A long-term plan to breathe new life into Haymarket and Chinatown is underway.
The multi-million-dollar vision sees key projects focus on activating and improving streets and public spaces, shopfronts, parks and lighting.
In 2022, we heard from more than 1,150 residents, businesses and community members about the future of Haymarket. We heard what makes Haymarket special, the places that are loved, and what areas need to be improved. The overwhelming message was a desire for a vibrant, bustling place that celebrates diverse Asian cultures and preserves its history and character while embracing contemporary forms of cultural expression.
Bringing the community vision to life
This vision has been translated into a Haymarket and Chinatown revitalisation strategy and seen updates our Haymarket public domain plan. We’d now like to get your feedback on our ideas for bringing this community vision to life.
5 highlights
- A grants program to help Dixon Street businesses upgrade and improve their shopfront facades
- Changing planning rules to encourage investment in finegrain small business renewal and strengthen cultural heritage
- Significant public space improvements, lighting and new public art
- Grants for community-led cultural events and activations
- A new City of Sydney coordinator to assist local businesses and community collaboration.
We’ve allocated $44 million in our long-term financial plan to fund the historic precinct’s success into the future.
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“It’s the perfect time for a new overarching plan for the area, and our communities have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to work with us to celebrate the important precinct’s past and help shape its future.”
Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO
In progress
Significant upgrades to local streets have already been completed, including the pedestrianisation of George Street through Haymarket. We’ve introduced night markets and other events including the Sydney Lunar Festival and Sydney Streets to invigorate the area and support local business. We’re also supporting new cultural attractions such as public artworks and the recently opened Museum of Chinese in Australia.
__Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO__“The new plans take this work to another level while continuing our focus on bringing together different cultural groups to celebrate the area’s heritage, history and features.”
If the plans are approved, we’ll invest millions of dollars over the next 10 years to upgrade Goulburn, Sussex, Harbour, Quay and Thomas streets, complete public domain improvements and reinstate light catenaries on Dixon Street, and upgrade Belmore Park.
Key features
Dixon Street upgrade
The heart of the revitalisation. Plans for the renewal are ongoing and in September our ideas for the street will be shared.
Thai Town
Residents and businesses told us they consider Campbell Street home to Thai Town. Streetscape improvements will highlight the cultural significance of the street and provide more space for outdoor dining.
Sussex Street
We want to improve spaces for people walking, install a canopy of deciduous trees and enable cycling along Sussex Street while ensuring we support deliveries, servicing, drop offs and pickups.
Belmore Park
We want to help realise its potential as a green oasis in the city by improving entrances and sightlines as well as activating the centre.
A precinct of lights
Our plans include a creative lighting master plan that will celebrate the cultural features of different streets, create a set of lighting features unique to the precinct and explore public art using light.
Harbour Street
Bringing the heart of Chinatown and Darling Square together. Our plans include major footpath widening on the eastern side, the installation of social seating for large groups and a special zone for markets and events.
Ultimo Road and Goulburn, Quay and Hay streets
Footpath upgrades, tree planting as well as increased social seating and outdoor dining along these key connectors are included in the changes to boost activity and business for these iconic streets.
Ideas to support events and activations
“The draft plans propose spending more than half a million dollars over the next 3 years on precinct activation funding and supporting events held in Haymarket as well as $900,000 in grants for our shopfront activation program in Dixon Street," Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO said.
Reviewing planning controls
Making it easier for businesses and property owners to express the cultural heritage and future focus of the area.
Collaboration and partnership
Working hand in hand with our communities is a key part of our draft plans for a revitalised Haymarket. We would like to establish a Haymarket forum for people to share their ideas while appointing a special concierge service to cement the relationship between the communities and the City of Sydney.
Have your say
If you live, work, have a business in or spend time in Haymarket, be part of the change and share your ideas. View our plans and tell us what you think by completing our short online survey or commenting on our interactive map.
As well as an English-language version, the survey has been translated into the languages most commonly spoken by residents, workers and visitors in Haymarket: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Indonesian and Thai.
The consultation closes at 5pm on Monday 25 September.
