NSW Minister Uses Executive Powers To Hit Pause On Town Hall Square Indefinitely

The NSW Government has just announced that the Town Hall Square development application will be postponed until further notice.

It comes just one month after the City of Sydney Council released renders of the proposed Town Hall Square development, and follows years of debate and public scrutiny surrounding the project.

Peter Scully, the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, has now halted the determination of this application pending advice from the Independent Planning Commission (IPC).

“It is appropriate that I exercise my powers as Minister under the Act to request timely advice
from an independent body on the state and/or regional significance of the proposal,” Scully said
in a media release earlier today.

Why Is Town Hall Square Being Postponed (Again)?

Scully said that the current proposal would “have significant impact on the commercial heart of Sydney’s CBD”, including the demolition of seven buildings and costs of at least $150 million in ratepayer funds.

However, the City of Sydney’s official website on the development states that the Town Hall Square will contribute to “a growing city centre” and that they are working with the tenants of the seven buildings as they transition to alternate premises.

Scully will be considering advice from the IPC on the State Significance of the Town Hall Square proposal. According to the NSW Government, a development must meet certain criteria and “be important to NSW for economic, environmental or social reasons” to be considered a State Significant Development.

The Sydney Opera House, Luna Park and Darling Harbour are all State Significant Development sites.

Scully’s direction to halt any determination of the City of Sydney Council’s application comes under Section 9.1 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979, which enables the Minister to direct a council on any matters relating to development applications.

After review of the IPC’s advice, Scully will decide whether the Town Hall Square development proposal will be considered a State Significant Development.

Scully did not provide any timeframes for receipt of the IPC’s advice, or for when the determination of the Town Hall Square application will be resumed.