Barangaroo development: Crown launches legal bid to prevent casino views being obscured
JAMES Packer-backed Crown has launched legal action against the NSW government in a bid to stop views from its new $2 billion casino resort being obscured by other buildings.
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JAMES Packer-backed Crown has launched legal action against the NSW government authority overseeing the Barangaroo development in a bid to stop views from its new $2 billion casino resort being obscured by other buildings.
The NSW Supreme Court action — flagged by News Corp Australia last month — was revealed in an announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange this morning.
The proceedings seek injunctive relief and declarations against the Barangaroo Delivery Authority to “require the BDA to comply with a number of contractual obligations”, Crown said in an ASX statement.
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These include “consulting with Crown about any application for the proposed development of Central Barangaroo that differs from the concept plan … and negotiating in good faith and agreeing with Crown and Lendlease any required changes to that application to ensure the sight lines from the Harbour Bridge to the Opera House are retained for the Crown Sydney Hotel Resort”.
The dispute between Crown and the BDA stems from a decision by then NSW premier Mike Baird to add a Metro rail station at Central Barangaroo. In a bid to recoup the cost of doing that, the BDA increased the size of what could be built above-ground at the site from what was once 58,000 square metres to 150,000 sqm.
That increase threatens to block views from Crown to the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, which would likely reduce the room rates at the resort substantially.
A spokesman for the Barangaroo Delivery Authority said it had been “negotiating with Crown and Lendlease about their sightlines over Central Barangaroo for 28 months. At all times the Authority has acted in good faith and in accordance with its contractual obligations. The Authority will defend its position in court.”
Lendlease today commenced separate legal action to protect sightlines from its apartment project, which is next to the Crown development.
The moves are a potential nightmare for NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian as they could likely delay the completion of Barangaroo and the Metro.
She can ill afford that on top of the ongoing light rail expansion woes, which have also led to court action against the state government.
Yesterday Ms Berejiklian said: “I have full confidence in the Barangaroo Delivery Authority to continue to negotiate on behalf of the NSW Government and protect the public interest.”