688 Bourke Street Redfern NSW 2016

Description
Use 3.6sqm of Chelsea Street for on-street outdoor dining in association with 'Evie's Redfern'. Proposed hours of use are between 6.30am and 3.00pm, Mondays to Saturdays, and 7.00am to 3.00pm on Sundays. This is a new application.
Planning Authority
City of Sydney
View source
Reference number
FA/2025/102
Date sourced
We found this application on the planning authority's website on , about 2 months ago. It was received by them earlier.
Notified
558 people were notified of this application via Planning Alerts email alerts
Comments
8 comments made here on Planning Alerts

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Public comments on this application

8

Comments made here were sent to City of Sydney. Add your own comment.

As a local resident and car owner who relies on street parking to get to and from work, I strongly oppose this proposal. It should not be allowed to proceed.

Contrary to what's stated, this change would remove two parking spaces, not just one. Over the past few years, we’ve already lost between 8 to 10 spaces on Chelsea Street and Little Cleveland Street alone. Some of these were taken for the installation of trees—yes, trees—planted in the roadway, and in some cases, absurdly placed right next to existing trees. In Little Cleveland, three to four well-utilized parking spots that had been used without issue for over a decade were also removed.

While I appreciate the Council's efforts to improve the area, the reality is that not everyone has the luxury of walking or using public transport to get to work. Street parking remains essential for many residents.

To make matters worse, parking in the area has become even more difficult due to increased events at the SCG and Allianz Stadium, as well as the regular sporting activity at Moore Park Oval. After work and on weekends, it’s nearly impossible to find a space. Expanding the seating at Café Evie will only increase traffic and reduce parking availability further. Many of the café’s patrons will not be locals—they will drive in, adding to the congestion.

I Also dont see how this proposal actually fits in with councils own "Assessing local Access and Loading Principle" guidelines?

I urge the café owners to reconsider. Taking away parking from locals for private commercial gain will not sit well with the community. Personally, I will no longer support Café Evie or St. Jude if this proposal goes ahead, and I know I’m not alone in this.

I sincerely hope the Council and the café owners reconsider this short-sighted and detrimental plan.

Randall Jacobson
Delivered to City of Sydney

This does appear to be a ludicrous application given the amount of outdoor seating already available at this venue. The 4 metre length of the outdoor seating will actually remove 2 parking spots from that space. Parking has been severely reduced in Chelsea St and little Cleveland street in recent years and it has become impossible for people to find parking - particularly after hours and on weekends with events at SCG and Moore Park generally.

The application does not mention the number of seats that they will be adding into this space but the total outdoor seating will be excessive.

This cafe has rarely been full for a number of years now and this newly opened venue is rarely very busy (apart from some core hours on Sat & Sun). It is excessive to provide them such additional seating that removes the 2 parking spaces 24 x 7 to allow a few extra customers during some narrow peak times.

if the council is to permit this then perhaps they could consider re-instating some parking in little Cleveland street that was removed for no real apparent logical reason to alleviate the negative impact to the local residents.

Annette Tolhurst
Delivered to City of Sydney

I’m a local resident that can only access my street via Chelsea. I strongly object to the idea of removing yet another parking space from the street. Especially when the venue already has ample inside and outdoor dining space.

We already spend way too much time looking for parking after council removed 4 spots from Chelsea to plant trees on top of exiting trees. Add game days or events in the area and its near impossible!

If this is to go ahead as it likely will - because we all know how consultative council is with plebeian rate payers - Council needs to address our existing concerns on updating parking times to 2hr 24/7 residents exempted and make up these lost spots either by removing their ridiculous plant beds in the street or giving us back a couple of parking spaces in Little Cleveland which have been turned into No Parking for reasons unknown to most residents.

Simon
Delivered to City of Sydney

As a local resident I strongly object to this proposal; over the last 18 months we have lost around 10 car spaces across Chelsea and Little Cleveland Street to the removal of spaces due to no parking signage and to planters being created for trees - as nice as they are I would rather the parking spaces remain than have to sometimes wait over an hour for a space to become available. This change will mean we will lose a further 2 spots - not a single spot as the notice mentions.

