The NSW government has secured approval for 1,500 new apartments as part of a major redevelopment of the former Sydney Fish Markets, just days after plans for a large-scale Rosehill housing project were rejected.
Earlier this week, the Australian Turf Club voted against a $5 billion proposal to sell the Rosehill racecourse, which would have opened up space for 25,000 new homes and a Metro station. That decision—opposed by many within the racing community—was a setback for Premier Chris Minns’ goal to increase housing supply near central Sydney.
On Friday, the government announced that Infrastructure NSW had received planning approval from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to amend development rules at Blackwattle Bay. The site, originally designated for 1,200 residences, will now accommodate 1,500 homes by reducing the planned office space.
Set along a 30-metre stretch of waterfront, the Blackwattle Bay project is being promoted as a vital link in the 15km foreshore walk from Rozelle Bay to Woolloomooloo. The development will include government and privately owned land, featuring public, recreational, and cultural spaces, and is expected to create around 4,300 jobs.
The state government has mandated that 7.5% of the new homes be allocated as affordable housing. However, officials have clarified that this development is not intended to replace the scrapped Rosehill proposal, which failed after 56% of Australian Turf Club members voted against it.
Premier Minns acknowledged the club’s decision, calling it a “golden opportunity that slipped through our fingers,” and hinted that other housing projects near the CBD are being prepared, though details remain under wraps.
While ruling out a forced acquisition of Rosehill, Minns emphasized the urgency of addressing Sydney’s housing crisis.
Short-listed developers Lendlease, Mirvac, and Stockland are expected to submit proposals for the Blackwattle Bay redevelopment in July, with the first apartments scheduled for completion by 2028.
