'More imaginative than Bays West': New waterfront Sydney suburb needs a name

The 77-hectare site on Sydney Harbour is earmarked for housing, green space, cultural venues and a working harbour. (Supplied: NSW government) The NSW government is asking Sydneysiders to help rename the new Bays West precinct. The area which takes in White Bay, Glebe Island, Rozelle Bay and Rozelle Parklands is earmarked for housing, green space, cultural venues and a working harbour. In July, designers and architects will be invited to submit their visions for the new suburb. Link copiedShareShare articleSydneysiders will be asked to help rename Bays West, and an international design competition will soon open to decide the "look and feel" of the future waterfront suburb. In March, the NSW government announced the 77-hectare site would be transformed to accommodate up to 8,500 homes, along with public transport, green space, cultural venues and a working harbour. The term "Bays West" has been used to describe the precinct encompassing White Bay, Glebe Island, Rozelle Bay and Rozelle Parklands. The future suburb is just 2 kilometres from the Sydney CBD. (Supplied: NSW government) However, the state government has decided the future suburb, just 2 kilometres from the CBD, deserves a new name. In the coming weeks, the state government will begin a period of public consultation about what to name the precinct. However, the outcome will not be decided by a popular vote, avoiding a repeat of previous naming competitions, which produced bizarre results. In 2016, a UK competition to name a polar research vessel came up with the name Boaty McBoatface. A year later, a Sydney ferry was briefly named Ferry McFerryface following a similar poll. However, it later emerged the comical name was not ranked in the top six and the ferry was renamed after children's author and illustrator, May Gibbs. The Bays West precinct encompasses White Bay, Glebe Island, Rozelle Bay and Rozelle Parklands. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths) Lands Minister Steve Kamper said the government wanted to assess the public submissions before finalising a name for Sydney's newest suburb. "We'll be taking feedback from our community in relation to that, and then we'll make a decision in due course," he said. In July, local and international designers and architects will be invited to submit their visions for the new suburb. Anita Mitchell, acting chief executive of the newly created Bays West Delivery Authority, said entrants would be asked to create an "urban framework". "What we mean by that is the look and feel of the precinct," she said. "Not exactly designing each individual building, but designing the streetscape, the public domain, the plaza." Anita Mitchell says people will have input into the design of the streetscape and plaza. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths) At least 25 per cent of the precinct will be devoted to public open space and there will be a 1.8-hectare waterfront park, Ms Mitchell said. "And we really want a wonderful civic plaza, in particular, around the White Bay Power Station." Waterfront access will be preserved to create a harbourside walking track, encouraging non-residents to visit the precinct, which has been largely inaccessible for 100 years. "You don't need to buy anything," Ms Mitchell said. "You don't need to be an apartment owner, but it gives something back to the city." Cr Byrne said he hoped the design competition would help create a place that Sydneysiders could be proud of. "We need to make sure that this is a precinct that brings the whole community to life with entertainment options and hospitality, not just homes," he said. Car-lovers might struggle to feel at home in Bays West. The Bays West Delivery Authority expects as little as 4 per cent of journeys in and out of the precinct will be made by private vehicles. "There will be some parking available for private residents, but they will be very limited," Ms Mitchell said. "We're really investing in new public transport. There will be limited private car travel in and out of the precinct. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths) Ms Mitchell said the new suburb would not fully come to life before the metro did. "Until the metro is open, we actually can't open any new homes, because we know that would have a massive impact on the local community." Following a long-running community campaign, the government announced the Glebe Island Bridge would be reopened as part of the Bays West development. The bridge will provide a link for pedestrians and cyclists between the city and Glebe Island. While there is no timeline for the bridge's completion, Ms Mitchell said the authority was hoping to deliver it "as early as possible". "We also need to free up the site because it's currently being used for dry bulk shipping." Glebe Island Bridge will provide a link for pedestrians and cyclists. (Supplied: NSW government) Planning work has begun to relocate the dry bulk imports, including cement to Port Kembla, south of Wollongong. Imports will cease by the

'More imaginative than Bays West': New waterfront Sydney suburb needs a name

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