The planned $708 million overhaul of Sydney’s tired Harbourside Shopping Centre will go before NSW’s independent planning umpire after attracting hundreds of objections and raising concerns over the privatization of public space.
Proposed by developer Mirvac, with initial concept designs by FJMT, the project would include a 42-storey apartment tower – the main cause of concern for many – and would see the existing buildings demolished.
The development is supported by the state government’s Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, which notes its potential for “economic growth and job creation” and for the delivery of new and improved public domain areas.
The design has undergone a number of changes since it was first exhibited by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment in 2016–17, receiving more than 134 objections; but it doesn’t appear to be getting more popular, with the latest round of public engagement, in late 2020, attracting 192 unique objections from the public out of 233 submissions.
The proposed Harbourside Shopping Centre redevelopment, concept design by FJMT.
The City of Sydney, in its latest submission, notes that while changes such as the relocation of the tower have improved the design, the amended concept proposal does not address its primary concern: the “effective privatization of public land.”
“The City reiterates that Darling Harbour is a precinct for all of greater Sydney with a network of open spaces that encourage various leisure activities within the harbour foreshore,” writes director of city planning, Graham Jahn.
“The assertions made for the provision of residential accommodation are not meaningfully substantiated and do not warrant the conversion of public land for private use.”
Other key concerns raised by the council and the public include the height and scale of the tower and podium, overshadowing of the foreshore, view loss and lack of public benefits.
Kevin Sumption, director of the Australian National Maritime Museum, which sits adjacent to the subject site, also raised concerns about the lack of consultation. He writes that despite Mirvac claiming it had “completed over 3.5 years of extensive stakeholder consultation,” the museum had received no communication from the developer.
In its assessment report in support of the proposal, the state planning department notes that while it appreciates the council’s concerns about privatization, “the proposal supports the revitalization of an underperforming shopping centre with a vibrant mixed-use development, which would deliver significant public domain and open space improvements together with increased permeability, accessibility and activation at podium levels.”
As a state-significant development, Mirvac’s proposal is subject to state government consideration, as opposed to council. Any projects that receive at least 50 unique objections go before the Independent Planning Commission for determination. The planning commission is holding an online public meeting on the project on Wednesday 28 April.
FJMT’s concept design has been peer-reviewed by Architectus. Aspect Studios has done the public domain concept design. A competitive design process would decide the design team for the project.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
