Jean Nassif: NSW Government decides fate of Cherrybrook 46-tower plan
Jean Nassif’s colossal vision to transform humble homes in Cherrybrook into 46 high-rise towers has had its fate sealed by the NSW Planning Department, months after the developer bypassed council refusal.
Hills Shire
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- JEAN NASSIF, COUNCILLORS TRADE BLOWS OVER 46-TOWER PLANS
- TOPLACE’S JEAN NASSIF REVIVES 46-TOWER PLAN FOR CHERRYBROOK
- PLANS FOR 61 TOWERS REVEALED FOR CHERRYBROOK
- $26.7BN OF DEVELOPMENT COULD BE FAST-TRACKED
A last-ditch effort to see the approval of multimillion-dollar plans by property mogul Jean Nassif for 46 high-rise towers to be built in a northwest Sydney suburb has been decided by the NSW Government, after council objected to the “overcooked” plans.
The controversial Cherrybrook proposal was knocked back by a NSW Government planning panel on Tuesday as it “does not demonstrate strategic merit”.
Nassif’s Toplace submitted a rezoning review to the Planning Department in December after The Hills Shire Council shot down the masterplan for 3200 homes — built across 48 towers ranging from two to 15 storeys — directly across from the Metro Station in a landmark decision in October.
Councillors and residents issued a bombardment of concerns around Nassif’s vision describing it as “overcooked” — resulting in the controversial property developer’s decision to bypass council and pursue the planning proposal by a NSW Government panel.
However, on April 14, the Sydney Central City Planning Panel, chaired by Abigail Goldberg, decided the development should not be submitted for gateway determination as the proposal.
“The panel is advised that there is significant precinct planning underway or still to be undertaken for the location, including masterplanning and precinct-wide traffic investigations,” Ms Goldberg said.
The panel chair said the proposal “does not demonstrate site specific merit” and called on a more detailed design for the proposal.
She also raised the panel’s concerns around “significant increase in density” with heights up to 16 storeys proposed for the site.
“The panel notes that the site is currently under multiple ownership,” she said. “Evidence of the support of all landowners has not been provided and it appears – anecdotally – that this support may be contested”.
In its submission for rezoning review, a Toplace planner argued that with the Cherrybrook Metro Station already in operation “the delivery of housing supply is already significantly out of sequence with infrastructure investment and should not be further delayed”.
But council argued the proposal was “inconsistent with infrastructure an liveability priorities” and being considered as “an overdevelopment of the site”.
The decision on the controversial development was handed down on April 14.