below-0
June 14th, 2005, 07:11 PM
Appears as though the time is coming for this potential monster of a landmass sitting right next to the heart of Sydney's CBD. Time for politicians, civilians and planners to start looking at the drawing boards and ready to push the buttons of the huge machinery that will help build the next generation of scrapers here.
" Est. 12 Australia Square towers"
" The CBD will be built out within 15 years unless substantially larger buildings are approved for existing sites. "
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/There-goes-the-neighbourhood/2005/06/14/1118645811350.html"][/FONT]
The redevelopment of the wharves at Millers Point is unlikely to provide space for 25,000 workers, as the State Government has promised, the design guidelines reveal.
Even the desired 330,000 square metres of office, hotel and residential unit space - to cover a third of the 22-hectare site - will mean a string of buildings up to 14 storeys high along the waterfront, blocking views from many surrounding buildings.
Patrick Corporation's lease on most of the harbourside site will end in February, and an international competition is under way to redevelop the historic wharves.
The Premier, Bob Carr, said in February that there would be space for as many as 25,000 workers on the site, prompting estimates that this would require the equivalent of 12 Australia Square towers.
But the design guidelines for the competition show it is highly unlikely there will be anything like the number of workers flagged by Mr Carr unless the Government disregards its own competition rules. Under the present rules there may be as few as 11,000 office workers, plus those needed to serve apartments or hotels built as part of the development. The competition rules say apartments should take up no more than a quarter of the planned 330,000 square metres. Hotels should account for no more than 15 per cent of the buildings, leaving at least 60 per cent of new floor space for offices.
Kathy Connell, a spokeswoman for the Planning Minister, Craig Knowles, said the 25,000 figure "didn't come up spontaneously" but the Government was "not going to reject" any proposal because it would not allow Mr Carr's figure to be reached. While the guideline limit of 14 storeys was "a pretty reasonable goal for the [competition] entrants", she would not rule out the possibility of taller buildings on the waterfront.
Under the plan there will be a waterside pathway through half of the site, which will be reserved for a park. The northern point will be kept for a later, unspecified "iconic" project. Terminals for cruise ships and the Tasmanian ferry will be retained, though not necessarily as they are, and the maritime control tower will be preserved.
It is the last significant building site in the CBD, but the Government has not said whether it will sell the land to developers or grant them extended leases. Either way, the Government will net hundreds of millions of dollars.
CAMPAIGN CRITICAL
- The Millers Point development will be important for Sydney's central business district to grow.
- The CBD will be built out within 15 years unless substantially larger buildings are approved for existing sites.
- The Millers Point site is not on the city's major public transport grid, and access is regarded as difficult.
- The Government's original long-term strategic plan for rail included a "metro" underground station in the area on the proposed line from the northern beaches before stopping at Wynyard.
- The Millers Point site has been rated as a priority by the Government, but critical sites with services already in place, such as Green Square town centre, are languishing.
Contact us
Send your emails to urbanaffairs@smh.com.au
" Est. 12 Australia Square towers"
" The CBD will be built out within 15 years unless substantially larger buildings are approved for existing sites. "
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/There-goes-the-neighbourhood/2005/06/14/1118645811350.html"][/FONT]
The redevelopment of the wharves at Millers Point is unlikely to provide space for 25,000 workers, as the State Government has promised, the design guidelines reveal.
Even the desired 330,000 square metres of office, hotel and residential unit space - to cover a third of the 22-hectare site - will mean a string of buildings up to 14 storeys high along the waterfront, blocking views from many surrounding buildings.
Patrick Corporation's lease on most of the harbourside site will end in February, and an international competition is under way to redevelop the historic wharves.
The Premier, Bob Carr, said in February that there would be space for as many as 25,000 workers on the site, prompting estimates that this would require the equivalent of 12 Australia Square towers.
But the design guidelines for the competition show it is highly unlikely there will be anything like the number of workers flagged by Mr Carr unless the Government disregards its own competition rules. Under the present rules there may be as few as 11,000 office workers, plus those needed to serve apartments or hotels built as part of the development. The competition rules say apartments should take up no more than a quarter of the planned 330,000 square metres. Hotels should account for no more than 15 per cent of the buildings, leaving at least 60 per cent of new floor space for offices.
Kathy Connell, a spokeswoman for the Planning Minister, Craig Knowles, said the 25,000 figure "didn't come up spontaneously" but the Government was "not going to reject" any proposal because it would not allow Mr Carr's figure to be reached. While the guideline limit of 14 storeys was "a pretty reasonable goal for the [competition] entrants", she would not rule out the possibility of taller buildings on the waterfront.
Under the plan there will be a waterside pathway through half of the site, which will be reserved for a park. The northern point will be kept for a later, unspecified "iconic" project. Terminals for cruise ships and the Tasmanian ferry will be retained, though not necessarily as they are, and the maritime control tower will be preserved.
It is the last significant building site in the CBD, but the Government has not said whether it will sell the land to developers or grant them extended leases. Either way, the Government will net hundreds of millions of dollars.
CAMPAIGN CRITICAL
- The Millers Point development will be important for Sydney's central business district to grow.
- The CBD will be built out within 15 years unless substantially larger buildings are approved for existing sites.
- The Millers Point site is not on the city's major public transport grid, and access is regarded as difficult.
- The Government's original long-term strategic plan for rail included a "metro" underground station in the area on the proposed line from the northern beaches before stopping at Wynyard.
- The Millers Point site has been rated as a priority by the Government, but critical sites with services already in place, such as Green Square town centre, are languishing.
Contact us
Send your emails to urbanaffairs@smh.com.au