Impacts of Urban Renewal on Pyrmont, Sydney.
Urban Renewal- The redevelopment of an urban area.
INTRO
Since 1992, the 100-hectare peninsula of Pyrmont-Ultimo has been the subject of major
master-planning, intensive infrastructure and property development that is expected to result
in the residential population increasing from 3,000 originally to 20,000 by 2021.
The Ultimo-Pyrmont re-development is part of a government-led Urban renewal
program (now administered by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority- SHFA), which in
turn is part of the ‘Better Cities Program’, a long-term program initiated by the
Commonwealth Government in 1991. It aims to improve urban management processes
through partnerships between the three fields of government, the private sector and the
community. The major objectives are to improve the economic efficiency, social equity and
environmental sustainability of Australia's cities.
In that year, $18.2m of infrastructure work was completed – part of the $241m was
allocated for renewing the district, funded by federal and state governments through the
‘Building Better Cities’ program.
It was an urban redevelopment project of a scale never before undertaken in
Australia.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
The Industrial Age has turned into the Information Age. Ultimo + Pyrmont was a peninsular
of shipyards, iron foundries, woolstores, refining mills and coal power stations. Now it is
home to e-commerce and electronic media.
New technologies have replaced the old. From an estimated workforce of 10,000 people
in 1986, the working population has increased to 21,506 according to 2001 Census figures. A
planned 26,000 jobs will be based in the two suburbs by 2021.
Telecommunications and entertainment companies that have moved into the precinct
include Network 10, ABC, Foxtel, Australis, Galaxy TV, Star City Casino and radio stations
Nova, 2SM and 2GB.
Educational institutions include Sydney TAFE, University of Technology Sydney and the
Powerhouse Museum.
COMMUNITY
The transformation of Ultimo + Pyrmont needed to be managed in a way that supported
existing residents through a period of considerable change while building community links for
the thousands of new arrivals that entered as the area was reborn.
Community input into the design of Ultimo + Pyrmont has been significant. Design
competitions were introduced with winning designs attached to sale of development lots. This
ensured better design outcomes overall.
Community services available in the area include pre-school and day-care centres,
libraries, sporting facilities, and support services for the elderly and disabled.
To cater for the changing lifestyles as a result of new residents, restaurants and cafes
are being encouraged by the concept of ‘shop-top’ housing, with shops or offices on the
ground floors and the first floor being used for residential purposes.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Today, the new suburbs are marked by a youthful, increasingly wealthy, well-educated
population, and are home mainly to people in the finance, hospitality and communications
industries. Examples of such people are known as ‘Yuppies –Young Urban Professionals’ who
are mainly men, and ‘DINKS- Double-Income-No-Kids’.
Older residents have made way for a younger age group, with 20-29 year olds now
representing 55.3 per cent of the population. People over 65 represent just 1.4 per cent of
the precinct. And there are hardly any children – the lowest percentage of the population is
those aged 5-9 years, at 0.9 per cent.
The majority of residents come from English-speaking backgrounds, with the biggest
ethnic groups coming from Indonesia, China and Hong Kong.
HOUSING
The precinct aims to create a mixed use, high-density, medium-rise residential area. It is
anticipated that about 20,000 people will be living in approximately 7500 new dwellings and
1400 existing dwellings over the 20-30 year development period. The planning principles
include:
-catering for all household types
-providing affordable housing for low middle to income earners
-protecting existing housing
-providing opportunities to live close to places of work
-creating a high quality urban environment
The provision of affordable housing (or public housing) is an important part in the planning
process.
The Jackson’s Landing development, situated on the old CSR site, when completed, will
have a range of community facilities for residents, including a 24-hour security system, a
community clubhouse and recreation facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, cafes
and restaurants.
PARKS
The Ultimo + Pyrmont Decade of Renewal Project has added more than eight hectares of
green spaces to this previously industrial area over the last decade. In addition to the
provision of parkland and open spaces are the so-called ‘Pocket Parks’, providing smaller,
more intimate areas that can be accessed by residents and workers within 2 or 3 minutes of
the homes or workplaces. Some parks and open spaces include: Pyrmont Bay Park, Pyrmont
Point Park, Giba Park, Fig Lane Park, Refinery Square Park, Mary Ann Park and Pyrmont Bay
Park.
The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority had planned to hand the former Water Police
site over to developers. This 1.8 hectare site is part of Elizabeth Macarthur Bay and is one of
the few remaining areas of publicly owned foreshore land in Sydney.
TRANSPORT
An efficient public transport system, essential to the redevelopment program, includes
improved facilities with more buses, a ferry wharf and a light rail transport system. These
measures are designed to discourage the use of private motorcars in the area. It is hoped
that by providing an included pedestrian/cycleway network, limiting the number of parking
areas and installing parking metres will encourage people to use public transport. Over 30%
of households do not own cars.
CONCLUSION
Ultimo + Pyrmont have experienced an era of evolution, from and industrial age to a new
vibrant residential community. Though the main plans are completed, there are still a few key
projects that are scheduled for completion. Such as the Ultimo Aquatic Centre, revitalization
of the Sydney Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay, residential sites at Elizabeth Macarthur Bay and
completion of Darling Island.
The Decade of Renewal for the Ultimo + Pyrmont district has been a success with added
housing, efficient transport, high technologies, increased employment and more open and
public spaces.
In 2004, the Pyrmont-Ultimo area is a place renewed.