Arabic version: سيدني تكشف تصاميم ساحة مبنى البلدية

According to ABC News, the City of Sydney has released renders for Town Hall Square, a proposed public square opposite Sydney Town Hall in the CBD. The council is seeking community feedback as it prepares to lodge a development application in the coming months.

The design features a plaza with a curved grove of 30 native Australian trees, along with fixed and movable chairs and tables. More than 4,500 square metres of accessible open space is planned. The square is intended to host markets, festivals, cultural and music events, as well as live sports watching.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the project would have “the gravitas and grandeur of a European square” while remaining distinctly Australian through the use of gum trees. She said the removal of buildings would also open views of Town Hall, the Queen Victoria Building, St Andrew’s Cathedral and Pitt Street Church.

The project requires demolition of the Woolworths block and six other buildings opposite Town Hall, a proposal that has drawn criticism from some Sydneysiders. The council said most business tenants in the seven buildings were expected to relocate to alternative premises. Moore said the buildings slated for removal did not have heritage value.

The City of Sydney has allocated $150 million in its long-term financial plan, with demolition expected to begin in 2028 and completion earmarked for 2031. NSW Premier Chris Minns questioned the expense, saying the council had an obligation to explain how it would fund the project and what would be done or not done at its expense. The council said the square would receive a First Nations name.