White Bay Power Station to continue as arts venue for a further 12 months

Wednesday 27 November 2024

White Bay Power Station will continue to operate as a ground-breaking arts and cultural venue following advocacy from Inner West Council.

In May Mayor Darcy Byrne wrote to Planning Minister Paul Scully proposing that the power station be designated as a Special Entertainment Precinct to allow it to host concerts and performance on a permanent basis.

The Minister has now confirmed that approval has been granted for the venue to continue to host live music for a further 12 months to explore the range of uses that can take place there.

This comes on the back of the hugely popular Ministry of Sound events and the Power Up Festival held there in September.

Mayor Byrne said that the Council's vision for the power station is really starting to come to life.

“Now that music lovers have had a taste of what an incredible venue the power station can be, they are demanding more,” Byrne said.

“We welcome the government's commitment to keep experimenting with more gigs, genres and artists playing at White Bay across the next year and we will keep working to make this permanent.

“With Inner West based promoters Heaps Gay hosting another festival there last weekend the momentum is there for the power station to become one of Australia's premier live performance venues.

“Council is working closely in collaboration with Placemaking NSW to keep bringing this unique space to life and we won't stop until the power station is recognised as Australia’s best arts and cultural venue.

Please find below correspondence between Mayor Darcy Byrne and Planning Minister Scully confirming the power station's approval to operate as a music and events venue for a further 12 months.

Letter from Mayor Darcy Byrne to Minister Paul Scully, 5 August 2024

Dear Paul,

Inner West Council is committed to supporting the arts, including local talent, venues, festivals & events. and seizing new opportunities for the sector. White Bay Power Station presents a once in a generation opportunity to establish a world-renowned venue for the exhibition of not only local talent, but talent from around the world, in Australia's cultural powerhouse, Sydney's Inner West

The recent Biennale of Sydney showcased the beginning of what is possible at White Power Station as a cultural venue. 172,000 people visited the venue during the three-month exhibition, making it the most attended non-museum site in the history of the Biennale.

Inner West Council supports the continued use of White Bay Power Station as a cultural venue and requests that steps are taken to ensure that White Bay Power Station continues to be available for a vast range of possible cultural activities, including as a live performance and concert venue. This will assist in addressing Sydney's short-fall of mid-tier venues (250-1250 patrons) that are crucial for emerging artists and a flourishing live music scene.

To further protect and foster the site as a significant entertainment venue, Council requests that the site be designated as a Special Entertainment Precinct by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces.

Yours sincerely,

Clr Darcy Byrne
Inner West Mayor

Response from Minister Paul Scully to Mayor Darcy Byrne, 14 October 2024

Dear Darcy,

Thank you for your correspondence about White Bay Power Station and its future use as an arts and cultural venue with live performances and concerts. I regret the delay in responding.

I can advise that planning approvals have now been granted for the temporary use of the Power Station as an events and activations venue under Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

I am advised the Review of Environmental Factors is now published on the White Bay Power Station website and will remain so for 12 months while Placemaking NSW trials events and activations. You can view the website at www.whitebaypowerstation.com/community-notices

The Government and Placemaking NSW sees great value in the current period of testing and trialling different uses, including live entertainment. Each event brings more understanding of the opportunities and limits of the site.

Placemaking NSW has already starting hosting some very successful events including Ministry of Sound and the local community festival 'Power Up' in which there were more than 17,000 people in attendance. Several other events and activations are planned and further information can be found at www.whitebaypowerstation.com/events

I thank Inner West Council for its support of arts and entertainment at this significant venue. Placemaking NSW will continue to work closely with Council to understand if the Special Event Precinct designation is suitable for White Bay Power Station in the long term.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Scully
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

Ends

For media enquiries please contact Jonny Browne, Jonny.Browne@innerwest.nsw.gov.au