Tall & Urban News

The Greater Sydney Commission has been directed to “immediately review” the Pyrmont and Western Harbour precinct’s planning rules, in a recent announcement made by premier Gladys Berejiklian.

The NSW government said it has outlined its vision for the area on Sydney’s CBD fringes, requiring the review to ensure planning rules are consistent with government’s vision for the future.

The government’s announcement comes after the rejection of the 65-story luxury residential apartment and hotel tower proposed by Star Casino, blocked by planning in July.

“While individual applications will continue to be determined on their merits, this review sends a clear signal that our government believes the Pyrmont area has a bright and exciting future as a key part of the NSW visitor economy,” Berejiklian said.

But Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has warned if the Independent Planning Commission were to approve the development due to this latest review of planning controls, “not only the future of Pyrmont, but the credibility of the planning system in its entirety, is at stake.”

“The planning controls contained in the Sydney local environment plan of 2012, after extensive community consultation, envisage a 28-meter or seven-story development for the site, consistent with the established low-to-medium-scale development,” Moore said to the council.

Moore said powerful vested interests, backed by media, had been campaigning that the assessment of the department and the community’s opposition to the project be “cast aside”.

“The Star Casino is asking the community to accept a massive residential tower with a hotel on top, more than eight times the maximum building height permitted for this location.”

“As residents in Pyrmont have expressed to me, their suburb is a successful example of urban renewal. The City acknowledges the urgent need for hotels, and has prioritized hotel developments, approving over 5,700 hotel rooms in the past five years… [the] City of Sydney has approved more than AU$25 billion (US$17 billion) of development over the past 10 years,” Moore said.

While NSW government made no mention of the Star development, in a recent statement Berejiklian said the review will include recommendations on how to support the type and scale of development needed for the area, along with adequate infrastructure in the Pyrmont and the Western Harbor precinct.

“Sydney is Australia’s only true global city, and we have a unique opportunity before us to transform Pyrmont and the Western Harbour precinct into an iconic destination,” Berejiklian said.

“With a growing population, we know there will be more development in Pyrmont in the future.”

The Greater Sydney Commission report is due by the end of September.

For more on this story, go to The Urban Developer.