Residents fear impact of two highrise towers planned for Campbelltown CBD

RESIDENTS fear Campbelltown’s history is under attack as two highrise towers are planned next to some of Queen St’s heritage buildings.

Macarthur Chronicle - Pictured: Henry Smith (81) of Woodbine NSW - The CBC building at 263 Queen Street, Campbelltown NSW Australia is heritage listed and potentially under threat from development at the rear of the building (which isn't heritage listed). Campbelltown Council has received a development application (DA) for a 17-storey apartment building.

RESIDENTS fear Campbelltown’s history is under attack as two highrise towers are planned next to some of Queen St’s heritage buildings.

Campbelltown Council received a development application on March 4 for an 18-storey mixed-use residential apartment building on the former CBC Bank site.

The 1881 CBD building was Campbelltown’s first bank. It was used as a bank until 1985, then housed the Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser until the publication moved to Narellan.

The proposal includes restoration of and additions to the existing historic building, and demolition of buildings at the rear of the site to make way for an 18-storey building incorporating two levels of commercial space and 16 levels with 107 apartments.

It would be the largest building in the Macarthur region.

“At the time of lodgement, a height limit of 10 storeys applied to the site,” a council spokesperson said.

The former CBC building was built in Queen St, Campbelltown, in 1881.

“Under the new LEP, a height limit of 32m applies to the site. The proposed building has a height of approximately 57m.’’

Sydney West Joint Regional Planning Panel will determine the proposal’s future because the development is worth $24.61 million.

Developer Terry Bassal said the CBC building would not be demolished.

“The plans have been structured around the heritage building. It is a fantastic site and has character,’’ he said.

Brendan Leenders, of St Helens Park, set up the Macarthur Musings Facebook page and a petition opposing the proposal.

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The proposed highrise development.

I fear that the development will take away the overall feeling and significance of the site,” he said.

Mr Leenders feared for the future of the Campbelltown’s colonial buildings.

“Campbelltown’s 200th anniversary is coming up but where will the history that defined Campbelltown be?” he said.

“These developments will overpower our heritage buildings.”

Councillor Ted Rowell and Kay Hayes fear a 10-storey tower behind the former Fisher’s Ghost Restaurant is an overdevelopment and detracts from the site’s heritage appeal Picture: Melvyn Knipe

Woodbine resident Henry Smith said Campbelltown CBD would soon look like Sydney CBD.

“I moved to the area in 1964 and you will never get historic buildings like this again if they are destroyed,” Mr Smith said.

The CBC Bank plans follow the council’s heritage sub-committee’s concerns over a 10-storey apartment building with 72 units and works to the dilapidated former Fisher’s Ghost Restaurant, also in Queen St.

The committee considered the proposal an “overdevelopment”.

“The proposal just swallows the old heritage building up,” Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society president Kay Hayes said.

Liberal councillor and heritage sub-committee chairman Ted Rowell said the proposal detracted from the heritage building.

The former Fisher’s Ghost Restaurant. Picture: Ian Svegovic