“Overshadowing” Harbourside redevelopment given go ahead for January 2023

By ERIN MODARO

A contentious redevelopment of the Harbourside shopping centre sitting on the shores of Darling Harbour in Pyrmont will begin construction in 2023. The NSW government announced last week that Mirvac property developers could begin the redevelopment of the retail space beginning in January, after negotiating a 99-year lease agreement.

Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Alister Henskens said that the new agreement is a “significant milestone”, as the site will be redeveloped at “no cost to taxpayers”.

Minister for Cities Rob Stokes said the development would be “breathing new life into Sydney’s harbour foreshore”.

“The project will deliver a hectare of precious public open space, include a 3,500sqm new park and a widening of the waterfront promenade” Stokes said.

The existing Harbourside shopping centre on Cockle Bay Wharf, opened in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II, will be demolished to make way for the re-development.

Proposal’s rocky history explained

Mirvac were awarded approval on their amended proposal for the development in 2021, after making changes to lower building heights following concern from the community and the City of Sydney Council.

Labelled as a “State Significant” development, the proposal does not require approval from local Council, but rather from the NSW government.

In 2020, the Council pushed back against a 166 metre tower at the north end of the proposal, stating in their submission that the tower would significantly impact the “pedestrian amenity” of the area. Mirvac resubmitted their amended proposal which reduced the height of the skyscraper to 153 metres and moved its location to the centre of the precinct.

Public submissions to the proposal revealed issues raised included that the development would have an “overshadowing impact” on Darling Harbour, an impact on existing views, lead to traffic congestion, and had excessive height and bulk.

Independent MP for Sydney Alex Greenwich was among those voicing concerns over the amended plan for the development. In 2020, Greenwich called on the NSW government to reject Mirvac’s proposal, citing that significant public space was being handed over to private developers.

“The proposed project remains a massive and unacceptable increase in bulk and scale on the waterfront compared to the existing low-rise, light-weight structure,” Greenwich said in his submission.

Mirvac CEO & Managing Director Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz said that the development is a “great example of the private sector partnering with the NSW government”.

“This project will reimagine the Darling Harbour waterfront and provides a critical missing piece of the Western Harbour rejuvenation that has been taking place since the completion of the ICC,” Lloyd-Hurwitz said.