Castle Hill twin tower: Garthowen Crescent project set for decision
Two towers are set to change the skyline of Castle Hill. But locals claim there are numerous reasons the project should be stopped in its tracks.
Hills Shire
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Locals have made a last-ditch bid to halt the construction of two towers which would change Castle Hill’s skyline.
Sam Kassis of Kassis Homes wants to construct a 13 and 18 storey tower at Garthowen Crescent in Castle Hill.
The Sydney Central Planning Panel held a meeting this week to discuss the $66 million project.
Paul Kapetas, a private planning consultant, who spoke on behalf of residents at 9-13 Garthowen Crescent raised concerns about heritage, increased traffic, setbacks and height.
The proposed development would be located near to the heritage site, Garthowen House.
Mr Kapetas claimed the planning department’s views on heritage were “quite contradictory”
and said the plan appeared to be “inconsistent” with the department’s controls.
In particular he raised rules regarding buildings with a maximum of four storeys in the vicinity of a heritage site.
“The current (proposal) we say does not do that,” he told the meeting. “The current proposal doesn’t have a four storey element at the boundary, it’s a sheer 18 storeys.
“We say that an appropriate design amendment should be made to reflect a lower height at building B. We say no more than four storeys at building B and an additional height being placed to the additional building to 18 storeys.”
Mr Kapetas also said that an independent traffic report raised the “real issue of the capability of the local road network” to cater for the development unless improvements are made.
He also challenged the height of the tower saying it does not comply with local regulations.
The height limit for the area is 57 metres with Tower B 0.86m in excess of that.
Stephen Cox on behalf of the developer said “the building does scrape through the height limit” on the southern tower.
In response to traffic concerns, Mr Cox said the DA traffic report responded to the requirements.
“As a single development, there is only so much infrastructure that can be considered,” Mr Cox said.
The panel heard that road widening at Castle Street, Old Castle Hill Road and Garthowen Crescent was proposed.
The council’s planning group manager Cameron McKenzie agreed there was a height exceedence for one of the towers. But said: “Essentially the exceedence is relatively minor and we feel is supportable.”
Mr McKenzie said a voluntary planning agreement (VPA) between the landowner and council would bring more infrastructure to the community.
On heritage, he said council’s view was that the heritage outcome was “reasonable” given the large increase in density on the site.
He said the project was in an area that was part of “emerging” development being in the Sydney Metro northwest urban renewal corridor.
Last July a planning proposal was gazetted which provided for “massive changes” in the rezoning of the site, he said.
“It proposed very high buildings to what is currently on the site,” Mr McKenzie told the panel.
“Clearly Planning (department) envisions a major change to the site.”
The panel was adjourned with a decision pending on further documentation from the applicant and council.
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