Tall & Urban News

Plans for the new luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel and apartment tower at The Star casino complex in Pyrmont have been rejected by the state’s Independent Planning Commission (IPC). The proposal was for a 232-meter tower, in an area currently zoned for a maximum height of 28 meters.

The application was rejected based on the planning department’s assessment that “on balance, the public benefits do not outweigh the impacts associated with the application.”

Star Entertainment Group had sought approval for the AU$529-million (US$356-million) development, that would have involved the demolition of part of the Star complex and the construction of a 232-meter tower, comprising a Ritz-Carlton hotel and 204 residential apartments.

The fate of The Star’s tower had rested with the IPC after the New South Wales Planning department recommended to reject the hotel and casino development in July 2019.

“We want to spend more than AU$500 million on helping New South Wales drive tourism,” a Star spokesperson said following the IPC's decision. “This development would create around 1,000 jobs, provide opportunities for suppliers and deliver significant economic benefits.”

After the lengthy process, New South Wales planning minister Rob Stokes said he was “pleased a decision has finally been made on the Star’s proposal.” But that “the door’s not closed to a new hotel and apartment tower in Pyrmont.”

Concerns raised at the public meeting centered around the development’s bulk and scale, its incompatibility with the existing surrounding low-scale development, unacceptable visual impacts, view loss, overshadowing, lack of infrastructure to support the development, and increased traffic.

Supporters of the 66-story proposed project cited its high-quality design and positive economic impacts, including job creation and tourism benefits, as reasons why it should be approved.

City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore described the decision as “a win for the integrity of the planning system … Approving this development would have required the most significant departure from planning controls in New South Wales history.”

But the Sydney Business Chamber has slammed the IPC’s decision as “out of touch.”

“It’s time to rethink the slow and inefficient planning process in New South Wales,” Sydney Business Chamber executive director Katherine O’Regan said. “The current review into the Independent Planning Commission should spell its demise as the arbiter of important projects like the Ritz-Carlton tower.”

“We’re keen for The Star to collaborate on this work to ensure any new development is delivered as part of a strategic plan.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian had recently flagged Pyrmont and the Western Harbour precinct to be transformed into the next jobs hub and economic driver of Sydney, under a government plan to revitalize the inner-city precinct.

Berejiklian made the announcement following the release of the Greater Sydney Commission’s (GSC) review into the area’s planning rules. “We’re working on a bold new master plan for Pyrmont that will allow it to be the city’s next entertainment and innovation hub,” Stokes said. “We’re keen for The Star to collaborate on this work to ensure any new development is delivered as part of a strategic plan.”

The IPC said it found The Star's application inconsistent with the GSC review, including the Pyrmont Peninsula Planning Framework Review, which has recommended a holistic place-based approach over a project-based approach.

On the Gold Coast, Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones announced on Thursday that the state government would begin direct negotiations with The Star Entertainment Group to fast track new tourism infrastructure.

Jones said The Star had been issued terms for negotiation with the government for the delivery of its Gold Coast master plan and to “fast-track new tourism infrastructure”.

For more on this story go to The Urban Developer.