Submission to Carter Street Master Plan and planning ... · SUBMISSION TO DRAFT REVISED CARTER...

SUBMISSION TO DRAFT REVISED CARTER STREET MASTER PLAN & PLANNING CONTROLS

on behalf of

Shanghai Lihua Australia

26 October 2018

ppd | planning consultants Unit 407, 5 Warayama Place Rozelle NSW 2039 Tel: 0403 242 926 Disclaimer: This submission has been prepared on behalf of and for the exclusive use of Shanghai Lihua Australia (SLA) Pty Ltd. PPD Planning Consultants accept no liability or responsibility whatsoever in respect of any use of, or reliance upon, this report by any third party. Use or copying of this report in whole or in part without the written permission of PPD Planning Consultants is strictly not permitted.

CONTENTS

1 Introduction ............................................................................. 2

2 Subject Site .............................................................................. 3

3 Draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan ............................... 53.1 Auburn Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2010 ................................................... 53.2 Carter Street Precinct Development Control Plan .......................................... 6

4 Proposed Amendments to draft Master Plan ...................... 7

5 Justification .............................................................................. 85.1 Public benefit ....................................................................................................... 85.2 Reduced site footprint ........................................................................................ 95.3 Land value ........................................................................................................... 95.4 No increase in overall floor space .................................................................. 105.1 No increase in traffic generation .................................................................... 10

6 Conclusion ............................................................................. 11

FIGURES Figure 1. Aerial view of Carter Street Precinct and subject site (shaded yellow) ..... 3Figure 2. Subject site ......................................................................................................... 4Figure 3. Existing Zoning .................................................................................................... 4Figure 4. Existing Height of Buildings Map ....................................................................... 5Figure 5. Proposed Height of Buildings Map .................................................................. 5Figure 6. Indicative structure plan ................................................................................... 6

■ SUBMISSION TO DRAFT REVISED CARTER STREET MASTER PLAN & PLANNING CONTROLS

ppd | planning consultants 26 October 2018 2

1 Introduction

PPD Planning Consultants has been engaged to prepare this submission by Shanghai Lihua Australia (SLA) Pty Ltd, the owners of the former Swire Cold Storage site at 12 – 14 Birnie Avenue, Lidcombe (the subject site).

The draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan proposes amendments to both Auburn Local Environmental Plan 2010 and Carter Street Precinct Development Control Plan that impact directly on the subject site.

Accompanying this submission is a set of architectural plans that provide detail on proposed amendments to the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan.



2 Subject Site

The site, shaded yellow in Figure 1, is located at 12-14 Birnie Avenue, Lidcombe within the newly amalgamated City of Parramatta Council Local Government Area (LGA) and is legally described as Lot 1 in DP 802749. It is bounded by Birnie Avenue to the west, Edwin Flack Avenue to the north and the M4 Motorway to the south. To the east of the site is the Sydney Olympic Park Place Management Centre. An electricity substation is located on the opposite side of Birnie Avenue to the west.

Whilst this site forms part of the Sydney Olympic Park Development Area, as specified by the Sydney Olympic Park Act 2001, it is not encompassed in the study area for the Sydney Olympic Park Master Plan 2030. Rather, the site borders this study area on three sides and forms part of the Carter Street Planned Precinct outlined in yellow in Figure 1.

The northern portion of the site (1.07ha) is segregated from development in the southern portion of the site (2.08ha) by easements including easements for gas and oil pipelines and electricity lines which traverse the centre of this property (refer to Figure 2).

Figure 1. Aerial view of Carter Street Precinct and subject site (shaded yellow)



Figure 2. Subject site (outlined in red)

In light of the development constraint created by the easement, the northern portion of the site, including a small portion of the easement lands, is zoned R4 High Density Residential with a 3.5:1 maximum FSR and a 72m maximum height limit. The southern portion of the site, including the majority of the easement lands, is zoned B6 Enterprise Corridor with a 1.5:1 FSR and a 24m maximum height limit.

Figure 3 provides a summary of the existing zoning for the site.

Figure 3. Existing Zoning

Easement



3 Draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan

The draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan proposes the following amendments to both Auburn Local Environmental Plan 2010 and Carter Street Precinct Development Control Plan that impact directly on the subject site.

3.1 Auburn Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2010 The maximum permissible building height has been increased from 72 metres (refer Figure 4) to 90 metres (refer Figure 5); and

The area that the maximum building height applies to is significantly reduced (it is noted that the reduction in site area for maximum permissible building height is offset by the increase in maximum building height).

