4.19 Rozelle
Part 4 – Place Specific Controls
Rozelle is located on the lands of the Gadigal. Gadigal lands extend south of Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson) stretching from South Head to Petersham with part of the southern boundary lying on the Cooks River. Country in Rozelle consists of a main ridge that runs through the area, reaching heights of approximately 42.7 metres above mean high tide. The land slopes steeply from this ridge – specifically along Victoria Road and Darling Street – down to the water at Iron Cove, Johnstons Bay, White Bay, and Rozelle Bay.
Country here is saltwater and freshwater as Rozelle is surrounded by the Parramatta Estuary on the west and by Rozelle Bay and White Bay on the east. Unfortunately, a high percentage of the suburb is considered disturbed terrain topographically, also called anthropogenic materials. The rest of the area is undulating to rolling rises and low hills on Hawkesbury Sandstone, with local relief of 20–80 metres, and slopes of 10–25%. Rock outcrops are <25%. In Rozelle there are broad convex crests, moderately inclined sideslopes with wide benches, and localised rock outcrop on low broken scarps. The original ecological communities present in Rozelle are Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest, Sydney Coastal Sandstone Foreshores Forest and Grey Mangrove-River Mangrove Forest. Country has been used for travelling the waterways in nawi (bark canoes), gathering resources, fishing, and collecting marine life for thousands of generations of Aboriginal Peoples.
This Country continues to be used by First Nations Peoples with Rozelle Parklands which falls across Rozelle and Lilyfield and features bush trails, landscaped gardens and Aboriginal spaces including a Corroboree Circle and Yarning Circle. Rozelle also features the Aboriginal art gallery: Kate Owen Gallery which is a space for Aboriginal artists to showcase, sell and promote their work with the community. In the 2021 Census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics published that 1% of the population of Rozelle identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Rozelle is bisected by Victoria Road, Darling Street and Balmain Road. Straddling these main roads, the suburb has numerous built forms, ranging from disused heavy industry, new medium density housing, historical commercial/retail, and low-density housing. Rozelle is bordered by the Rozelle Parklands to the south-east, Foucart Street to the south-west, Iron Cove in the north-west and at the northern end is defined by the postcode boundary with Balmain.
Part of Rozelle forms part of the Balmain Peninsula and is constructed on typical Sydney sandstone. The ridges within Rozelle are approximately 45m AHD above sea level. The landform is a combination of ridges and valleys, including wetlands (now filled) and rock faces below the ridges, which provide extensive views over Iron Cove, Rozelle Hospital (Callan Park), other suburbs and the Sydney CBD.
The road pattern of the suburb is based around Victoria Road and Darling Street/Balmain Road. Minor roads, following the Victorian tradition make little reference to the topography and cross the contours of the area. Main transport links through the suburb include water-based, heavy rail, road and tram also shape the character of Rozelle.
The character of development in the suburb has been defined by industrial development along the shore and commercial development above, on the ridge. Residential development covers the majority of the area between the ridge and the harbour. The suburb is characterised by its diversity in style and form. Unity in the residential form is achieved by small lot subdivision and small-scale development, usually not more than two storeys, tight enclosed streetscapes and repetition of verandahs and pitched roof forms.
Rozelle’s desired future character focuses on protecting its heritage conservation areas and natural sandstone features by ensuring new development complements traditional architectural styles, materials, and established streetscape patterns. This preservation is balanced by the activation of the Rozelle Special Entertainment Precinct to support a vibrant night-time economy while maintaining safe and pedestrian-friendly streets.
Objectives
To maintain and enhance the character of each heritage conservation area, while allowing redevelopment that is complementary to the existing heritage streetscape, character, and scale of the neighbourhood.
To support the Rozelle Special Entertainment Precinct in fostering creative and cultural industries that rely on the night-time economy, including entertainment and live music.
Controls
Development, including land uses and urban design, is to enhance and achieve the desired future character of the neighbourhood while retaining elements that contribute to that character and meeting all relevant DCP requirements.
