulder the burden of the state’s housing crisis.

“What about the rest of the state taking some of the heavy lifting in the housing crisis rather than the city of Parramatta?’’ Cr Issa said.

“The density isn’t distributed across the state, it’s concentrated in our (local government area).

“At the moment, residents can’t get in and out of Sydney Olympic Park. We’re only going to exacerbate the issue.’’

The NSW Government has set a target of building 377,000 new homes by 2029, while Parramatta’s target is 19,500.

Parramatta Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter also expressed concerns, and a desire for more jobs.

He said the masterplan’s target of 32,000 jobs by 2050 was not ambitious enough, noting a previous plan had aimed to achieve a greater number 20 years sooner.

Parramatta Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter has called for more jobs at Sydney Olympic Park.

“We want to see Sydney Olympic Park become a celebration district, the home of music and art, and we are encouraged to see the masterplan encourages diverse uses that support a vibrant entertainment precinct,’’ he said.

“However, we want to make sure the balance is right between the residential and commercial development, and that there are sufficient jobs for the people who will be living there in the future.’’

He said Sydney Olympic Park would play a key part in reaching the council’s ambitious target to create more than 150,000 jobs in the next 25 years.

A Sydney Olympic Park Authority spokeswoman said the suburb was not aspiring towards becoming a commercial business park, “but to be a thriving, everyday mixed-use suburb for residents, workers, students and visitors’’.

“The draft masterplan 2050 focuses on residential, civic, cultural and recreation uses, particularly to respond to Sydney’s housing crisis and the need for more homes in accessible locations with access to community facilities and public open space,’’ she said.

Playing fields could replace carparks if the masterplan is adopted.

The spokeswoman said the P4 carpark would be retained for parking and would be adapted over time to have flexible spaces to accommodate coach parking during major events.

She said parking would not be eliminated until the Metro service was ready.

“The vision is for the precinct to become car-light,’’ she said.

“Sydney Olympic Park will become a well-connected suburb within Greater Sydney, accessible by heavy trains, buses, Sydney Metro West, light rail and ferry.

“With ample public transport and the active transport network of cycleways and walkways conveniently available, private vehicle transport is not needed to be relied on as heavily. Less cars means less traffic – a positive for residents and visitors alike.’’

The council will submit its feedback on the masterplan, which is on public exhibition, before the November 25 deadline.

Originally published as Sydney Olympic Park masterplan criticised for being too dense, lacking jobs and parking