New planning rules have been released for the Parklands of
Sydney Olympic Park that would allow for a greater range of uses including cafes, restaurants, markets, and tourist and visitor accommodation.
Under the plans, which have been placed on public exhibition, tourist and visitor accommodation would be allowed within the heritage-listed Newington Armory site.
It is expected that the changes could increase access to the Armory on weekends and potentially allow for additional parkland areas to be made available according to Urbanalyst.
A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Planning and Environment told the Urbanalyst that Sydney Olympic Park was part of Sydney's cultural offering to the world, but opening the Parklands up for further uses would better leverage its potential.
"Olympic Park is one of the key drivers behind Sydney as a global city, offering the full array of sporting events, artistic ventures and entertainment" the spokesperson said.
"The precinct currently accommodates about 11 million visitors a year for sports, recreation and entertainment purposes, with demand continuing to grow, but the Park has potential beyond its current usage.
"With the nearby Blaxland Riverside Park also generating strong weekend visitation, we expect these changes to allow the Armory to explore more opportunities to entertain Sydneysiders and tourists alike."The spokesperson said the Department was keen for public feedback on the proposed changes to the planning policy, to make the best use of the Armory and parklands at Sydney Olympic Park.
"Parts of the Armory are already used for community groups and weekend activities, but these plans means they could be opened up for restaurants or tourism accommodation," the spokesperson said.
"These changes provide a great opportunity to open up these important green spaces for the community while still protecting the heritage and ecological value for generations to come."