7 May 2026
North Sydney Council is preparing a grant application for up to $7.34m in NSW Government funding to design and deliver active transport and streetscape upgrades through the Crows Nest transport-oriented development precinct.
A report to the 11 May council meeting recommends councillors support an application under the Transport Oriented Development Community Infrastructure Program, which has $9.18m available for the Crows Nest precinct for walking, cycling and streetscape upgrades.
The proposed works are intended to improve connections between St Leonards railway station, the recently opened Crows Nest Metro station and surrounding growth areas. Council staff have proposed upgrades along Oxley Street, Clarke Street, Hume Street, Nicholson Street and Chandos Street, including sections that extend into the Willoughby and Lane Cove local government areas.
The Crows Nest TOD precinct was rezoned by the NSW Government in November 2024 as part of its accelerated housing program. The rezoning is expected to enable 5,804 new dwellings, including 4,648 in the North Sydney LGA, 708 in Lane Cove and 448 in Willoughby.
The report said the Crows Nest precinct represented 10.2% of total density across the accelerated TOD precincts and was therefore eligible for 10.2% of the overall funding, or $9.18m. It said North Sydney’s assumed 80% share of that funding would be $7.34m, reflecting its share of expected housing growth in the rezoned area.
The grant program is non-competitive and will provide more than $220m across seven accelerated TOD precincts. Round one will make $90m available to nine councils accommodating growth in the accelerated precincts, with applications closing on 18 May.
The proposed Crows Nest application would fund design work across seven stages, but only three sections would proceed to construction under the current funding envelope. These are Oxley Street from Chandos Street to Clarke Street, Nicholson Street from Hume Street to Oxley Street and Nicholson Street from Hume Street to Shirley Road.
The remaining sections — Clarke Street from Oxley Street to Willoughby Road, Hume Street from Clarke Street to Nicholson Street, Chandos Street from Christie Street to Oxley Street and Nicholson Street from Christie Street to Oxley Street — would be designed for future delivery.
Council staff said the full package would include footpath widening, bike paths, street trees and landscaping along a corridor linking the three councils within the Crows Nest TOD precinct. The report said the Nicholson Street section would establish “a critical green link” serving projected residential growth in Wollstonecraft and would also help connect Hume Street Park, Christie Street Reserve and Wadanggari Park.
The project aligns with North Sydney Council’s Integrated Transport Strategy and Bike Action Plan 2025–2045, including Route R13, the Crows Nest Metro Cycleway, and Route R6, the Sinclair Street Cycleway.
The report also points to delivery risk. Planning and design-only projects must be completed within 18 months of funding being received, while design and construction projects must be delivered by 30 June 2029. A draft program prepared with an external programmer has the formal “works commence” milestone on 10 October 2028, with project completion reporting due by 29 June 2029.
Council officers said the estimated cost of designing and constructing all proposed routes exceeded the available grant funding. The council has therefore narrowed the proposed construction scope to sections it considers deliverable within the budget and timetable.
The report recommends council seek written support from Willoughby and Lane Cove councils, noting that councils in multi-LGA TOD precincts must agree on projects and funding distribution before lodging grant applications.
It also recommends giving the CEO delegation to amend the scope of the grant submission as design, costs, programming and cross-council agreements are further developed.