Court determines 37 storey tall ‘post-Covid’ office tower at Mount St, North Sydney

Plans for a massive skyscraper, dubbed by developers as a ‘post-Covid office tower’ with hopes it will reinforce North Sydney’s status as a major commercial hub, has been determined in court.

A concept image of the lower levels of the 37 storey tall skyscraper.

A developer has been given the green light to build one of the tallest skyscrapers in Sydney’s north.

A 1980s office building at 107 Mount St, North Sydney is one step closer to being turned into a 37-storey office tower after the $225m project was approved in the Land and Environment Court.

Developer Dynasty ABC Investment Holdings took the case to court after North Sydney Council objected to the project due to the height of the building, inadequate street level activation and traffic impacts.

The proposal also generated objections from nearby residents who opposed the “excessive building height”, potential loss of views and overshadowing.

Resident Elizabeth Huckerby believed the development failed to take into account the amenity of nearby homes.

The tower will stand 37 storeys tall.

The development will overlook the Warringah Freeway.

“Given the existence of other fairly recent tall building developments which already reduce the sun to our building, a further extremely tall office building will result in very little, if any, sun over a period of time in the afternoon,” she said in a submission.

A similar submission was lodged by Maidee Tirado, the manager of an adjacent building, who claimed the proposal did “not promote the sharing of existing views given that it will result in a significant loss of views to the surrounding development”.

The development was determined in the Land and Environment Court.

During the legal proceedings, Dynasty ABC made various changes to the development including redesigning the tower to activate street level areas, and refinements to the design of the roof to address height concerns.

The changes were partly designed to ensure the nearby North Sydney Community Centre maintained its current extent of direct sunlight between 9am and 3pm.

Despite the changes, the approved plans show the development would still breach the current height limit – standing 9.7m above the 178m height limit.

Plans to North Sydney Council state the development would help “reinforce the status of North Sydney as a major commercial centre”.

The building will be one of the tallest in North Sydney.

A concept image of the development.

“(The building) will attract high-order tenants, as well as a rooftop public restaurant that will contribute to the long-term viability, competitive edge and night-time activation of North Sydney,” the plans state.

“It will also generate jobs during its design, construction and operational stages, assisting in the recovery from the Covid-19 economic downturn. This could be the first post-Covid office building attracting global interest.”

The proposal added that a large proportion of commercial buildings in Sydney’s CBD were “no longer suitable for a modern workforce” with about 60 per cent of commercial offices classified as “secondary stock”.

The court found the development was consistent with the B3 zoning of the site and would “not adversely affect the surrounding road network or cause any unreasonable or unsafe traffic or parking implications”.

The development was approved on more than 100 conditions, including the completion of a construction management plan to address traffic impacts during building stages.

The building will have 30 levels of office space along with a three storey podium, cafes, and the rooftop restaurant with views across Sydney Harbour.

There will also be conference facilities, co-working areas, wellbeing facilities, landscaping works and 76 basement carparks

The proposal is one of the latest skyscrapers planned in North Sydney including the 42 storey Victoria Cross Metro over station development and the suburb’s tallest skyscraper, standing 55 storeys, at 110-122 Walker St.