Provide regular lot sizes and subdivision patterns to promote a cohesive streetscape. Ensure detached and semi-detached houses predominate, with hipped and gabled roofs as common features. Maintain the established setbacks for each street.
Retain significant heritage and natural features, including stone cottages, sandstone outcrops, sandstone kerbs and gutters, and remnant stone wall footings throughout the neighbourhood.
Design new development to complement the area’s character in architectural style, built form, and materials. Use hipped or gabled roof forms that are compatible with the existing simple built form.
Select building materials that reflect the existing streetscape character, including rendered and painted surfaces and roof materials such as corrugated iron.
Minimise existing driveway crossings to maintain streetscape continuity.
Site specific controls apply to the precinct identified in the following list and Figure 4.19.1 below.
- Callan Park Precinct apply to the land marked ‘A’
- Rozelle Commercial Precinct apply to the land marked ‘B’
- The Valley (Rozelle) Precinct apply to the land marked ‘C’
- Robert Street Precinct apply to the land marked ‘D’
- Easton Park Precinct apply to the land marked ‘E’
Objectives
To ensure that development is consistent with the existing streetscape with regard to scale, built form, style, materials and architectural features
To preserve and enhance significant view lines to identified landmarks within the precinct
Controls
Follow the topography of the area by maintaining a single-storey scale on mid-slopes and a mix of one- and two-storey scales at the top and bottom of the slope.
Promote streetscape compatibility by providing regular lot sizes and subdivision patterns, and ensuring detached and semi-detached houses predominate with hipped and gabled roofs.
Use building materials that complement the existing streetscape character, including rendered and painted surfaces and roof materials such as corrugated iron.
Maintain the neighbourhood’s character by conserving the single-storey, freestanding cottage form and ensuring new development complements the architectural style, built form, and materials of each street.
Preserve and enhance public and private views over the Rozelle Hospital site, King George Park, and Iron Cove.
Objectives
To preserve and improve pedestrian safety and amenity while maintaining Darling Street and its adjacent streets as the primary focus of commercial activity in Rozelle
To enhance the vibrancy and visual interest of Victoria Road
To improve streetscape amenity by encouraging high-quality building design and layout, and by promoting better site usage, signage, and ancillary uses
To promote land uses suited to Victoria Road that leverage high visibility without compromising traffic flow
To support ongoing precinct development and encourage land uses and built forms that meet the needs of the local community
To strengthen physical and visual connections between the north-eastern and south-western sections of Darling Street, ensuring cohesion across Victoria Road
To improve pedestrian and cycling accessibility, safety, and facilities, maximising integration with affordable and public transport options in the area
Controls
Design buildings to cover the full width of lots and be built with a nil setback to Victoria Road.
Maintain a two-storey scale for residential development along Darling Street.
Enhance landscaping and the public domain by upgrading disabled access, widening footpaths where possible, and improving street furniture, pedestrian lighting, public artwork, and decorative elements.
Retain all private and public trees along Darling Street.
Maintain key pedestrian crossings across Victoria Road to prevent fragmentation of the suburb and commercial neighbourhood.
Encourage street trading that does not obstruct footpath use or detract from amenity.
Facilitate tourism development by supporting attractions such as markets, pubs, cultural activities, and tourist accommodation.
Promote non-commercial activities and services that complement the Rozelle neighbourhood core and its surrounds.
Objectives
To facilitate development that maintains and enhances the heritage character of the precinct.
Controls
Conserve and complement the existing styles of housing with special regard to the simple timber cottages and Victorian terraces.
Preserve the consistency and simplicity of built form, style, and materials of the neighbourhood.
Complement the existing pitched, hipped, or gabled roof forms as well as setbacks and fencing styles prevalent in each street.
Conserve and complement the established streetscape with regard to setbacks, street trees and general lack of driveway crossings.
