No Done Deals: The Bays Precinct

Developer Dahua's suggestion of a $3 billion development around Blackwattle Bay has drawn backlash from the NSW Government and the Sydney Fish Market.

The state's landowner, UrbanGrowth NSW, has denied all claims regarding the suggestion that there is any "done deal" in respect to the transformation of The Bays Precinct and the Sydney Fish Market.

UrbanGrowth NSW Chief Executive David Pitchford said, "There are currently no plans for any part of The Bays Precinct - what we have is a discussion paper that we are releasing to the people of Sydney this weekend for their comment over the next 6 weeks.""We are making a Call for Great Ideas for the Bays Waterfront Promenade, Bays Market District, White Bay Power Station, and White Bay Cruise Terminal to allow us to capture the best thinking from global and local communities and industry on how the precinct's future should unfold.

"The Call for Great Ideas is not a procurement process."UrbanGrowth NSW has said it doesn't know who will make a bid to redevelop Blackwattle Bay, but the time for bids is still some time away, and when there is a call it will be made transparent and open to public process.

The priority for UrbanGrowth NSW this year is the development of the Transformation Plan which will guide and direct the development of The Bays Precinct over the next 20 to 30 years.

ALSO SEE: A Glimpse Into Sydney’s Bays Precinct

UrbanGrowth NSW will not be putting a proposal to build 32-storey apartment towers on the public foreshore surrounding the Sydney Fish Market to the NSW government for approval by July.

"We do not have secret plans for 32-storey towers or anything else," Mr Pitchford said.

"What we have done is identify a possible mix of use for different areas across the public realm - which includes public open space, sporting fields and community facilities - housing and jobs.

"Our work to date is open to scrutiny by the people of Sydney in the discussion paper, and we look forward to their feedback, which will inform the development of the Transformation Plan we present to the Government in August.