HURSTVILLE [All Projects & Discussion]

[Fabian]

I find it crazy that people raise a big stink but fail to take action to ensure things get their way. It's happening with this development. Many don't want it but only 27 people decided to lodge objections in the end. They will pay the price for it with this development.

Anyway this one should be good for that part of Hurstville. That part needs an injection of people and should revitalise that part of Forest Rd.

[finn]

I think this development will add further support to the Chinatown section of Forest Rd, between this development and the train station/Westfield complex. I can't imagine people living in this complex bothering to drive their car in order to pick up basic convenience items, when stores along Forest Rd are only a couple of hundred metres away. I mean, that particular strip is already quite successful, but this development will further amplify that success. Anyway, we'll wait and see what decision is made by the councillors tonight - I would be surprised if they backed the city planners 100% on their suport of the project.

[finn]

Lol, I just noticed something else in the council minutes on the Amcor development:

3. A "Deemed Refusal" appeal has been lodged with the Land and Environment Court, with a hearing date set for 5th-13th July, 2004.

In other words, the developers expect the council to reject the development, and as such have a lodged an appeal with the Land & Environment Court even before the council meeting tonight!

[Fabian]

I read that as well yesterday in Tuesday's Leader. It was because they had waited more than forty days for council to approve the development. The Leader should have something about the outcome today.

Having a look at the notes for the meeting, I thought this extract was of interest summarising the Councils position in regards to the development.

SUMMARY

The subject site, at the eastern end of the CBD, enjoys considerable buffers to the adjoining residential zones via Kempt Field and the railway line. Therefore concerns about the transition between the CBD scale of buildings and the lower density residential areas is not as pronounced as at the western end of the CBD.

The proposal in general is considered a good mixed-use design which takes advantage of a rare site within the Hurstville CBD and provides for a variety of uses that will enhance the commercial centre.

The quantifiable impacts that result from the height and FSR of the proposed buildings, such as overshadowing, are confined to the site itself, there are no real off-site impacts that do not comply with Council's controls.

Although it does not comply with the height and fsr provisions of Council's Draft DCP, it is considered that variation from this control plan is warranted. Further, the applicant enjoys "existing use rights", thus the Draft DCP is to act only as a guide.

The Design Review Panels comments and Council's Urban Designer's comments present a variety of views on the urban design and visual merit of the proposal. The value of an iconic building and the relative height of the buildings that frame it, has not found agreement amongst these specialists. Their comments were presented to Council for consideration.

The proposal does represent a significant increase in the built environment at the eastern gateway of the CBD. The development application includes landscaping along the Forest Road frontage which will soften that impact to some extent, however additional measures beyond that site boundary are desirable to further mitigate the visual impacts.

Council may consider imposing a condition requiring landscaping along the street frontage and the removal of overhead wires/cables to assist in this regard.

Concern is raised with regards to the amount of landscaping on the site overall, and the connectivity of the urban plaza, through the wedge park to Kempt Field. Also, concern is raised in relation to the amount of sunlight received by the internal courtyard of Building X during the winter months.

As the development will increase the use of Kempt Field, Council may consider a condition requiring upgrading works in the park including the construction of a well-lit footpath and cycleway linking the development and Allawah Station. This was foreshadowed by the applicant in the DA.

Most objections received were in relation to the height, scale, lack of landscaping and traffic associated with this development. These issues have been discussed in detail in this report, with possible changes for the height of buildings A & B along Forest Road, and the overall landscaping of the site.

Therefore, it is suggested that should any approval be granted for this development application, it would need to be conditioned so as to address the concerns as outlined in the report. Optional conditions are included in the recommendation if Council should resolve that the height of buildings A & B should be reduced and if Council requires the parking to be reallocated to cater for visitor parking.

[Fabian]

The council defered the approval of the AMCOR development to a special meeting on Monday night, as they had to look at another 50 pages of details relating to the development.

I should know tomorrow if the redevelopment of the site goes ahead.

[finn]

APPROVED!!!

[Syd-Hk]

yay start celebrating! more aprtment blocks, that ARE modern. (gateway & the beli...forgot how to spell it they look ugly)
are they going to have a shoopping centre under the complex or on the ground floor like the kogarah square project?? the kogarah square project is very modern. i think someone should start a thread on it.

[Muse]

Thanks finn.

It's great news that the 7 apartment AMCOR apartment site has been approved. Consisting of 650 apartments with the tallest 3 towers being 16, 12 and 10 storeys. The shape of the tallest is quite unique IMO and it has a blade-like architectural feature on top

Should have no problems selling the apartments with the burgeoning population in the area.

