Sydney is being urged to embrace forward-thinking and support a radical new plan to change the face of the CBD.
The epic plan is called 2030: Sustainable Sydney, developed by world renowned architect Jan Gehl.
It involves tearing down the Cahill Expressway, establishing a massive ‘green space’ at Darling Harbour – three squares connected to a longer pedestrian boulevard with public transport and cycle access, moving Circular Quay station and refurbishing Central with retail.
All this and coal-free power generated from the city into our homes.
It’s an ambitious facelift to say the least, but Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has taken on the sceptics, saying today’s landmarks of Sydney wouldn’t exist if projects like these hadn’t of happened.
“We wouldn’t have a Harbour Bridge or an Opera House,” she claimed.
The Lord Mayor says the projects aren’t desirable, but necessary for the city’s environmental and economic future.
“Sydney is already a green leader when it comes to sustainable buildings and with sustainable development, integrated transport and green energy we can become one of the world’s green cities, making this our competitive advantage against other world cities.”
Patricia Forsythe from the Chamber of Commerce says public transport is the key.
“You won’t succeed if you’ve got to sort of stop the cars at the gate, so to speak, and you don’t have anywhere for them to go.”
“So critical in all of this is Public transport right across the Sydney basin.
Morris Iemma says while it's a good idea, it looks very similar to the state government's own plans.
“Well the plan is feasible.”
“There are certainly parts of the plan which require a lot more work.”