14 March 2025
By James Mullan
North Sydney Council, in collaboration with Business Sydney and construction firm Lendlease, has renewed calls for the construction of a pedestrian plaza in the heart of North Sydney’s CBD. But concerns remain over what it will do to bus routes and how it will be funded.
The proposed ‘Miller Place’ would be located outside Victoria Cross Metro Station, Northpoint Tower, and the MLC Building, spanning Berry Street to Pacific Highway. The project, initially floated by Council in 2018, has seen multiple advocacy efforts, including a 2023 attempt by Mayor Zoë Baker to commit $9 million to the initiative.
However, the latest iteration of the proposal, outlined in a document prepared by Business Sydney, has drawn scrutiny over inaccuracies, omissions, and logistical challenges. Council distanced itself from the document, stating that Business Sydney was solely responsible for its contents, despite acknowledgements that the report was developed “with the support of North Sydney Council.” Business Sydney did not respond to requests for comment.
A key element of the plan involves rerouting buses that currently stop on Miller Street via Walker Street and Mount Street to Pacific Highway. However, the proposed bus corridor would require reopening the fully pedestrianised Brett Whiteley Place to traffic—an area that was recently refurbished as part of the Channel 9 building development. Additionally, Mount Street is currently a one-way road in the opposite direction to what the plan proposes, necessitating further alterations.
The Brett Whiteley Place project itself cost approximately $10.3 million, including design, construction, and landscaping. It was built between 2014 and 2016.
Beyond traffic issues, the proposal contains factual errors, including mislabeling Pacific Highway as Princes Highway. The document also claims Miller Place would be “equivalent in size to Martin Place,” a claim that appears exaggerated given Martin Place spans 473 metres in length with six traffic lanes, whereas Miller Place is only 200 metres long with four to five lanes.
The estimated cost of the project is around $40 million, but the Business Sydney proposal lacks any specific funding breakdown. At the press conference, it was revealed that North Sydney Council had committed $9 million from developer contributions, with no direct ratepayer funding.
The remaining $31 million in funding remains unaccounted for, with backers of the project hoping for state government support.
Read the Sun’s coverage of the original announcement here: https://northsydneysun.com.au/community-politics/north-sydney-mayor-seeks-to-contribute-9m-to-miller-st-road-closure-new-plaza/