[Fabian]

Great News for Hurstville!!!! It's already been dubbed the biggest development to ever be built in Hurstville. The council conceeded that they had no choice but to approve it, as The Land and Environment court would of granted approval anyway.

The only change that was made to the development was that retail space had been restricted to only 2000 sq/m after Westfield raised concerns that it would undermine the town centre. I think Westfield did that so they could remain dominant. They have restricted supermarkets to a maximum of 300 sq/m and discount shops (which I dread) won't be permitted to set up shop.

[finn]

I am just generally chuffed about this development!

I was secretly concerned that it would quash the residential market with too many apartments, but apparently it will be staged over 10 years, so thats only 65 apartments released a year, which is do-able!

Plus, with 17 storey, 2x12 storey, 2x10 storey, 2x5 storey buildings, the Hurstville skyline will be boosted and extended even further in length, to just about 2km long.

It will be great to have such a huge population injection (650 apartments probably equals about 1000 new residents in the CBD), because it will increase life in the CBD shopping precincts and further boost the now thriving Forest Rd/Chinatown strip, as well as the Westfield centre (and maybe they will be pushed to expand sooner! ).

And finally to finish off my little ramble, the designs of the buildings are really excellent, so should add a nice new mix to Hurstville!

[Winston]

[James Saito]

Originally Posted by Fabian

The only change that was made to the development was that retail space had been restricted to only 2000 sq/m after Westfield raised concerns that it would undermine the town centre. I think Westfield did that so they could remain dominant. They have restricted supermarkets to a maximum of 300 sq/m and discount shops (which I dread) won't be permitted to set up shop.

I don't know how the politics works in the city development but...
How come Westfield has the power to restrict the retail space of other development? If they have such a power, nobody can ever compete against them. Is that how the capitalism works?

[Muse]

Westfield Inc. is just being a greedy hog! Like they're not immense world-wide as it is now? Pfffft!!

Try going to Hornsby's town centre and Westfield occupies most of it! Everywhere you look, in all directions, Westfiield is there.....no understatement.

[finn]

Originally Posted by Muse

Westfield Inc. is just being a greedy hog! Like they're not immense world-wide as it is now? Pfffft!!

Try going to Hornsby's town centre and Westfield occupies most of it! Everywhere you look, in all directions, Westfiield is there.....no understatement.

That is the absolute truth! The Westfield centre literally occupies 3/4 of the land zoned for retail in Hornsby centre, and because the other 1/4 of retail zoned land is occupied by one and two storey shops, and the Westfield site is 3-4 storeys of shopping centre, the centre probably contains 80-90% of the retail outlets in Hornsby!

I know Westfield had self-interested motives in complaining against retail on this site, but realistically in terms of traffic and the fact that this site is on the very eastern edge of the CBD, I think it's probably better not to have retail there, as it would break down the shopping core in the centre of the Hurstville CBD.

The one place where I would be very upset if Westfield was allowed to swing their big corporate dick is if they protested against expansion of the retail area in the Supercentre when it is finally redeveloped (whenever that may be ).

[James Saito]

I went to Hurstville today and took some pics of Amcor site.
It's HUGE!!

[James Saito]

Originally Posted by finn

I know Westfield had self-interested motives in complaining against retail on this site, but realistically in terms of traffic and the fact that this site is on the very eastern edge of the CBD, I think it's probably better not to have retail there, as it would break down the shopping core in the centre of the Hurstville CBD.

Amcor site is actually much closer to Allawah station. (1 min walk from Allawah station, 6 min walk from Hurstville station) So can't it be considered to be the town centre of Allawa instead?

[Fabian]

The fenced off area in James Saito's first shot is a separate site. It is not apart of the AMCOR site. A Shell service station was once there and the site has been idle for some time. I wonder what is proposed for that site. It should be able to hold something reasonable.

[Fabian]

Syd-HK - I wasn't online at this time on Saturday Night.

[Syd-Hk]

is double posting allowed here fabian?

[finn]

Originally Posted by Fabian

The fenced off area in James Saito's first shot is a separate site. It is not apart of the AMCOR site. A Shell service station was once there and the site has been idle for some time. I wonder what is proposed for that site. It should be able to hold something reasonable.

I posted a pic of the model showing what council would allow on the site on page 2 of this thread. It is basically a structure the same height as the Forestpoint apartment complex across the street from it - it looks like a pretty good building envelope actually. It will undoubtedly be a residential complex, as that is what has been proposed for the site in the past.