Figure 4. Existing Height of Buildings Map

Source: Draft Revised Master Plan and Urban Design Report - August 2018

Figure 5. Proposed Height of Buildings Map

Source: Draft Revised Master Plan and Urban Design Report - August 2018



3.2 Carter Street Precinct Development Control Plan The indicative structure plan in the DCP has been amended to show public open space through the site where the easement is located as shown in Figure 6.

Furniture and lighting is to be provided with reference to the Parramatta Public Domain Guidelines.

Figure 6. Indicative structure plan

Source: Draft Amendment to Carter Street Precinct Development Control Plan – NSW Department of Planning and Environment (September 2018)



4 Proposed Amendments to draft Master Plan

The following amendments are proposed to the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan as they relate to the subject site:

1. The Floor Space Ratio for R4 High Density Residential zoned land be increased from 3.5:1 to 4.0:1;

2. The Floor Space Ratio for B6 Enterprise Corridor zoned land be decreased from 1.5:1 to 1.24:1;

3. The maximum height for buildings on the subject site be increased from 90 metres to 112 metres for Building A and from 90 metres to 94 metres for Building B (refer accompanying architectural plans).

The proposed changes provide for a reallocation of 5,365m2 commercial floor space to residential floor space. The impact this will have on any future development of the subject site is expressed in the accompanying architectural plans that include:

• Height massing perspectives comparing the heights in the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan to the heights in the proposed amendments; and

• Site plans comparing a base scheme to the proposed amended scheme.

The increase in building heights accommodates the reallocation in residential floor space. SJB Architects make the following comments in relation to the proposed increase in building heights:

The draft LEP and DCP for the Carter St precinct contemplates a range of heights across the Carter St precinct with some at 112m or higher.

Our site is located at the east end of Carter St and suggests a 90m-height limit across a reduced site footprint.

We have developed a concept design and found that two towers can be delivered within the reduced site, and that significant public benefit can be provided through a public road and open space playing fields immediately to the south.

The towers sit well within the immediate urban context and within the broader Sydney Olympic Park context. An increase in height of 22m (7 levels) for one tower and 4m (1 level) for the second tower will not detrimentally impact on the urban context and will remain consistent with the desired character as currently envisaged in the draft LEP and DCP.

A tall slender tower at the east end of Carter Street will be highly visible and will act as a marker for the Precinct providing direction, orientation and association with significant public open space playing fields.



5 Justification

The following justification is provided in support of the proposed amendments to the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan:

5.1 Public benefit Development of the subject site will provide significant public benefit in the form of:

§ Improved street network with the provision of a public road through the site that can, in the future, link to Sarah Durack Avenue;

§ A pedestrian and cycle route extending through the site that provides access to the Carter Street Town Centre from a new pedestrian/cycle route proposed under the SOPA Masterplan 2030 that runs along the eastern boundary of the site;

§ Publicly accessible landscaped open space that will provide easy access through to the Carter Street Town Centre as well as community, sports and outdoor facilities to service the local community;

§ Public parking spaces in association with the use of the open space and playing fields etc; and

§ A design competition to deliver improved urban outcomes.

It is proposed to embellish the open space with landscaping and playing fields for active recreation subject to further negotiations with Parramatta Council in relation to perceived needs and requirements of the future community.

Improvements to infrastructure including roads and pedestrian and cycle paths will improve access within the precinct and to the regional network.

At grade car parking associated with the B6 zoned land will be made available on weekends for public use associated with the open space and playing fields making them much more useable and accessible.

Under normal circumstances, works by a developer for infrastructure, provision of open space or other public amenities is typically negotiated between developers and government agencies in association with a developer seeking a more intense and higher value use of land. This is usually expressed in a Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) to ensure delivery of the proposed community benefits.

The proposed amendments, when considered as a package with the public benefits, results in a positive planning outcome. The land owner is willing to prepare a VPA to ensure delivery of the public benefits as detailed.

The draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan does not provide for any commensurate return in relation to the public benefit gained from the provision of much needed public infrastructure such as roads and public open space. This imbalance will be addressed by the proposed amendments to the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan.



5.2 Reduced developable site footprint While it is noted that the reduction in site area for maximum permissible building height shown on the Height of Buildings Map is offset by the increase in maximum building height, the reduced site footprint has a number of detrimental impacts that are not considered to be adequately compensated by a simple increase in building height that only serves to accommodate the redistribution of achievable floor area.

