Lendlease’s 3500-Home Plans for Rozelle Bay Move Ahead
Lendlease’s unsolicited proposal for a major mixed-use redevelopment at Sydney’s Rozelle Bay has moved forward.
The NSW Government has progressed the development heavyweight’s proposal to Stage 2 of the assessment process as part of the broader Bays West precinct transformation in the Harbour City’s inner west.
The progression allows more detailed evaluation of planning controls, design outcomes, infrastructure integration and delivery pathways for the waterfront site, which forms one of the most significant renewal areas within the harbour foreshore.
The project would provide up to 3000 new homes, including a component of affordable housing, alongside new public spaces, community infrastructure and improved foreshore access.
Lendlease plans to complete 1000 of these homes by 2032, alongside a pedestrian underpass connecting Rozelle Bay to the new Bays Metro Station and broader Bays West precinct.
The developer said its plans would deliver more than 35 per cent of the NSW Government’s 8500 homes target across the precinct.
The project aims to support higher-density living close to the Sydney CBD while opening formerly restricted industrial land to public use between the suburbs of Pyrmont, Glebe and Balmain.
The precinct spans multiple former maritime and industrial sites including White Bay Power Station and surrounding port land.
A central feature of the broader plan is the integration of the Bays Metro station to significantly improve public transport connectivity and act as a catalyst for higher-density residential and commercial development across the precinct.
Additional transport upgrades and active transport links are also planned to support growth and improve access to the foreshore.
The NSW Government has described Bays West as a future harbourside destination combining residential, employment, cultural and recreational uses, with a focus on reconnecting the city with Sydney Harbour through continuous public domain and waterfront parks.
Lendlease’s proposal includes extensive public realm works aimed at creating walkable neighbourhoods, improved cycling infrastructure and new open spaces that link adjoining precincts and heritage assets.
The design intends to balance housing delivery with long-term placemaking and improved accessibility.
Lendlease said the project was a major opportunity to accelerate housing supply in a highly constrained inner-city market, while supporting construction employment and long-term economic activity in the precinct.
The Stage 2 assessment will now examine feasibility, design refinement, infrastructure requirements and value-for-money considerations before any final government decision on progression to approval or delivery is made.
In March of this year, a new direction for masterplanning of the long-awaited Bays West precinct was revealed by the NSW Government.
A 2022-approved masterplan and rezoning was scrapped and controversial bulk storage facilities replaced with 8500 homes.
The suburb, about 2km west of the Sydney CBD, is home to industrial assets, including cement storage silos, container and private yacht facilities. The decommissioned coal-fired White Bay Power Station, now an arts and functions venue, is also within the area.
