Pyrmont’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel, $1b investment approved

A new six star hotel and $1 billion investment will go ahead with the release of the final plans for the future of Pyrmont. READ THE FULL DETAILS.

EXCLUSIVE

A new six star hotel and $1 billion investment will go ahead with the release of the final plans for the future of Pyrmont on Friday.

And a new metro station will be built at Pyrmont as part of the drive to revitalise the inner city precinct and create more jobs.

The long awaited and fiercely contested Pyrmont Place Strategy gives the green light for a 110 metre tower at the northern end of The Star casino site on the condition that it is home to a new six star hotel.

An artsist’s impression of the Pyrmont developments.

A second tower on the southern end of the site has been cut by 40 metres to 140 metres and is likely to be the home of a new 4 ½ star Dorset Hotel in keeping with Star properties in Brisbane and The Gold Coast.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes said: “We’ve listened to community and business feedback and have adapted the plan so that Pyrmont remains a prosperous and unique part of Sydney.

“Striking a balance in planning is never easy and the unique geography and history of Pyrmont’s settlement pattern provided a particular challenge.”

The decision will unlock $1 billion in investment for the area and clears the way for a six star Ritz-Carlton Hotel at The Star. Earlier proposals, including one for a 237 metre tower, were knocked back and the hotel chain made it clear in emails obtained by The Daily Telegraph that anything short of 110 metres would torpedo the project.

The news is expected to be welcomed by tourism organisations who have been calling for more hotel rooms to boost visitor numbers to the city.

The new metro station will be part of the Sydney Metro West project and will create 500 direct and 1700 indirect jobs.

Pyrmont and the Anzac Bridge in Sydney. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said: “It will become the centre of the community and the western gateway to the Sydney CBD providing not only world-class transport options but opportunities to support new jobs and homes.

“Modelling also predicts this will be one of the busiest stations on the Sydney Metro West line and will provide customers with more choice.”

Commercial property owners that benefit from increased land values will have to make an annual contribution to help pay for building the station.

The Pyrmont Place Strategy, to be unveiled on Friday, delivers on Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s promise that “Pyrmont is open for business” and that the area would be the thriving new western gateway to the city.

However the concerns of vocal local NIMBYs have also been met with restrictions on building heights and guarantees of sunlight on public spaces and more parkland enshrined in the plan.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said: “Pyrmont is the real gem of Sydney and for too long its potential has been overlooked and under-utilised.

Concept image of the Ritz-Carlton tower. Picture: Supplied

“This strategy will boost the economy and at the same time ensure we improve the area and build a gateway from the western harbour, through Barangaroo and the CBD, all the way to the Opera House.”

The strategy includes a new active transport link from Blackwattle Bay to the Fish Market Light Rail Station. Building heights will be limited to a maximum of 156 metres and there will be public recreational space between the Anzac Bridge pylons and Western Distributor.

The new development at Darling Harbour will have to keep building heights below 170 metres to protect sunlight on the harbour foreshore. There will also be publicly accessible open space on rooftop areas.

Wentworth Park greyhound track would also be turned into public park land while a working group with government agencies and the stakeholders including Greyhound Racing NSW will be set up to identify a new home for greyhound racing in Sydney.