Could A Redundant Paddington Military Complex Become “Sydney’s Next Great Public Place”
Councillor Zann Maxwell has unveiled stylish new design concepts for the future redevelopment of Victoria Barracks, Sydney. The renders reimagine the barracks as a bustling multipurpose civic space, and are part of a broader call for a publicly-led masterplanning of the site, with Maxwell cautioning against allowing developers to annex the space for their own financial interests.
The announcement follows the Federal Government’s decision to divest the 15 hectare Paddington military base as part of the 2023 Defence Estate Audit. It is Maxwell’s hope that this marks a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to not only preserve the site’s historical buildings, but to repurpose the former training ground into a space that truly serves the public.
“It’s about charting a middle path that puts public benefit front and centre,” Maxwell said in a statement to CityHub. “We don’t want a developer-led free-for-all, but we also don’t want it to remain a sealed-off, underutilised army site that almost no one can experience.”
The released files, produced with architecture firm Cottee Parker and visualisation studio Arterra Interactive, offer a glimpse of the site’s potential. They include ground-level visualisations, a flyover animation, and early spatial concepts, all designed in accordance with the community vision for Victoria Barracks endorsed by Council in November 2025.
Feedback helped establish the following guiding principles for the Victoria Barracks site if it’s no longer used by the Australian Defence Force.
- Conserve and enhance heritage and military significance
- Maximise public accessibility and maintain public ownership
- Enhance and expand green open space
- Prioritise cultural and community uses
- Incorporate diverse residential development including public housing
- Encourage compatible and viable commercial uses
- Support resilience and environmental sustainability
- Use careful planning, implementation and management
One image depicts the barracks’ sandstone heritage buildings retrofitted with sleek glass shopfronts, transformed into a lively retail and hospitality precinct. Later images showcase the iconic former defense facility revitalised with lush gardens, public walkways, a grassy civic entertainment space, and even a sports centre.
Subsequent renders introduce the possibility of not just public and commercial allocations, but spaces set aside for the development of new townhouses and medium-density apartments. This aligns with Maxwell’s own campaign promises to tackle the current housing crisis.
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