Sydney’s CBD has been very much on the up over the past few years – with the light rail running down George Street opening up the centre of the city, and new venues popping up in droves as the CBD becomes a genuinely enjoyable place to be. And it’s not just locals who have noticed – the revitalisation of Sydney’s CBD is part of the reasoning behind global consultancy firm Resonance’s decision to rank Sydney as the seventh-best city in Asia Pacific for 2025. And, now, it could be getting even better – with plans to create a pedestrianised public square in the Town Hall precinct now officially approved by council.
Way back in 1982, Sydney Council passed a proposal to acquire properties surrounding Town Hall on George and Park Streets and create a public square; a plan that was developed over the past few decades with the intention of purchasing buildings in a wider circumference, and creating a 'Town Hall Precinct'.
Led by Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the City of Sydney has continued to buy buildings in the area when they went on the market – making the possibility more achievable. In a meeting last week, the Council unanimously passed a motion to explore how the Town Hall Square project can be brought forward, with Lord Mayor Clover Moore explaining that “the City remains committed to the long-term vision for a Town Hall Square opposite the Town Hall.”
The “vision” has evolved over the years, and although final designs haven’t been confirmed, we have an idea of what to expect. In line with the recent revitalisation of George Street, the development will focus on improving public outdoor space in the centre of the city: with trees, seating areas and improved wayfinding thanks to lighting and footpaths.
For context, the City of Sydney’s work on the George Street area has involved the planting of 100 extra trees, the addition of new wide, granite-paved footpaths and new modern street furniture (as well as the completion of the light rail). In her speech to the Council last week, Lord Mayor Clover Moore explained that, once complete, the pedestrianisation of George Street “will have reclaimed over 26,000 square metres of space” – with the creation of Town Hall Square a continuation of this mission.
As a heritage-listed building, Town Hall already requires investment from the City of Sydney for maintenance, with $72 million invested over the past 11 years to "bring life to this important civic building for another 100 years". Now that a large part of the restoration work has been done, the City of Sydney has agreed to committing funds to “accelerating the delivery of Town Hall Square”.
Funding and scope of this project are set to be confirmed in the coming council budget, so stay tuned.
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