With more concerts happening at Allianz (increasing from 6 to 30 annually) in addition to sporting events at SCG and the Allianz, then the new Surry Hills village has all meant it’s getting more and more challenging to park or not being able to find a legitimate parking space at all! This is also factoring in that parking rangers hardly ever check on vehicles parked in the area - I’ve seen illegally parked cars without Redfern parking permits (i.e. non residents) or non-parking permit cars parked in 2 hour zones remain over the entire weekend without any action being taken by the council to prevent this from happening - this is every weekend!

As a customer of the previous tenants Little Evie, I was NEVER able to not get a table to eat outside (I have a dog so often would sit outside) and there was always enough space for us to sit comfortably with our large dog next to other tables without getting in the way of other customers or people walking passed along the pavement, so I do not see the need to extend the seating area at all.

As much as I appreciate the council and cafe owners’ effort to improve the area, based on the local community’s sentiment to this DP so far, if this goes ahead I also feel like this won’t be good for the cafe’s business and their foot traffic will suffer as a consequence - the local community will not want to support the cafe if they are taking away parking spaces from us and making our lives more difficult, so I feel it’s important for the cafe’s longevity to be connected to its local community who will support it in the long-term.

I hope council takes the comments from local residents seriously in this matter as it does feel like our feedback has often been ignored in the past.

Huw Costello
Delivered to City of Sydney

Who exactly were the 558 people notified about this proposal? I certainly wasn’t one of them, and I would have had no idea it was happening if I hadn’t walked past the café and noticed the application posted in the window—something I doubt many people actually stop to read.

Given how close I live to the proposed site and the potential impact on local residents, I would have expected at least a letter drop or some form of direct communication. The Council also holds residents' email addresses—why weren’t they used to facilitate proper community consultation?

Most concerning is the lack of direct engagement with those who will be most affected. Why does Council continue to push forward with changes that clearly don’t reflect the needs or wishes of the people living in these streets?

Randall Jacobson
Delivered to City of Sydney

This community cannot lose another parking space. Parking is extremely limited now, from years of reducing parking spaces. It seriously effects residents quality of life. Visitors cannot get parking. My book club can meet at my place as members cannot get parking. I'm all for alfresco dining but not at the cost of parking spaces.

Jim Troy
Delivered to City of Sydney

I am writing to formally object to the proposed development application concerning the expansion of outdoor dining in our area.

As a resident of this neighbourhood for over 30 years, I have witnessed a gradual but steady decline in the availability of public parking. Council has repeatedly removed on-street parking spaces over the years without offering any replacement or solution. This has made daily life increasingly difficult for residents who rely on street parking—many of whom, like myself, have no other option.

While outdoor dining can enhance the vibrancy of a neighbourhood and support local business, it should not come at the cost of the local community’s basic amenity. Parking in this area is already a major challenge, and this development will only exacerbate the issue. Residents are being asked to make sacrifices without consultation or compensation.

I am also deeply concerned that, despite council stating that 588 residents were notified of this application, I received no such notice. I only became aware of the proposal through concerned neighbours. This raises questions about the transparency and inclusivity of the planning process.

I urge the council to reconsider this application until a genuine solution to the ongoing parking issue is addressed, and until all affected residents have been properly consulted.

Michael Zanetti
Delivered to City of Sydney

There has been a cafe at this venue for over 10 years. The last incarnation being Little Evie which ran from 2016 until the end of 2024. The cafe space is huge and it has literally more tables /seating indoor and outside on the two street footpaths than I’ve ever seen it able to fill. I have lived in Little Cleveland Street for over 25 years. Parking spaces are scarce in this area and parking for residents getting harder to secure in the neighborhood as most of us rely on on street parking.
To remove yet more parking from this neighborhood to give to a private enterprise for their sole usage while residents can’t find parking seems ridiculous. The cafe can’t fill the tables they already have in the hours they are open. Any parking spaces removed for more seating will just mean more of their footpath and indoor tables will remain empty for the majority of their opening hours.
Also if the current managers manage to remove yet more parking from the local area for the sole use of their business they will lose a lot of local business in the process further exasperating the upset of locals. With increasing events at Moore Park, Centennial Park, Entertainment Quarter, Cricket and Football grounds parking is tight for residents. I am more frequently having to drive around for up to and over 30 minutes to find parking. I rarely get parking in my own street or Chelsea Street.
I strongly oppose this application on the grounds that it is not in the best interests of the local residents.

Corisse Howard
Delivered to City of Sydney

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