One Central Park, Chippendale: Frasers Property ordered to fix planter box defects
One of Sydney’s ‘greenest’ skyscrapers has come under scrutiny from the state’s building watchdog over fears “serious defects” in the vertical gardens could lead to “risk of death”.
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One of Sydney’s ‘greenest’ skyscrapers has come under scrutiny from the state’s building watchdog over fears “serious defects” in the vertical gardens could lead to “risk of death or serious injury” to pedestrians.
A modified building rectification order has been issued by Fair Trading NSW to developer, Frasers Property, following an inspection of Chippendale’s One Central Park building.
An inspection found serious defects” in the planter boxes in the vertical gardens that, according to Fair Trading, failed to comply with Australian building standards.
The defects included a batch of the stainless steel T-Bolts randomly distributed across the building to secure planter boxes in the vertical gardens were “defective with some fracturing and failing.”
The inspector also found the planter boxes were “defective” in draining stormwater rainfall catchment and “caused the planter box to fill with water and overflow”.
“This dramatically increases the weight of the planter boxes and the treated planter box water consequently damages glass windows and awnings,” Fair Trading stated.
Fair Trading warned the planter boxes could fall from the building “which poses a risk of death to pedestrians below.”
The complex, built in 2013, incorporates Central Park Mall and is known for its unique vertical hanging gardens and one of the world’s highest rooftop floating gardens.
On its completion, the landmark development was awarded a five-star green rating – making it the largest multi-residential building at the time to receive the distinction.
Building Commission NSW director of building and construction, Matt Press, who issued the modified order on January 16, ordered the developer to erect hoarding - a temporary structure - on the north east and west of the building, submit a structural engineering report and rectify the defects by March, 2026.
Frasers Property was also ordered to redesign the planter boxes by a “registered structural and hydraulic engineer”.
An emergency order was initially issued on December 11 following an inspection of the property on December 6.
The NSW Building Commission revoked the order and issued the developer a notice of intention to issue a Building Work Rectification Order after a letter from the Department of Planning and Environment said the temporary rope support system which supports the planter boxes was satisfactory.
This comes after The Owners’ Corporations – which owns the One Central Park building – lodged an appeal against a fire order in the Land and Environment Court last year after being ordered to remove combustible cladding from the building.
A spokesman for the owners at One Central Park said: “We are investigating the order and determining a plan of action to meet the requirements contained within it.”
“We have taken the matter to the Land and Environment Court to determine the best way forward and timing to comply with the order,” he said in a statement.
Frasers Property has been contacted for comment.
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