West Ryde Town Centre Masterplan

A Masterplan is a high-level, long-term planning document that sets out objectives and principles to guide future growth and development. It provides a conceptual layout that determines the land uses, physical and visual connections, development scale, public and private spaces and their physical relationship. It also defines the desired future character for different parts of the study area and provides direction on how its character can be maintained, improved and enhanced. 

West Ryde is one of five existing Town Centres within the City of Ryde. The LSPS has a vision to deliver a city with diverse and vibrant centres, with West Ryde being well placed to serve the local community in the long term, provided there is continued investment in upgrades and renewal.

As outlined in the LSPS, West Ryde has lagged behind other centres during a period of strong growth across the City of Ryde. There is also some visible evidence of economic stress such as vacant sites, poor building maintenance, lack of retail activity and blank façades. The Masterplan process will investigate ways to improve the function, look and feel of West Ryde, and allow Council to proactively plan for a vibrant and prosperous future for the town centre.

The Masterplan aims to:

• Establish a clear vision based on place-specific design principles from the West Ryde Town Centre Revitalisation Strategy.
• Establish a land use and built form model that is feasible in the development market to enable renewal and revitalisation.
• Guide continued maintenance and renewal of the public domain and local infrastructure.

The West Ryde Town Centre Masterplan will take into consideration not only the town centre core but also its surrounding area. This includes both sides of the railway station, with the boundary shown using the red line in the map above. 

The Masterplan will further build on what you have already told us about West Ryde as part of the LSPS and draft Strategy preparation. The ideas, aspirations, and concerns shared by the community is very much the starting point for this project.

We previously heard that you want:

To Preserve Heritage and Fine Character

• Protecting the fine grain character of the area, preserving heritage buildings and encouraging the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings to provide character and interest.

More Things to Do

• New activities such as markets, an ‘Eat Street’ for food and gathering, large and small community spaces, and informal community activities such as a little community library to share books.

Improved Traffic and Parking Conditions

• Additional car parking at West Ryde station, Miriam Park, and in and around the town centre.
• Improvements to the timing of traffic lights and changes to timed parking.
• Retaining the traffic lights at Adelaide Street, and removing the idea to relocate the lights to the Bellevue Avenue/Riverview Street intersection (which was proposed in the draft Strategy) in response to community feedback.  

Better Walking and Cycling Infrastructure

• Improved active transport infrastructure including pedestrian overpasses at key junctions.
• Active transport links including a dedicated shared path between West Ryde and Meadowbank ferry wharf.
• Improving safety in the town centre by widening footpaths, creating safe walking links to schools and community infrastructure and open spaces.
• Improving passive surveillance by providing appropriate lighting and fostering neighbourhood watch within school areas.

Improved and Green Public Domain

• More trees, landscaping, and improved sustainability.
• Celebrate and protect existing natural elements.
• Improved and increased number of parks and public spaces
• Good design and maintenance of public space.
• Improved and additional street furniture.
• Improved comfort in public spaces.

Provide more Medium Density Housing

• Support for shop-top housing along Victoria Road.
• Preference for medium density housing over high density housing.