Government/Gateway overrules council height plan
A proposal to increase the height of the former Kimberley-Clark House building in Milsons Point by 30 metres above council restrictions is on the cusp of approval.
Developer Milson’s Point 2 Pty Ltd (MP2) has been seeking approval of the $152 million development in various forms since 2017 to construct 125 residential apartments at 52 Alfred Street South. The development would be mixed-use and have 3,700 square metres of commercial floor space. In 2021, council rejected the request to amend the North Sydney Local Environment Plan to increase the maximum building height from 40 metres to between 54 and 69 metres.
The construction is proposed to sit over 17 storeys in its eastern portion and climb to 22 storeys in its western portion.
MP2 won a rezoning review request and was allowed to proceed to Gateway Determination, supported by the Sydney North Planning Panel (SNPP), which operates separately to council. The SNPP determined that an increased height limit would be ‘appropriate on the subject site given the prevailing height of buildings in the near vicinity.’ It did, however, acknowledge that concerns remained regarding the ‘indicative future-built form, particularly in relation to the massing of a future building on the site.’
The SNPP recommended the developer include a site-specific development control plan (DCP) to manage future distribution of height across the site, as well as ensuring local impact is addressed at a future development application stage. A public exhibition of the revamped plans closed 21 June.
The development decision will be considered against the background of new planning laws passed recently by the State Government.
In a move to address a shortage of 134,000 homes across New South Wales, Premier Chris Minns announced on 15 June that housing developments worth over $75 million, which allocated a minimum 15 per cent of the total gross floor area to affordable housing, would be allowed a ‘height bonus’ of 30 per cent above local environment plans. They would also have a 30 per cent boost to the floor space ratio boost.
By Catherine Lewis