This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
PROPERTY developer Billbergia is going big on its plans for the controversial final stage of its Wentworth Point master-planned committee, proposing two residential towers rising 40 storeys and featuring 900 apartments.
After years of strategic planning, a two-stage international design competition, and community and Council consultation, an updated scheme by architects FJC Studio has been submitted for public exhibition by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
Named Bennelong Cove, the project has attracted the ire of both local residents and Parramatta City Council staff because of the buildings’ size. A year ago, Parramatta City councillors ignored both and decided to invite Billbergia to provide more information on the project before making a final decision.
Two schemes were considered at the time. The first scenario included 642 dwellings across towers of 25 storeys and 40 storeys, with Billbergia to contribute $34 million for nearby infrastructure. Under the second scenario, 996 dwellings would be built in two towers of 40 storeys and 50 storeys, and a $71 million infrastructure contribution made.
Both plans would require lifting the height and gross floor area limits of planning controls.
Billbergia has aimed at the upper range of those plans, with the proposal also incorporating a waterfront promenade with amphitheatre, restaurants, cafés, a club and pub, and a new park in the heart of the town centre. That will be accompanied by $70 million in new community and social infrastructure, under a voluntary planning agreement submitted to City of Parramatta Council.
New community infrastructure would include a $36 million multi-purpose indoor sports and recreation centre, with outdoor courts, a 16,000 sqm park and foreshore promenade with picnic areas, play spaces and exercise areas, and a Council-owned 90-place child care centre.
Billbergia has also committed to a second privately operated 90-place childcare centre and continued funding to operate the widely popular free Baylink shuttle bus service that connects residents to Rhodes station. The service – one of the few connections to what is deemed an area lacking in infrastructure – registers more than 14,000 trips each week and has recently been upgraded to fully electric vehicles. It would continue operating under the agreement until the anticipated delivery of the Parramatta Light Rail in 2031.
“We’ve collaborated with the architects and an independent design excellence jury to address feedback on the earlier scheme. As a result, residential buildings are set back further from the water and have been reduced in height – consistent with the nearby Sekisui Sanctuary development,” said Saul Moran, development director of planning and design at Billbergia.
Wentworth Point was first rezoned for residential use in 2004 and declared a Priority Precinct in 2014. During this time it has quickly grown to population of about 14,500 people.
“Bennelong Cove is the critical final stage that will see the entire waterfront promenade activated and provide enhanced community infrastructure alongside the delivery of critically-needed new housing supply,” Moran said.
Billbergia supports a community events including outdoor markets, pop-up entertainment events with food trucks, after-school sports events, pet-owner events and an annual all-inclusive Bennelong Bridge community run.
“Community feedback has shown us that more social and sporting infrastructure is also high on residents’ wish lists, revealing the value they place on waterfront access. We see the delivery of an activated foreshore promenade with greater open space and new leisure facilities as critical to this,” Moran said.
A PWC analysis estimates that $1.23 billion in financial value locally has been attributed to the delivery of infrastructure, that has either been delivered or planned for Wentworth Point in the years between 2015 and 2031.
McCrindle’s 2023 Liveability Index also ranked Wentworth Point-Sydney Olympic Park as Sydney’s third most liveable suburb, based on rankings of community, employability, amenity, and affordability.
Exhibition of the planning amendments to enable the Bennelong Cove development are now on exhibition by NSW Department of Planning & Environment. A separate exhibition of the planning agreement for $70 million in community infrastructure is expected to be placed on Public Exhibition by City of Parramatta early in the new year.
