Image: Artist's Impression of the New Sydney Fish Markets. Image: UrbanGrowth NSW
By Raoul Galea
The New Sydney Fish Market (NSFM), set to open in 2025, is intended to be a major food and dining attraction on Sydney’s inner harbour.
NSFM, coming up in Blackwattle Bay on Bridge Road in Glebe, will be spread over 35,000 square metres of floor space – double the size of the existing market – including 15,000 square metres of retail space for seafood and fresh produce. The new market will have outdoor seating for over 3,000 people and is expected to attract over six million visitors annually – double the visitors of the original Fish Market in Pyrmont.
But many in the community question the development in terms of location, and how that will have an impact on traffic and safety.
“In my view the development itself, as a building design is amazing. Even though it will totally change and dominate the feel and ambience of the bay on which it sits,” says Mark Tietjen, Glebe Rowing Club President. “To date, there has been minimal impact on the club.”
High-Density Development Causes Concerns
Despite this, he questions the choice of location for the NSFM. Tietjen highlighted that the bay is being under-utilised, emphasised by the fact that “97% of all produce that goes through the fish market is trucked in.” The location will affect how the rowing club operates. The increase in visitation will coincide with the need for more transport, resulting in a significant increase in water-based traffic
“Many powered boat drivers don’t seem to notice that we’re going backward,” says Tietjen. Unaware of “the impact of their wash even after we might have yelled out and pointed to what is happening.”
The fear is that an incident could occur, similar to an event in 2018 where a negligent barge smashed a boat to pieces almost mauling the rowers with its propellers.
There is also a plan for a possible high-density development intended to replace the old fish market, which would result in even more congestion in the bay. Tietjen explains, “My understanding is the original NSFM was to cost around $250 million, but the final plan is about $850 million.”
Tietjen’s problem is with the government, which is delivering the project via Infrastructure NSW, as the project was deemed as a State Significant Development. He explains that this “seems to mean the government sets its own planning rules so the project is not subject to usual planning requirements. Any feedback that doesn’t fit the agenda won’t necessarily be taken into account.”
Impact On The Glebe Community
Expressing that the club plans to “work collaboratively with the various authorities and anyone of influence to enable us to continue rowing,” Tietjen said it was aiming to bring attention to these issues, “as these bays are the only remaining calm sheltered water on the harbour close to the city”.
Jan Wilson is a member of the Glebe Society and the Coalition of Glebe groups. Wilson has been a part of the community consultation that the government and Multiplex have undertaken during the development of the NSFM, which she says has been “very effective” with ample “opportunity to ask questions.”
The issues that Wilson and her groups foresee are the land-based traffic “through Glebe and Pyrmont” and their effective integration with the community. The community has not received information about post-construction traffic models or the NSFW’s impact on the Glebe community.
Will there be enough space to accommodate the influx of tourists arriving on buses? Will there even be enough public transport options to accommodate the rise in tourism? The community is hoping the issues will be addressed effectively, as there is a six-month post-construction participation agreement, allowing for any concerns to be raised and considered.
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