Property and Development NSW (PDNSW) has lodged a development application with City of Sydney Council to progress the transformation of the State Library of NSW forecourt as the institution prepares to celebrate its 200-year anniversary in 2026.
The PDNSW is proposing the forecourt to the State Library of NSW be transformed into a new 3,400 square metre public domain.
The submission will integrate public art and native plants around a new grassed plaza, that supports library events and community activities. It will double the size of the current forecourt to create a vibrant new public space.
“The plan to create and deliver a new public space that celebrates the library’s 200-year anniversary in 2026 is another chapter in the State Library’s own story,” said Minister for the Arts, John Graham.
“Supporting the delivery of this new public domain, the proposed road and traffic changes will improve public access to other Sydney cultural institutions and this area around Macquarie Street.”
The works propose to realign Sir John Young Crescent and Hospital Road, improving safety for pedestrians and drivers, to provide better links to the Royal Botanic Gardens and The Domain. The existing Shakespeare Memorial, originally presented to the city in 1914, will be relocated closer to the library in the forecourt area.
The State Library welcomed over one million visitors (a 30% increase on 2022/23) during the June 2024 fiscal year, with more than 300,000 readers and visitors anticipated during September and November for this year’s HSC period.
If approved, the new State Library forecourt proposal could deliver public outcomes consistent with the Macquarie Street East Precinct 20-year vision and masterplan.
“The State Library is a much-loved public institution with historic spaces and galleries, world-renowned collections, and dynamic events and learning programs. It offers something for everyone – readers, families, researchers, students, local and international visitors – every day of the week,” said State Librarian of NSW, Dr Caroline Butler-Bowden.
“The new public forecourt will help grow the Library as a vibrant cultural heart of the city, inviting everyone to freely explore and enjoy this truly unique place.”
For more information, visit: nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/property-and-development-nsw/what-we-do/precinct-development/macquarie-street-east-precinct.