A reduced site footprint has a direct impact on the design outcome achieved for the site, particularly given the increase in acute corners that are difficult to design around and result in unusable areas within the site.

The imposition of a reduced site footprint:

• Places additional constraints on the form and massing achievable on the site, including size of podiums, distribution of both communal and public open space at ground level; and

• Impacts on amenity of future residents resulting from changes to distances between residential towers.

• Impacts on the provision and cost of underground car parking - increased from 3.5 levels as recently provided to Parramatta Council as part of a pre-DA meeting, to 5 levels to accommodate the same number of car parking spaces, service areas etc.

The impacts on future development potential of the subject site resulting from a reduced developable site foot print will be addressed by the proposed amendments to the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan.

5.3 Land value The draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan envisages the new road and new open space to be public infrastructure. Notwithstanding the gross floor area from the land associated with the public road and public open space is transferred to the respective developable portion of the site there still remains an intrinsic value to the loss of land area and the gain of this land by a public authority.

The total amount of land provided for public road and public open space is estimated to be approximately 8,890m2 or 28% of the total site area.

It is envisaged that the area to be provided as public open space could be used for at grade car parking similar to existing uses along the southern side of Carter Street (refer architectural site plans accompanying this submission). At grade car parking is much cheaper to provide that underground car parking which is now most likely to be required as part of the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan.

The area to be provided as public open space is not completely affected by easements. A significant portion of the easement that traverses the whole site, approximately 30.48m wide and 4,815m2 in area, has been extinguished and can now be built on to accommodate uses that are permitted with consent in the B6 Enterprise Corridor zone, including the following:

Business premises; Community facilities; Food and drink premises; Garden centres; Hardware and building supplies; Hotel or motel accommodation; Kiosks; Landscaping material supplies; Light industries; Markets; Neighbourhood shops; Passenger transport facilities; Plant nurseries; Roads; Specialised retail



premises; Timber yards; Vehicle sales or hire premises; Warehouse or distribution centres.

There are numerous examples of Voluntary Planning Agreements where a value has been placed on land transferred to a public authority even though there has been no loss in overall developable floor space.

The draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan provides for a significant amount of privately owned land, some of which is developable, to be transferred over to public use without any fair and equitable commensurate return to the land owner. This imbalance will be addressed by the proposed amendments to the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan.

5.4 No increase in overall floor space In accordance with the general principles of the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan there is no proposed increase in developable floor space. The proposed amendments provide for a reallocation of commercial floor space to residential floor space.

5.1 No increase in traffic generation The following table provides traffic generation rates that can be applied to the subject site as provided by traffic management experts GTA Consultants. The updated Roads and Maritime Services guidelines (May 2013) was used to calculate the traffic generation from any proposed residential development on the subject site. These standard rates were adopted by WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff as part of the Sydney Olympic Park Master Plan 2030 document and it is assumed that residents of Carter Street will adopt similar travel habits to those in Sydney Olympic Park.

The Roads and Maritime Services’ Technical Direction TDT 2013/ 04 (update issued May 2013) was used to provide updated traffic generation rates for commercial development.

Use Traffic Generation Rates (trips per hour)

AM Peak PM Peak

Residential 0.19/apartment 0.15/apartment

Commercial 0.88/100m2 of GFA 0.84/100m2 of GFA

The reallocation of 5,365m2 of GFA equates to approximately 55 additional apartments or 10.45 additional trips per hour at AM peak and 8.25 additional trips per hour at PM peak. This is offset with a commensurate decrease of commercial GFA that equates to approximately 47 less trips per hour at AM peak and 45 less trips per hour at PM peak. A reallocation of GFA as described will result in a significant decrease in traffic movements in both the AM and PM peaks.



6 Conclusion

We would ask NSW Planning and Environment give careful consideration to the proposed amendments to the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan and Planning Controls as detailed in Section 4 of this submission.

The proposed amendments provide for a more fair and equitable distribution of community benefits with changes to building height and reallocation of gross floor area. Justification has been provided for the proposed amendments and it is considered that these amendments meet the primary objectives of the draft Revised Carter Street Master Plan by providing:

• No increase in overall gross floor area;

• Reduced traffic movements and congestion;

• Improved road connectivity;

• More usable public open space with associated public car parking;

• Improved pedestrian and bicycle connectivity; and

• Greater height variation across the precinct with more slender towers to reduce overshadowing, improve views and provide more interesting and attractive design.

Adoption of the proposed amendments will provide certainty of delivery for much needed public infrastructure such as roads and open space.

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