Walker St, North Sydney: $7m plan to strip cladding from tower block

A multimillion-dollar plan has been revealed to strip potentially combustible cladding from a 23 storey tower in which hundreds of Sydneysiders work.

Concerns over fire risks has prompted a multimillion-dollar plan to strip cladding from a North Sydney office tower.

Investment giant AMP Capital has lodged a development application to replace potentially combustible materials from its 23 storey retail and office tower at 124 Walker St.

The 48-year-old building is home to businesses including OzTAM – which measures national TV ratings – along with marketing agencies, financial services companies, and Five Points Burgers.

The work is expected to cost $7 million.

Plans show the $7 million project will involve stripping external panels and replacing them with a MondoClad material that meets current fire safety standards

AMP said the proposal would improve the safety of the existing building and “support its continued use and operation.”.

“The proposed works are in the public interest as they provide improved fire safety for building occupants, surrounding properties and public pedestrian areas,” the plans stated.

The tower is located at 124 Walker St.

A concept plan of what the building will look like once the work is completed.

“All appropriate measures will be implemented during the construction phase to ensure that there are no adverse amenity impacts to surrounding properties in terms of dust, soil erosion, air quality and noise impacts.”

In a statement, AMP said approximately 4000 sqm of combustible material would be removed as part of project.

A spokeswoman said the company has proactively commenced the replacement works and the proposal had not been prompted by a rectification order from North Sydney Council.

“Since 2017, AMP Capital has been undertaking a comprehensive review of the commercial, logistics and shopping centre buildings in our portfolio to determine the presence of aluminium composite panels,” she said.

The Grenfell Tower tragedy in London led to many tower owners around the world to revisit their cladding. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS

“We did this proactively ahead of any legislative requirement to do so – we continue to keep our clients and customers updated on the review and rectification program progresses.”

The proposal is not the only major project involving removing cladding from buildings on the north shore after similar projects at The Concourse in Chatswood and the Sydney Adventist Hospital.

Work on the AMP Building is due to begin this year and is expected to be completed in 2022