The Goulburn Street car park in Sydney has long been a highly criticized and neglected structure in the central business district. Numerous ideas to repurpose the rundown brown brick building have never materialized, from transforming it into a public high school to creating a green building covered in plants to opening a rooftop bar with contemporary dance and live music. The only change that has occurred was when a group of Fairfax photographers illegally covered one side of the car park with a “guerilla gallery” of city life photos. However, the City of Sydney is now considering giving up its lease on the site to the state government for the construction of homes for essential workers. After Labor deputy lord mayor Zann Maxwell proposed offering the site to the government on favorable terms, both the site’s owner, Transport Asset Manager of NSW, and Transport for NSW are open to discussing the future of the site.
Transport for NSW sees the potential of the car park site to provide well-located housing and contribute to the government’s housing targets. The site has already been included in the 2022 rezoning application for Central Station, which included proposals for a “super-deck” over station platforms. However, the application is still pending approval from the Planning Department. In 2018, Property and Development NSW offered the City of Sydney $75 million to buy out its lease of the car park, but the council declined the offer as it generates around $8 million in revenue annually from operating the car park. The possibility of selling the rest of the lease back to the government is being considered by the city council, and discussions regarding the future of the site are ongoing.
The potential redevelopment of the Goulburn Street car park could bring new life to the neglected site and contribute to addressing the housing needs of essential workers in Sydney. The site’s prime location in the CBD makes it a valuable asset for providing housing and meeting the government’s housing targets. The proposal to offer the site to the state government for housing development reflects a shift in priorities towards utilizing underutilized spaces for much-needed housing in the city. The discussions between the City of Sydney, Transport Asset Manager of NSW, and Transport for NSW indicate a willingness to explore new possibilities for the future of the car park site.
The transformation of the Goulburn Street car park from a derided and neglected structure to a potential housing development site highlights the evolving urban landscape of Sydney. The city’s willingness to consider alternative uses for underutilized spaces reflects a commitment to sustainable development and addressing housing shortages in the region. The proposal to offer the site to the government for housing development signals a new chapter for the car park, potentially turning it into a vibrant and thriving community space. The discussions surrounding the future of the site present an opportunity to revitalize a neglected area of the CBD and create much-needed housing for essential workers in Sydney.
The shift towards considering new uses for the Goulburn Street car park represents a significant turning point in the site’s history as a neglected and underutilized structure in the heart of Sydney. The potential for redevelopment into housing for essential workers highlights the pressing need for affordable and accessible housing in the city. The discussions between the City of Sydney and government agencies indicate a collaborative effort to explore innovative solutions for repurposing the site and creating a positive impact on the local community. The proposed sale of the council’s lease back to the government reflects a strategic decision to maximize the site’s potential for addressing the city’s housing challenges. As plans for the redevelopment of the car park site continue to unfold, the future of the once-derided structure appears promising as a potential beacon of urban renewal and housing innovation in Sydney.
