Wran state funeral to be held May 1

The state funeral for former long-serving NSW premier Neville Wran will be held at the Sydney Town Hall on May 1.

NSW Premier Mike Baird said the service would begin at 11am and give people the opportunity to celebrate Mr Wran's achievements.

"Mr Wran was a towering figure in the NSW Labor Party in the 1970s and 1980s and his passing has saddened the community," Mr Baird said in a statement.

"Mr Wran's many political achievements have left a positive and lasting impact on the day-to-day running of this state."

The former Labor premier, who led the state between 1976 and 1986, died on Sunday, aged 87, after a long battle with dementia.