The radical alternative to Sydney’s $150m civic square plan

Woolworths and six other buildings opposite Sydney’s Town Hall would be saved from demolition with a public plaza carved from existing structures as part of a radical “what if” proposal to stir debate around Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s $150 million new public square.

As planning accelerates on Moore’s plan, Sydney architects DunnHillam have floated the idea that the seven buildings in central Sydney could be repurposed for another 100 years of use instead of “the wholesale demolition” proposed by the City of Sydney.

Their environmentally friendly design proposes a large public plaza that doesn’t just run below the existing buildings – it runs “through, down and in it”.

It would be experienced in three dimensions, said architect Ashley Dunn, a founding principal of the practice that won multiple awards and commendations in the 2026 NSW regional architecture awards.

“You can be on the upper floors and the roof, and still be in the square,” he said.

The City of Sydney council has been planning to demolish the buildings on the block between George, Park and Pitt streets to create a new public domain in the CBD for more than 40 years.

Councillors on Monday endorsed the proposed scope of works for the project, allowing it to proceed to the next stage of concept design, planning approvals and construction. They also voted to award the tender for head design consultancy services; however, those details remain confidential.

Dunn said they realised their vision was unlikely to be realised, but it showed what could be possible working with what already exists. The practice shared Moore’s ambition for a generous public realm, but they called on the city and others to think about the value of existing built structures.

The building and construction sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for 37 per cent of global emissions.

Dunn said 60 per cent of a building’s carbon was in the structure, the rest in facade and fitout. “By retaining buildings, we preserve vast amounts of embodied carbon and avoid sending materials to landfill. Every building that we choose to retain is both an environmental and cultural win, a tangible expression of care for the city’s memories and stories embedded in place.”

Work on the square was not expected to start until 2035. But Moore last year signalled her intent to fast-track the project to begin in early 2028, before the next local council elections. The council has estimated the project would be finished in 2031.

Independent councillor Yvonne Weldon is opposing the project due to its steep cost. She told Monday’s meeting the plan was putting the council under “serious financial stress”, and that the 4200-square-metre plaza would “come at the cost of other projects and programs”.

“I’m all about improving and expanding our public spaces, but to me, this just doesn’t stack up.

“We’re doing Sydney Square next door. Martin Place needs an upgrade and could be transformed to be a more prominent public space at a fraction of the cost. We’re also set to lose one of the only full-line supermarkets in the city centre, and the heritage value of the Woolworths building too.”

Moore said the project had been supported by successive councils since it was first proposed in the 1980s. “It’s now the great honour of this council to be able to go ahead with this very exciting project, which has had such strong support from our residential and business communities.”

Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou said destroying the commercial buildings, particularly Woolworths, to make way for the square was “a waste of ratepayers’ money”.

“If we’re encouraging more people to live in the city, they need access to a large supermarket.”

Woolworths said the store was its most visited supermarket nationally, with more than 6.5 million customers per year.

Moore said in response that Town Hall Square was “an idea whose time had come”, and the council “must be brave and deliver this transformational project”.

“There will always be critics ready to rally against transformation or investment, and vested interests keen to maintain the status quo,” she said.

Moore said all costs for the square, including lost revenue from the rental properties that will make way for the project, had been factored into the council’s long-term financial plan.

Council papers said the purpose of the paved square was to create a significant public space that would form Sydney’s “civic heart”. The square would include trees and spaces with seats and infrastructure to support daily activities, events, public gatherings, protests and celebrations. The project scope does not include construction of basement areas, nor any underground walkways.

A risk assessment noted the square’s location was a “bustling transport intersection located in the heart of central Sydney”, and there was a “need to identify and proactively manage the risks associated with the demolition and construction of a project of this scale and complexity”.

Between 1985 and 2019, the council gradually acquired six of the seven properties required for the project, starting with the Woolworths building on the corner of George and Park streets. It plans to compulsorily acquire the final building, which is currently home to a Foot Locker shoe store.

A council report last year noted the buildings it had acquired were all more than 50 years old and the costs to maintain, upgrade and operate them was soon forecast to exceed the income from leases.

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