Sydney is fighting back against “heritage vandalism” as gross overdevelopment plans to block historic public views to and from observatory hill and overshadow the community.
The long-awaited plans for Central Barangaroo Concept Plan Mod 9 are currently on exhibition, with submissions due 8 August 2022.
The plans blatantly disregard current NSW planning principles on several fronts and mislead the public on the details of previously approved modifications.
We have scanned the 2000 pages of Development Application documents and have sat through community consultation briefings led by the proponent which were factually deficient.
Originally part of Sydney Harbour, Central Barangaroo sits on reclaimed harbour and as Crown Land, belongs to the people of NSW.
This area was always intended to be the civic heart of the 22 hectare Barangaroo development, formally known as Millers Point.
Sydney Regional Environmental Plan (Sydney Harbour Catchment) 2005 states the following principles, which are not being adhered to by Mod 9:
- (a) Sydney Harbour is to be recognised as a public resource, owned by the public, to be protected for the public good
- (b) the public good has precedence over the private good whenever and whatever change is proposed for Sydney Harbour or its foreshore
- (c) protection of the natural assets of Sydney Harbour has precedence over all other interests
Under the plans on exhibition, heritage views to and from Observatory Hill will be obliterated. Leading global cities protect their heritage views and sight lines, respecting the human scale of the city’s heritage and topography, cherishing the city as a landscape of natural features.
If Paris, Rome, London, Cambridge, Vancouver, Istanbul and St Petersburg can all protect their heritage sight lines – why can’t we?
The Barangaroo Concept Plan was approved in 2007 but has been modified 10 times, with the latest involving Central Barangaroo’s Blocks 5, 6 and 7.
Several NSW planning law principles have not been adhered to, with incorrect justifications used by the developer. These include the additional 144,355 square metres of new gross floor area which result in an significant increase in the three blocks’ height, bulk and scale with adverse impacts; the proposed reduction in size of Hickson Park, and a lack of affordable housing.
Included in this proposal is the 20 storey residential tower (Block 7) sitting on Nawi Cove, directly in front of Observatory Hill. If approved, not only will views to and from Observatory Hill from key vantage points around the west harbourfront be gone forever, but so will views of the Harbour Bridge from many of these same vantage points.
Block 7 bisects and encloses Observatory Park and obscures the terrace houses, southern wing of the High Street cutting and dominates Nawi Cove, disrupting the smooth transition from the Headland Park to Central Barangaroo.
To arrive at 144,355 square metres of gross floor area, the proponents have used the following incorrect planning justifications:
- increased height above maximum allowable
- ignored Block Controls
- took back all of Block 5 (Hickson Park)
- overhang by 3 metres
- no setbacks (3 metres minimum required)
- treated Barangaroo Avenue as public open space
- treated Nawi Cove as public open space
- ignored minimum setbacks for residential tower
- provided no vehicular access
- provided no parking (removed parking!)
This is in stark contrast to the original maximum gross floor area of 47,688 square metres approved for Central Barangaroo in 2007, which allowed for the construction of new buildings which were low-rise and sensitive to the surrounding heritage precinct of Millers Point whilst not obstructing views to and from Observatory Hill.
The NSW Government has spent years overhauling planning legislation in order to achieve “better quality assessment” for State Significant Developments, yet it wishes to rely on an old Modification under a repealed planning instrument to avoid its own “better” planning framework and not even use the Independent Planning Commission if there is significant community objection.
The term “retain” is used several times in the Statement of Commitments in terms of views and sight lines of heritage importance. The same term was used in the Crown Sight Lines Case where the NSW Government tried to block the views from the Crown Casino and Lend Lease apartments. Surely the same outcome should apply to the public views?
Overall, the proposal does not comply with the existing approved Concept Plan planning controls and treats Crown Land, which is designated for the public of New South Wales, as private land.
This is a theft of Sydney’s and Australia’s iconic and culturally significant landmarks against the common good of the people of Australia.
This is why we are campaigning to protect Observatory Hill, Barangaroo Reserve, The Rocks, Millers Point and The Harbour Bridge from being hidden from sight from surrounding areas, the harbour ferries and cruises, and all the good people who love this city.
The people have a right to see Sydney’s and Australia’s iconic and culturally significant landmarks.
Planning NSW is now accepting submissions on the Barangaroo Concept Plan (Mod 9).