Bridge St, Westmead: NSW Planning reject high-rise health, housing hub

Developers behind ambitious plans for a high-rise health and housing hub in Sydney’s west have learnt the project’s fate — following a last-ditch effort after it was rejected by council.

Developers behind an innovative medical micro hub — with plans for a vertical a residential, allied health and education village in Sydney’s west — have lost their last ditch effort to see the blueprints come to life.

The planning proposal for a “health-orientated vertical village with short-term accommodation” at 93 Bridge Rd, Westmead was submitted to the NSW Planning Department for a spot rezoning review after Parramatta Council failed to issue support for the project 90 days after submission.

Artist impressions of the high-rise health hub at Westmead.

Plans were developed for the Bridge Road Unit Trust.

Developers behind the masterplanned development, by the Bridge Road Unit Trust, argued the proposal would “provide high density development on the site incorporating a range of dwelling types, diverse living opportunities particularly tailored to the health and education precinct, short-term accommodation, allied health and education uses”.

The developers proposed the construction of a 40-storey tower on the site, a massive 424 homes, six shop-top retail sites, seven food outlets and 300 student accommodation dwellings.

A total of 23 units would have been provided for short-term NDIS use or family accommodation as well as a public plaza and playground.

What the health hub could have looked like.

But the Sydney Central City Planning Panel, chaired by David Ryan, voted this month to not allow the ambitious plans to be forwarded for Gateway Determination.

Mr Ryan said the proposal should not be submitted for a Gateway Determination because the proposal has not demonstrated strategic merit of site specific merit.

The health hub would have included hundreds of homes.

“The Panel considered that a proposal of this density would be likely to have a significant impact on the movement network and the demand for open space and other infrastructure, which it cannot be satisfied will be adequately addressed without the benefit of the outcomes of the current investigations and strategic planning being undertaken by the relevant state agencies and Council,” the chair said.

Plans for a public plaza.