Two towers above Sydney’s Hunter Street station get the green light

Two proposals for a 58-storey building above Sydney’s Hunter Street Station East and a 51-storey building above Hunter Street Station West have received planning approval.

The high-rise above Hunter Street Station East will be sited between O’Connell Street and Bligh Street, while the buiding above Hunter Street Station West will be located on the corner of George and Hunter streets. The buildings, designed by FJC Studio (formerly FJMT), will be mixed-use with retail and commercial offerings, as well as direct connections to the station.

The overarching vision behind the new buildings and station is to create an activated precinct that prioritises pedestrians and is connected to the CBD.

Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully said the approved buildings will assist with creating more job opportunities at a location where public transport is easily accessible. “Making sure we have enriching public spaces in our cities is an important stage in the planning process. Both stations and buildings will help revitalise Sydney’s CBD and its transformation into a 24-hour economic centre,” he said.

Hunter Street station will be part of the Sydney Metro West line running from Westmead to Sydney’s CBD with nine new underground stations. When Sydney Metro West commences its services, passengers will be able to use an underground walkway that connects to metro services on the Metro North West Line and City and Southwest line at Martin Place, as well as the light rail.

Construction on the Hunter Street station commenced in 2023 with the project currently in the phase of excavating the station cavern.

The planning process for Hunter Street over station development is running concurrently with the procurement of a development partner to deliver the project. Two consortia have been shortlisted.

Final plans for the Hunter Street precinct are subject to ongoing consultation with stakeholders, which will continue through 2024.