Front building setbacks within the neighbourhood are to be a minimum of 1m. However, where the prevailing setbacks in the immediate locality (i.e. refer to the adjoining three buildings either side of the subject site) is different, the setback for new development is to be compatible with the prevailing setbacks.
The use of traditional timber, stone or masonry finishes as well as iron roofing and timber windows is encouraged.
Maintain the established open low timber and iron picket front fences.
Maintain the prevalence of mature trees in both private and public spaces. Preserve and integrate natural rocky outcrops into the landscaping of the area, particularly where visible from public places. Cutting into such outcrops for any purpose including parking is to be avoided.
Objectives
To encourage developments that take account of existing and proposed master plans for land currently managed by Sydney Ports Corporation, Place Making NSW, and the NSW Government.
To encourage a range of industrial uses which contribute to the ongoing viability of the surrounding uses.
To support safe and accessible pedestrian and cyclist connections within the precinct and to significant routes and open space.
Controls
Maintain the integrity of the neighbourhood by discouraging residential development in the area.
Promote the viability of compatible industrial activity at street level to provide an active street frontage.
Encourage the adaptive reuse of existing buildings whilst allowing for a range of contemporary and compatible industrial uses.
Allow for increased building scale, especially at the corner of Mullens and Roberts Streets.
Allow industrial development to be built to the street alignment to continue the prevalent setbacks and provide a “hard edge” along the street.
Ensure that new development is complementary to the scale and character of existing industrial development.
Ensure that new development continues the symmetrical and articulated façades and predominant horizontal proportions that characterise more recent industrial development.
Where provided, front setbacks and internal areas are to be appropriately landscaped to provide a visual buffer to the street.
Where a building retains its original unpainted or rendered face brick façade, this will be retained and conserved.
Where a building has been painted or rendered, an appropriate colour scheme is to be used to ensure compatibility with the prevailing streetscape character.
Locate driveway openings such that industrial-based traffic is kept away from residential areas.
Where properties are serviced by a lane, vehicular access are to be achieved via the lane and not from the primary street frontage.
Appropriate off-street servicing facilities (e.g. loading bays) are to be provided.
Promote uses appropriate to Victoria Road that utilise high visibility without compromising traffic flow.
Enhance cycling access to the Anzac Bridge shared path and the Rozelle Parklands.
Objectives
To ensure that development is consistent with the existing streetscape with regard to built form, style, materials and architectural features.
Controls
Conserve and complement the existing housing styles, with particular regard to simple timber cottages and Victorian terraces.
Maintain the consistency and simplicity of built form, style, and materials throughout the neighbourhood.
Complement existing pitched, hipped, or gabled roof forms, and respect prevailing setbacks and fencing styles in each street.
Preserve the established streetscape, including setbacks, street trees, and the general absence of driveway crossings.
Provide front building setbacks of at least 1 metre. Where prevailing setbacks differ, match the setbacks of the adjoining three buildings on either side of the site.
Use traditional finishes such as timber, stone, or masonry, along with iron roofing and timber windows.
Step buildings with the slope to facilitate view sharing.
Maintain open, low timber and iron picket front fences.
Restore or reconstruct cantilevered or posted balconies and verandahs where these were original features.
Maintain mature trees in both private and public spaces. Preserve and integrate natural rocky outcrops into landscaping, particularly where visible from public places. Do not cut into rocky outcrops for any purpose, including parking.
This section contains objectives and controls that apply to the Heritage Conservation Area listed below and shown in Figure 4.19.2
- Iron Cove Heritage Conservation Area apply to the land listed as C26
- Easton Park Heritage Conservation Area apply to the land listed as C83
- Hornsey Street Heritage Conservation Area apply to the land listed as C84
The objectives and controls for the following Heritage Conservation Areas are found elsewhere in this DCP.
- The Valley HCA (C27) – Part 4.3 - Balmain Neighbourhood
This conservation area is important to the local area as it reflects the character of Sydney’s early suburbs and the growth of the Inner West, particularly between 1871 and 1891, with some later infill before World War II. Its identity is shaped by development during the 1870s–1910s, creating a distinctive historic streetscape.
