21 March 2011
The NSW Government has approved a $134 million commercial and residential project in the Chatswood CBD. The proponent is Mirvac. The development site is located on Railway Street and the approval allows for construction of a 43 storey building, including: 4,876 square metres of commercial space, 295 residential apartments; and 7 levels of basement parking.
The government’s media release is here. Willoughby City Council has opposed the decision, on the grounds that only a commercial office building should have been allowed on the site. The Department of Planning has apparently concluded that only a very small portion of future jobs in Chatswood – around 380 jobs – will be provided in the office precinct between 2006 and 2031.
The NSW Government has accepted the Cronulla Sharks $200 million redevelopment proposal at Woolooware for assessment as a major project. The Government’s media release is here.
The NSW Government has rejected a proposal from British American Tobacco (BAT) to redevelop their site at Eastgardens for 15 towers containing around 1,000 apartments and 35,000 square metres of retail floor space. It appears that the proponent had sought ministerial authorisation for a concept plan application to be made under Part 3A, and this authorisation was denied. As the site is currently zoned industrial, the applicant was unable to proceed under Part 3A. Apparently the Department of Planning did not accept the proposal because they wanted to retain significant employment land (how many people would be employed on 35,000 square metres of retail, versus existing industrial uses?). Furthermore there seems to have been concern over the suitability of the proposed uses and the “impacts of new retail uses on surrounding retail centres”. The government’s media release is here.
Eurobodalla Shire Council has placed a draft Community Infrastructure Contributions Plan (under section 94) on exhibition and will accept comments until 15 April 2011. Under this draft plan, the maximum contribution is apparently $4,290 per newly created residential lot or detached dwelling. A copy of the draft plan is here.
Harden Shire Council has placed a draft section 94A plan on exhibition until 25 March 2011. The maximum contribution possible under this plan is 1 per cent of project costs. A copy of the plan is here.
Planning Minister Tony Kelly has agreed to consider a 14 hectare site as a potential state significant site within the Macquarie Park specialised centre in North Ryde. Mr Kelly also authorised the lodgement of a concept plan application under Part 3A for the overall staged development proposal. The proponent is the government’s own Transport Construction Authority. If approved the development would deliver approximately 3,000 new dwellings and 50,000 square metres of retail/commercial floor space. The government’s media release is here.
The NSW Government has approved an amendment to the concept plan for the residential redevelopment of the former Channel 7 site at Epping which will provide an extra 150 residential units, increasing the total number from 650 to 800 units. The government’s media release is here.
Parramatta Councils councillors have voted to overturn a recommendation of their staff and set a minimum, not a maximum, number of car spaces for each development in the city. The Urban Taskforce had argued that both minimum and maximum car space limits create problems when enshrined in a local environmental plan, but we had expressed the most concern at the prospect of maximum car space limits. The proposed maximums would have made new retail development impossible, and reduced the prospects of new apartment and commercial office development. In this regard, the councillors supported the Urban Taskforce position. A report of the councils decision is available here.
After requiring the proponent to reduce building heights, the NSW Government will now consider plans for residential apartments, commercial and retail space at the Tigers site at Rozelle. The proposal was lodged by Rozelle Village Pty Ltd and has a capital investment value of more than $100 million. The government’s media release is here.
Concept plan approval has been given for a $460 million mixed-use development in Shellharbour. The development, which will take place across 12 separate precincts, includes around 1,200 residential dwellings with a range of housing types and 15,000 square metres of retail/commercial floor space. The government’s media release is here.
