Cherrybrook development: 61 towers proposed near Sydney Metro station
The fate of two developments — which would feature a staggering 4100 homes across a series of residential buildings — is set to be decided on by a Sydney council.
Hills Shire
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Eye-watering proposals for a series of 61 residential towers featuring a total of 4130 homes — ranging from two to 22 storeys high — will be under the spotlight at The Hills Shire Council this week, when councillors meet to decide the fate of the ambitious plans.
The first residential proposal by development firm Toplace, earmarked to include 3200 dwellings across 46 buildings, could see high-rise towers stretch from Highs Rd, West Pennant Hills to the Cherrybrook Station Precinct.
The Toplace proposal for Cherrybrook Village, which was submitted in 2016, includes plans for residential buildings ranging from two to 16 storeys in height.
A series of pedestrian and cycleways, a new road network, community facilities and parklands are proposed across three precincts.
A Toplace spokeswoman said the neighbourhoods all have “a unique character and personality”.
“Consistent themes are represented by Village wide initiatives, such as the ecological corridor which runs from east to west, and the green ways which form north to south corridors,” the spokeswoman said.
If approved, The Cherrybrook Village “central precinct“ would include gateway towers, a village piazza, commuter car park and an underground Metro link.
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The “west precinct” would include a wildwoods parkland, the redevelopment of Dunrath House for a community centre, as well as sports and leisure facilities.
Meanwhile, the “east precinct” would include higher density apartments “suited to commuters, key workers and students” as well as public squares.
A Hills Shire Council planning representative said the proposal “in its current form” would create an overdevelopment of the site, with the proposal demonstrating “excessive height and building lengths, poor separation between taller building elements and excessive overshadowing of landscaped open space areas and the public realm”.
Despite a push for millions of dollars worth of parkland, play spaces and community facilities by Toplace, council representatives raised concerns around “inadequate open space.
“At this time, there is substantial uncertainty as to whether sufficient local and regional infrastructure can be provided to support the demand likely to be generated by the extent of growth proposed, the spokesman said. In February, 2018, Hills Shire councillors rejected plans for the Toplace Cherrybrook Village proposal, raising concerns around the size and scale of buildings.
Council planners called for councillors to reject the proposal from proceeding to Gateway Determination by the NSW Planning Department during its meeting on Tuesday night.
A second proposal to revolutionise the skyline of Cherrybrook is set to return for determination with The Hills Shire Council, which could see the construction of 15 residential towers.
The planning proposal by Chanrich Properties for 930 homes in towers ranging from two to 12 storeys and a series of 25 townhouses at the corner of Coonara Ave and Castle Hill Rd, West Pennant Hills has been before The Hills Shire Council since 2015.
The proposal includes around 5000sq m of central open space at the heart of the development and calls for the rezoning of the site from environmental conservation and part low density residential to high and medium density residential land.
However, Hills Shire Council planners argue the plans have come before the completion of a detailed precinct plan for the Cherrybrook station precinct.
“The proposal does not adequately consider the capacity of the local and regional road network to support cumulative growth within the Cherrybrook Precinct and has not adequately resolved issues relating to the funding and provision of local and regional infrastructure required to support the additional residential development proposed,” a planning representative said.
The proposal will go before the Hills Shire Council on Tuesday night, where council staff have called for it to be refused.