Plans for Queen St towers delayed

PLANS for three residential towers and a new hotel at the current site of Campbelltown RSL Club have been delayed after the council’s independent Local Planning Panel identified concerns with the proposed height of the development.

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PLANS for three residential towers and a new hotel at the current site of Campbelltown RSL Club have been delayed after the council’s independent Local Planning Panel identified concerns with the proposed height of the development.

The four-person planning panel has asked the proponent, Cabra-Vale Diggers, to examine issues with the height of the development as well as issues with surrounding heritage and its impact on the local road network before giving it the green light to go to the State Government’s gateway determination process.

The proposal would have seen the height limit raised from 32m to 85m to make way for 24 storey, 17-18 storey and 16 storey apartment buildings on the site as well as an 11 storey 150-room hotel.

Artist's impression of the proposed Campbelltown RSL hotel.

In a statement, the panel said further detail on appropriate heights for the site of the development and the wider CBD precinct needed to be justified within the Re-Imagining Campbelltown vision set out by council and the State Government’s Glenfield to Macarthur Urban Renewal Corridor Strategy.

“The panel considers that in the current context the proposed height appears to be

excessive in absence of further justification and feasibility,” the panel’s statement read.

The panel also recommended Campbelltown Council establish a minimum setback from Queen St for future development to ensure sunlight was able to shine on the street.

Adam Byrnes, from Think Planning, representing Cabra-Vale Diggers, told the panel during a meeting on Wednesday the height of the buildings fit within Campbelltown Council’s Re-Imagine Campbelltown vision and was ideally located to access public transport.

Pictured is Campbelltown RSL Venue Manager Luke Whalan outside where the RSl wants to develop on Queen St. Picture: Robert Pozo

Mr Byrnes said surrounding heritage would be protected under the proposal as the design of the three towers allowed for walking access from Mawson Park through to the historic Glenalvon House, improving access to the heritage site.

“We’ve been mindful of Mawson Park and Glenalvon House,” he said.

“Glenalvon appears to be disjointed from the city centre and (the development) can link Mawson Park and Glenalvon.

“In terms of shadows, the shadow only impacts Glenalvon in the early hours of the morning and moves away.”