Revealed: Huge plan for new offices and parks at Glebe Island - but no homes

The Bays precinct around Glebe Island would get three new parks, maritime-focused commercial buildings and potentially an expanded cruise terminal under a plan being circulated by the state-owned corporation that runs NSW ports.

But housing is absent from the Port Authority of NSW’s vision for the 32 hectare site, other than about 250 homes promised under the previous government near the future metro station.

An excerpt of the Port Authority of NSW’s Bays Port Plan, marked “final draft for consultation”, obtained by the Herald.

The plan – marked “final draft for consultation” and obtained by the Herald – stands in contrast to an option being considered by the Minns government to relocate the ports from Glebe Island to make way for high-density housing, or have a mix of both.

The Herald revealed on Thursday the government had commissioned former NSW Treasury boss Michael Schur to review the site’s future, including the Rozelle Bay marinas around the corner.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose electorate of Grayndler takes in the ports, said it was a matter for the state government “but we do need more housing”. He applauded the recent adaptive reuse of the former White Bay power station as a cultural venue.

“There is a range of things that you could do with Glebe Island that are better than the way it has been used for a long period of time, and one of those is obviously housing,” Albanese said.

Port operations at Glebe Island, which receives large amounts of the state’s cement, gypsum and sugar.Credit: Wolter Peeters

Meanwhile, the state Liberal opposition dug in against any relocation of the ports, saying it would push up the cost of building homes if cement and gypsum had to be trucked in from ports further afield.

Shadow infrastructure minister Natalie Ward said it was not the time to introduce more uncertainty in the construction industry.

“The port is a vital artery of the construction pipeline. If you cut it, construction costs will bleed out,” she said. “The government’s own department is telling them that this is a bad idea – that should tell you all you need to know.”

Former Liberal cities minister Rob Stokes, who oversaw the Bays West Place Strategy under the previous government, said relocating the ports was examined back then and rejected.

“We looked at it and dismissed it because – despite Treasury’s view that the highest and best use [of the land] is housing – you still need concrete to build the houses,” he said. “Our view was never ideological, it was just practical. There’s no other sensible way to do it.”

An excerpt from the Port Authority of NSW’s plan for the Bays Port, marked “final draft for consultation”.

Under the Port Authority’s alternative plan, 6.8 hectares – about a fifth of the site – would be given over to new public open space, including elevated parkland near the Anzac Bridge nicknamed “The Rise”, a foreshore park at White Bay and a headland park at the tip of the cruise terminal.

The silos would be retained for importing cement and sugar. “This is critical port infrastructure which is not feasible to co-locate, but can co-exist successfully with new urban land uses,” the plan reads.

It foresees commercial space related to the maritime sectors, including offices, light industrial and business incubators, as well as tertiary education and research institutions. The northern side of the silos was an opportunity for “higher-rise, mixed-use development with a waterfront position”, but this would not include housing.

The Port Authority also foresees food, beverage, retail and tourism offerings along the White Bay side, along with a potential second cruise terminal to support “luxury and expedition cruises that are not season dependent”.

Pyrmont resident and activist Elizabeth Elenius said she was “furious” the government was contemplating moving the ports.Credit: Nick Moir

Elizabeth Elenius, a founder of the Pyrmont Action Group who served on the community working group for Glebe Island and White Bay for many years, said she was “furious” the government was contemplating moving the ports.

“We live here because of the working harbour. This morning a great big ship came in, I’m looking at it now. I love them,” said Elenius, who has lived in her Pyrmont apartment overlooking the ports since 2008.

The Port Authority of NSW said it supported the Schur review, as well as existing plans for housing development in stage one of Bays West, near the power station.

“The Draft Bays Port Plan is currently paused while the NSW government undertakes a review of the precinct,” it said. “Port Authority will continue to be involved in planning work for the precinct.”

A government spokesperson earlier said its top priority was to deliver more housing in well-located areas near transport hubs such as the future Bays metro station, and “if the government has an announcement to make it will be made at an appropriate time”.

Chief executive of the Urban Development Institute of Australia Stuart Ayres said the government was right to review the supply chain implications of any changes to the Bays Precinct.

He said a mixed-use precinct “could be a new jewel in the Sydney Harbour crown”, but impacting construction supply chains with expensive apartment projects was not sensible.

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