New South Wales Planning Minister Paul Scully says he will change the approval pathway for the proposed plaza opposite Town Hall. The Independent Planning Commission would make the final determination if the city files an application.
The City of Sydney plan calls for demolishing seven buildings, including a Woolworths supermarket. The council has acquired properties between George and Pitt streets opposite Town Hall over several decades. In February it set a goal of completing demolition and construction in about six years.
Scully said he would use powers under the state’s planning law to declare the project state significant, taking it out of the council’s ordinary approval process. The Independent Planning Commission advised that the proposal warranted state-level assessment. If the city submits an application, the commission would decide it.
Cost is a central point of dispute. The City of Sydney revised its estimate from A$150 million to A$94 million. Scully had previously cited a cost of at least A$150 million and the project’s impact on the commercial centre. Council chief operating officer Kim Woodbury warned that a change in the assessment pathway could add costs and delay public benefits, with the bill ultimately falling on local ratepayers.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore called the intervention unusual and said it could delay or block the project. Business NSW, which opposes the demolition plan, supported the government’s decision to put it on hold, citing the potential cost and loss of buildings.
JPW and ASPECT Studios designed the 4,200-square-metre plaza. The proposal includes eucalyptus trees, water features, seating and space for markets, festivals, concerts and other events. The city plans to give the square an Aboriginal name.
The City of Sydney compulsorily acquired the final property needed for the square on September 11. It submitted a development application this month. In a letter to the commission, Woodbury asked that any change in the review process avoid unnecessary costs or delays and not disrupt the project timetable.
The proposed plaza is intended to host markets, festivals, concerts, large events and live sports broadcasts. The city’s August design includes eucalyptus trees, moving water, seating and circular paving. The council plans to give the square an Aboriginal name.