City of Sydney’s Haymarket and Chinatown Revitalisation Strategy: A Five Point Plan

Last year, Atlas led a multi-disciplinary team to consider the changes and trends at play, understand the changing role, character and function of the Chinatown/Haymarket area located in the City of Sydney. The study sought to uncover opportunities for Chinatown to ‘reinvent itself’ in the context of structural changes that have occurred over the last 5-10 years, including new and attractive precincts elsewhere competing for trade.

Council published the Haymarket and Chinatown Revitalisation Strategy in January 2024. The Strategy builds upon many of the recommendations of Atlas’ work and includes a five point plan.

A Five Point Plan

The City of Sydney is committed to realising the community’s vision for Haymarket. They recognise that there is no silver bullet to address the issues and challenges its facing. A wide-ranging set of actions is needed to catalyse to positive change for the area. These actions have been set out as a five-point plan.

1. Renewal of the heart

The community has voiced that Dixon Street is the heart of Sydney’s Chinatown. Improving Dixon Street is a key priority of the Strategy Investment will ensure that the Dixon Street ‘heart’ is distinctive and draws on its rich history, heritage and Cantonese roots.

Planned Actions

• Main street improvement program for Dixon Street south (the heart). This is to incentivise facade, awning, food and beverage shopfront improvements via a DA process. Improvements to be eligible for a co-funding program for a limited period of time (three years)
• Food and beverage shopfront improvements, which could bring food preparation to the window as a form of theatre and spark street interest
• Introduce a design guide and planning concierge service for private buildings, including facade, awning and shopfront upgrades for Dixon Street

Actions already underway

• Design work is underway for the upgrade of Dixon Street’s public domain – paving, lighting, planting, street furniture
• Planned restoration of the Chinatown ceremonial gates
• Business sector support grants to grow the skills of local businesses and to provide networking opportunities and promote the local precinct

2. Planning and Heritage

The character of the Haymarket area is distinct from the rest of Central Sydney. Instead of large office towers, the area has human scaled shopfronts, low to mid-rise buildings and small irregular plots with a diversity of business activity. This makes for active, vibrant and exciting streets. Planning controls within the special character area look to protect these attributes. Community feedback indicates the community value this unique character and would like to see it preserved.

Planned Actions

• Allowing more freedom and cultural expression in signage controls and lighting to enhance the nighttime economy
• Encourage fine grain uses by lifting street wall heights in the special character area. This is intended to make upgrades and renewal more feasible
• Explore opportunities for community and cultural space
• Advocate for the transformation of the interior and exterior of Paddy’s Markets.  
• Recognise cultural heritage by updating locality statements, statements of significance, and research.  
• Advocate for the conservation and reuse of the former Kwong War Chong building at 82-84 Dixon Street

Actions already underway

• Heritage designation of the Chinatown Gates
• Much of Haymarket is already identified as a special character area
• Kwong War Chong building at 82-84 Dixon Street was heritage listed in 2020
• The Central Sydney Planning Framework designates tower clusters either side of Chinatown. This is to support employment growth without changing local character
• Fees waived for outdoor dining until 2025

3. Public domain and Art

The community said that the streets and public spaces are important in Haymarket and that the area is known for having a busy street life. It is a place where you see diverse cultures reflected on the streets and in public spaces. Building upon this will be critical to preserving and strengthening Haymarket’s appeal.

Planned Actions

• Creative lighting as a point of difference and to establish the precinct as a place to visit at night
• Draw people into the core Chinatown area with improved amenity and creative lighting
• More spaces and infrastructure for cultural events
• More trees and greening in the precinct
• Strengthen the identity of Thaitown and celebrate Thai culture through the upgrade of Campbell Street
• Upgrade Belmore Park with safe lighting and improve connections to the future Central Square
• Support the fine grain street retail with adequate daily delivery and freight space and short-term parking
• Consider 15 minute free drop off and pick up spaces (short stay parking)
• Investigate street cleaning and waste management
• Identify new opportunities for public art
• Consider options for more cycling connections

Actions already underway

• Recent public domain upgrades have been made to George Street South, Hay Street and Ultimo Road
• Design work is underway to upgrade Dixon Street public domain
• Restoration of the Chinatown Gates is being progressed

4. Culture, events and activation

Events provide opportunities for the expression of culture and the celebration of history. Atlas’ economic research identified ‘leveraging one of Sydney’s most historically and culturally rich areas’ as a key opportunity for Haymarket, which has been built upon in the Strategy.

Planned Actions

• Support additional festivals and events which celebrate Asian cultures and activate the precinct with $200,000 of additional events funding
• Build on the City of Sydney’s oral history collection. This includes approximately 20 interviews with members of the Chinese community from the 1990s to now. Identify up to five potential oral history candidates who could talk about the evolution of Chinatown in the last 50 years
• Share Haymarket and Chinatown’s history through walking tours, hoardings, and plaques
• Review the 2022 Floor Space and Employment Survey data to identify under-utilised and vacant space. Engage with landowners and leasing agents to bring space back into use.

Actions already underway

• Haymarket has been awarded $200,000 as part of the Uptown Grant Program. This is to develop a destination brand, marketing assets and campaign to raise awareness about what the precinct has to offer.
• Annual production of Sydney Lunar New Year
• Support for Friday Night Markets
• Sydney Streets events close down local streets twice annually in the Haymarket area. Local business trade out, with street performers to attract visitation
• An accommodation grant to support the creation of the new Museum of Chinese in Australia (MOCA). This is due to open in 2024

5. Collaboration and partnerships

Atlas’ work included an international case study which found that interventions are most effective and authentic when led by local grassroots community organisations, with local government playing a supporting role. The City wants to ensure that the local communities, businesses, and landowners in Haymarket are empowered. Change should be led by local champions and through coordinated community initiatives. Grant funding will go some way to supporting local groups. New governance structures or organisations may be needed to allow for more effective collaboration.

Planned Actions

• Fund a new Haymarket coordinator to channel the various actions and provide a ‘concierge service’ for community members, businesses and landowners who want to be involved
• Set up an informal Haymarket Forum of existing chambers, groups and champions to coordinate projects for the revitalisation of Haymarket
• Advocate for integration and activation of NSW Government assets, including Market City, Dixon Street north and Quay Street
• Consider participation in state’s Purple Flag safety accreditation program to encourage areas to meet standards for vibrancy, diversity and safety at night

Actions already underway

• Existing grant funding program
• Regular collaboration with Chambers of Commerce and local community groups
• Community working group to support the organisation of Sydney Lunar New Year
• Recent Haymarket visioning engagement
• Collaboration to support Tech Central, including work with Haymarket HQ, UTS, NSW Government and the local business chambers

‍