The City of Sydney has unveiled a 2026/27 budget exceeding $1 billion, combining a $671 million operational programme with more than $265 million in capital works to advance a programme of city-shaping investment that includes the long-anticipated $150 million Town Hall square, a $78 million Mandible Street sports precinct and the renewal of major parks, pools and public streets across Sydney, New South Wales.
The budget forms part of the council’s 10-year financial plan, which forecasts total expenditure of $2.3 billion over the decade to meet the needs of a municipality of 242,000 residents. Of the capital works allocation, $170 million is directed at asset renewal across roads, open spaces, recreational facilities and heritage infrastructure.
Flagship urban projects confirmed within the five-year programme include the $150 million Town Hall square, with construction expected to commence in 2028. Framed by George, Pitt and Park streets, the square has been in planning for more than 40 years and forms one element of a broader CBD transformation strategy linking three new civic spaces — at Circular Quay, Town Hall and Central Station — via the pedestrianised George Street corridor. The 2026/27 budget separately allocates $18 million to complete pedestrianisation works along George Street between Hunter and Essex streets, building on the thoroughfare’s existing transformation from traffic corridor to public boulevard.
“With careful planning and prudent investment over a number of years, we’ve built a strong financial position for our city. Now we want to invest those funds to strengthen Sydney’s international reputation as a leading global city — renowned for its lifestyle, economy, tourism, sustainability, open space and cultural life,” says Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO.
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