Oxford St Sydney: Call for court building upgrade, more outdoor dining

Fears Oxford St is becoming the “Parramatta Rd of Sydney’s east” have sparked calls for a massive overhaul of Sydney’s glitter strip. SEE THE PLANS

The Sydney Business Chamber is calling for a makeover of Oxford St to ensure it doesn’t become “the Parramatta Rd of Sydney’s east”.

In a controversial move that has drawn opposition from the NRMA, the chamber wants the speed limit to be dropped from 40km/h to 30km/h, the removal of clearways, footpath widening and the installation of permanent on-street parking.

Sydney Business Chamber executive director Katherine O’Regan hopes the plan – which is being reviewed by Transport for NSW – will galvanise outdoor dining and make the 4.3km glamour strip a destination rather than a spot that has “got good, bad and a touch of ugly”.

Sydney Business Chamber’s vision for Oxford St at Taylor Square.

“At its worst Oxford Street can be in a mixed bag at fragmented places,” Ms O’Regan said.

“At the moment it is hard to have a conversation on the footpath.

“The best thing is to calm the traffic down, reduce the speed limit and that will reduce the noise levels.

“People will have a reason to stop because it’s nice to stop. In some places there’s very few reasons why I would stop.”

In an effort to breathe more life into Taylor Square, the chamber is also calling for the Supreme Court building to lose its fence and be turned into an arts venue.

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman said there are no plans to repurpose the building, which have held trials including Anita Cobby and Janine Balding.

The Oxford St proposal would increase the width of footpaths. This artist impression shows The Barracks.

Woollahra Council would also be called on to hand over control of their slice of the road to Clover Moore’s City of Sydney council.

Theo Onisforou, who owns the precinct known as The Intersection Paddington, which comprises 30 shops offices and residences at the intersection with Glenmore Rd in Paddington, said the clearways have been made redundant because of the Cross City Tunnel and other road changes.

“All of Oxford St needs to be a destination but it needs power, which is spelt m-o-n-e-y,” he said.

“Both councils are reluctant to spend. I believes Woollahra Council should be given control of both sides of Oxford St from Boundary Street to Centennial Park.

“I have been asking the City of Sydney to do something about installing more parking meters in front of the Victoria Barracks for seven years and they have done absolutely nothing.”

A vision of what Oxford St will look like dubbed The Village.

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said clearways “have been very successful in managing traffic and measuring peak and non-peak traffic volumes”.

“Military Road, Princes Hwy, Princess Hwy, Victoria Road, Parramatta Road have all benefited from this,” he said.

“I do not think a solution to business challenges is to introduce measures to make it harder to get in and out of Paddington.”

Mr Khoury also said noise mitigation alone is not a reason to reduce speed limits.

Earlier this month the City of Sydney proposed converting one city-bound lane into a two-way cycleway, with works to begin in March 2021 pending final approval.

Ms Moore said Oxford Street has faced “significant troubles in the recent past”.

“The construction of massive Westfield shopping centres at either end of the strip and online shopping hurt its retailers; the lockouts hurt its bars and clubs; the clearway has created fast flowing through-traffic that hurt its street-front amenity,” she said.

“We hope that renewing our planning rules will help breathe life into Oxford Street and reinforce its vibrant creative and cultural possibilities.

“We’re considering land use options supporting growth and diversity, protecting heritage and character, and promoting day and night-time economies for both the local community and visitors.”

A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said: “Transport for NSW is reviewing the proposal and will be working with Woollahra Council and the City of Sydney to consider how place-making, cycling and walking could be improved in this location.

“As part of any planning, this will include a review of how the road space should best be allocated to achieve the desired outcomes.”

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Originally published as Oxford St Sydney: Call for court building upgrade, more outdoor dining