Ryde Town Centre (also referred to as Top Ryde) is located in the north-west region of Sydney, approximately 14 kilometres from Sydney CBD and 10 kilometres from Parramatta. The area is bound by Curzon Street, Ryde Public School and Argyle Street to the north; Victoria Road to the South; Blaxland Road and Belmore Street to the west; and Princes Street to the east.

The town centre is home to significant heritage buildings such as St Anne’s Church, the Wesleyan Church and Church Hall, the former Court House, Ryde Police Station and Willandra, Addington and Westward houses along with Ryde Public School, Council offices and Civic Centre and residential and shopping areas.

One of Australia’s newest retail and residential developments, Top Ryde City commands a striking presence in the town centre. It occupies a 3.5 hectare site on the corner of Devlin Street and Blaxland Road. The retail component of Top Ryde City incorporates 78,215 square metres of retail space, housing approximately 290 retailers with 3,055 car spaces. Construction included two pedestrian bridges and three tunnels under Devlin Street to provide uninterrupted access to the centre’s carpark as well as parking spaces in any future development on Council's site.

Vision

Ryde Town Centre will be a vibrant, attractive and safe place to live, work, visit and invest, with a diversity of public spaces and opportunities for leisure, learning, shopping and business that reinforce the role of Ryde Town Centre as the civic and commercial hub of the City of Ryde. The centre will be enlivened by outdoor dining, civic events and festivals that are set within high quality public domain.

Ryde Town Centre will have 11 distinct precincts:

Precinct 1: Civic/Mixed Use

The Ryde Civic Precinct, the civic hub for the City of Ryde, is an island surrounded by roads and disconnected from the retail core and town centre by Devlin Street.

• Have new development that enhances the landmark qualities of the precinct
• Public domain to be enhanced and pedestrian activity promoted
• Have public transport facilities improved for the convenience of both the service providers and users
• Links between the retail heart and civic hub across Devlin Street to be improved for pedestrians, bus users and cyclists
• Relationship between the Civic Precinct and surrounding areas to be enhanced
• Traffic impact on local roads minimised
• Have a range of uses - Government, community, residential and commercial activities.

Precinct 2: Town Core

Bounded by Blaxland Road, Pope, Tucker and Devlin Streets.

• The shopping centre has been redeveloped as the first stage of the revitalisation of the Town Centre and is the catalyst for further improvement
• It has attracted investment and created new jobs and better utilisation of public transport and public infrastructure
• Pedestrian connections to Church Street and Blaxland Road, to the Civic Precinct and nearby residential communities, the school and Ryde Park have been enhanced
• Services and amenities for local communities, including youth, elderly and minority groups have been retained and improved
• The shopping centre has been redeveloped as a benchmark for design quality and environmental sustainability
• It promotes access-for-all and community ownership by establishing a public domain and community facilities within the shopping centre
• Vehicular access to the shopping centre is better managed and through traffic on local streets discouraged.

Precinct 3: Main Street

Blaxland Road and Church Street

• Reclaim a role as the "main" street through public domain enhancements and encouraging development that activates the streets through at least a twelve-hour day
• Discourage through traffic
• New mixed-use development that includes residences, retail and commercial activities to be encouraged and that will meet emerging work and lifestyle needs
• Existing early twentieth century building stock which underpins the established character of the precinct to be adapted, reused and recycled
• Establish a vibrant atmosphere with outdoor dining, markets and the like particularly in Church Street.

Precinct 4: Residential

• Be a compact living environment, well serviced by public transport, retail, leisure and work opportunities within the Town Centre
• Comprise quality residential buildings in garden settings with a high level of amenity.

Precinct 5: Heritage

• Items of cultural and heritage significance (including views and mature landscapes) to be conserved, protected and enhanced
• Ensure that a distinct character is retained and enhanced.

Precinct 6: Commercial Edge North

• Located at the busy intersection of Blaxland Road, Devlin Road and Lane Cove Road.
• Have an appropriate transition between the Ryde Town Centre and adjoining residential areas
• Pope and Smith Streets to have a vibrant, active and safe environment
• Smith Street to have appropriate development that responds to the heritage significance of the adjoining Ryde Public School and would create a transition between the Town Centre and adjoining residential areas.

Precinct 7: Commercial Edge West

• Located along Devlin Street terminating at the intersection of Victoria Road, Devlin Street and Church Street.
• Be a major gateway to the Ryde Town Centre
• Be an appropriate transition between the Ryde Town Centre and adjoining residential areas.

Precinct 8: Commercial Edge East

• Be a gateway to the Ryde Town Centre and an anchor for the main street - Blaxland Road
• Development will be located to enhance views to and from Ryde Park and to promote pedestrian safety and activity.

Precinct 9: Ryde Park

• Be a park that supports recreation and community activities for visitors, workers and residents of the Ryde Town Centre and the communities of Ryde Local Government Area.

Precinct 10: Low Density Residential

• Have low-density residential development with homes set in landscaped gardens
• Have a high level of amenity with proximity to the park, shops, school and public transport
• Width of Argyle Street maybe reduced to improve traffic management and pedestrian safety in the block adjoining Blaxland Road.

Precinct 11: Ryde School

• Be a centre of community life and contribute to a vibrant town centre.

Plans & Studies

Ryde Local Environmental Plan 2010 (NSW Legislation Website)
Creates a broad framework of controls for the future development of all land in Ryde.

Ryde Development Control Plan 2010: Part 4.4 Ryde Town Centre (PDF 3.5 MB)
Provide policies relating to the future development of Ryde Town Centre.

Ryde Town Centre Public Domain Plan
Guide the future planning and design of the Ryde Town Centre public domain

• Introduction and Objectives (PDF 1.1 MB)
• Analysis (PDF 8.8 MB)
• Urban Design Framework (PDF 6.7 MB) 
• Concept Design (PDF 6.8 MB)
• Costing and Implementation Plan (PDF 293 KB) 
• Appendix (PDF 5.6 MB) 

Ryde Park Plan of Management  (PDF 4.8 MB)
Provides the framework for revitalisation and modernisation of the park.