City of Sydney plans to remove red tape for street artists and homeowners

There’s good news for residents in the City of Sydney council area who’ve been looking for the perfect statement piece – a mural or artwork to add to their home’s facade.

Recommended changes to the Local Area Plan are being put to the Greater Sydney Commission by the council that aims to remove the red tape homeowners face if they want to decorate their houses with street art.

Under the current Local Area Plan, artworks such as murals require a Development Application. The proposal would make these artworks exempt from the process in low density zoned areas, provided that they weren’t a form of advertising.   

“We have feedback from artists and property owners that there are too many hoops to jump through to get a mural on a wall that they own,” Councillor Jess Scully says.

“The key principle is that we’ll develop a more consultative, rather than punitive, approach to managing street art.”

Under the changes, text, artworks or designs that are “marked, scratched, drawn sprayed, painted, pasted, applied or otherwise affixed to the surface of an asset” would be allowed, with some caveats – there must be written consent from the owner, it can’t be on a heritage item or in a heritage conservation area, and it can’t stick out from the surface of the building.

Artworks cannot vilify any members or sections of the community, be sexually exploitative, or “use language or depict material contrary to prevailing community standards”.

Councillor Scully says that the proposals don’t change any rules around illegal graffiti.

“It’s not taking any rights from property owners,” she says. “People can continue to notify the council about graffiti, they can complain or ask questions, using our 24/7 phone and online hotlines – that hasn’t changed at all.”

The idea is that Sydney will join the cities around the world in “recognising the value of street art – the value that good street art can bring”, Councillor Scully explains, citing the popularity of locations such as Melbourne’s Hosier Lane.

Paulie Clyne is one inner west-based street artist who would be happy to see the City of Sydney Council relax its rules around public art.

He’s had homeowners being denied approval from council for artworks in the past, often because of a bold colour choice.

“I’ve had about six owner builders that have applied for it – and it was quite subtle work,” he says. “I have done two re-submissions and they were both turned down as well.”

“The concern of most people is if they do apply, they’ll lose their application fee. It’s not worth the hassle sometimes.”

Clyne adds that while it would be a good relax the rules, street art should still be monitored to a certain extent.

If approved by the Greater Sydney Commission, the proposal will still need to be put up for public exhibition – so don’t crack out the spray cans just yet.