The NSW Government will provide an extension to on-grass parking at Moore Park whilst supplementary parking solutions are being built, to ensure these public facilities are accessible to all residents, not just those nearby or those who have easy access to public transport.
The grass at Moore Park East has been used as a game day carpark for a century.
In 2022, the former government amended the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust Act to include deadlines for the final removal of all on-grass parking near Kippax Lake and at the south of Moore Park East opposite the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and Hordern Pavilion.
Work is underway to develop a new carpark that will offset the removal of parking near Kippax Lake.
However, the expected carpark completion date is late 2025, 2 years after the current 31 December 2023 legislated deadline.
It means thousands of parking spots will disappear without alternative parking arrangements being in place to ensure no overall loss of parking in the precinct.
This significant shortage will disproportionately affect residents who, despite the public transport improvements in the area, will still need to drive to attend events at the SCG and Allianz Stadium.
This is particularly crucial for young families, the elderly, those with accessibility needs and those travelling from Western Sydney and Regional NSW who require parking options to get to Moore Park.
The NSW Government will bring legislative amendments that will extend the operation of Lower Kippax until the Venues NSW carpark is completed, and until a solution to offset the parking at the showground is established.
The financial impact of not having a viable parking solution is significant.
Venues NSW has estimated an $18 million dollar revenue loss, with the local visitor economy set to lose $30 million across 66 event days per year.
Transport for NSW has been directed to develop a transport plan for the Moore Park precinct.
The NSW Government remains committed to removing on-grass parking at Moore Park over time and continuing to transform the space into 22 hectares of high-quality, multi-purpose parkland for the community including community sport.
The existing closure of parking on the grass at Upper Kippax remains in place.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said:
"Moore Park has been used for parking for decades. But it doesn't make sense to shut off access to thousands of parking spaces before the new carpark is complete.
"This is about ensuring people who travel from Western Sydney or around the state for sports and entertainment at Moore Park have equal access to parking.
"These public facilities need to be accessible to all residents, not just those nearby or those who have easy access to public transport."
NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
"This is just another instance of the former government failing to properly plan for our city and its major attractions. We are committed to delivering a cohesive precinct.
"This is a common-sense approach, and a common-sense solution. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure the timely delivery of both the parklands and parking alternatives."
NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:
"If you are a family from Menangle, an elderly sports fan or a person with a disability, public transport isn't always an option. These fans need a viable alternative.
"The NSW Government is committed to delivering the parklands, but we need to ensure we have a viable parking alternative in place. We don't want to see anyone miss out on attending the New Year's Test or Paul McCartney this summer."
