Image: An artist’s impression of the Bays West precinct redevelopment. Image: State of New South Wales
The New South Wales government announced on Tuesday that they will overhaul the government-owned land, directly above the under-construction Bays Metro station near the western end of the Anzac Bridge, into a new suburb called Bays West.
The state government confirmed a new housing precinct would be developed on the current site of Glebe Island, a prominent and largely industrial port and logistics hub.
This will be Sydney’s first new inner city suburb in decades, with public waterfront access to Glebe Island. There will be 8,500 new homes in the suburb.
Glebe Island currently sports industrial silos from the 1970s, which will be replaced as part of a “city-shaping” transformation, opening up the underused site which stretches from Rozelle Bay to White Bay, only 2km from the CBD.
Ten per cent, or at least 700, of its new homes will be affordable (costing less than 30% of a household’s gross income) and earmarked for essential workers, while 25% of the land will be given to open space. The project has been criticised in the past for lacking social or affordable housing
Under the plans, White Bay Power Station will be made into a cultural and community destination and a new staging area will be built in White Bay for New Year’s Eve fireworks, Vivid festival and other major events.
The land will remain in public hands, with NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey saying:
“Bays West is about putting publicly owned land to work for the people of NSW – delivering thousands of new homes while keeping this strategic harbour site in public hands for generations to come.”
The premier, Chris Minns, said the site would offer a place that is close to work, services and transport for new residents.