Key Features:
- Development mainly from the 1870s–1910s, with some pre-1939 infill.
- Original subdivision layout prepared by Surveyor Langley after 1852 for the sale of Gilchrist’s Balmain grant, influenced by the landform.
- Irregular street pattern and varied lot sizes reflecting multiple speculators and subdividers.
- Use of masonry walls, showing advances in brickmaking technology in Sydney from the 1870s to the 1910s.
- Remaining weatherboard buildings, now rare, providing evidence of early construction materials in Sydney suburbs.
Objectives
To facilitate development that is consistent with the statement of significance and controls for Iron Cove Heritage Conservation Area
Controls
Note: These controls apply in addition to the general heritage provisions in Section 2.12 of this DCP. Applicants are to address both the general heritage controls and the locality-specific controls below.
Retain the following elements that define the heritage:
- a)Preserving all pre-1939 buildings
- b)Keeping street and park planting and ensuring green front garden spaces remain
- c)Designing second-storey additions as separated pavilions, and do not place additions directly above original single-storey buildings
This conservation area is important to the local area as part of a group that illustrates the character of Sydney’s early suburbs and suburban growth, particularly between 1871 and 1891, with some infill before World War II. It reflects the development of workers’ and tradesmen’s housing from the 1880s–1930s in response to nearby industry and retains significant pre-1939 fabric.
Key Features:
- Development between 1880s and 1930s, showing workers’ and tradesmen’s housing linked to nearby industry.
- Rare weatherboard buildings, demonstrating timber as a major construction material and the influence of timber yards at Whites Bay.
- Mix of shops and industrial buildings, illustrating the character of a Victorian suburb and the close relationship between housing and industry before urban reform and separation of land uses.
- Aesthetic value from its valley setting, mature plantings in Easton Park, and visual relationship of surrounding contributory buildings with verandahs.
- Reflects private subdivision patterns before the Width of Streets and Lanes Act 1881, which required roads to be at least one chain wide.
Objectives
To facilitate development that is consistent with statement of significance and controls for Easton Park Heritage Conservation Area.
Controls
Note: These controls apply in addition to the general heritage provisions in Section 2.12 of this DCP. Applicants are to address both the general heritage controls and the locality-specific controls below.
Retain the following elements that define the heritage:
- a)All pre-1939 buildings
- b)Retaining the contributory buildings surrounding Easton Park and their post-supported verandahs
- c)Retain all Ficus plantings to Easton Park
- d)Designing second-storey additions as separated pavilions and not placing additions directly above original single-storey buildings
This conservation area is important to the local area as part of a group that reflects the character of Sydney’s early suburbs and suburban growth, particularly between 1871 and 1891, with some infill before World War II. It shows multiple layers of development, from an early pre-suburban villa to small-scale tradesmen’s and workers’ housing built from the 1870s through to the 1930s and retains significant pre-1939 fabric.
Key Features:
- Development from the 1870s to the 1930s, including an early pre-suburban villa (1876) and later workers’ and tradesmen’s housing.
- Surviving pre-1939 building fabric, illustrating multiple layers of development.
- Demonstrates the close physical relationship between industry and housing—both middle-class and workers’ dwellings—in nineteenth-century cities.
- Reflects private subdivision patterns before the Width of Streets and Lanes Act 1881, which required roads to be at least one chain wide.
Objectives
To facilitate development that is consistent with statement of significance and controls for Hornsey Street Heritage Conservation Area.
Controls
Note: These controls apply in addition to the general heritage provisions in Section 2.12 of this DCP. Applicants are to address both the general heritage controls and the locality-specific controls below.
Retain the following elements that define the heritage:
- a)All pre-1939 buildings
- b)Alterations such as second-storey additions that change the shape of the building or original roof forms on the main part of the buildings