New hotel proposed to tower 13 storeys next to Mascot Oval

A new hotel and serviced apartments up to 13-storeys high could one day overlook historic sportsground Mascot Oval if the developer’s request to increase the site’s height limit is approved.

An artist impression of the development (left) at the proposed 44m height restriction.

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A new hotel and serviced apartments up to 13-storeys high could one day overlook historic sportsground Mascot Oval if the developer’s request to increase the site’s height limit is approved.

The developer behind the project, Toplace, is currently defending a court action brought against the company alleging building defects and a failure to comply with statutory warranties in three apartment blocks in Canterbury.

Bayside Council is currently assessing a development application for the demolition of existing buildings at 146-154 O’Riordan St just south of the oval.

Part of the current site of the proposed development on O’Riordan St.

Four new buildings would be built under the development (standing six and seven storeys tall) featuring 94 hotel rooms, 457 serviced apartments, a restaurant, commercial tenancies and basement parking.

Toplace has since lodged a planning proposal asking for the maximum height of the buildings to be increased to 44m, rather than the current 22m limit set under the council’s local environmental plan (LEP).

If the proposal is passed Toplace would have to submit a new development application but would be able to build up to the proposed 13 storeys.

Aerial view of the current site.

Bayside councillors debated the matter on Wednesday deciding to pass the proposal on to the next stage, a gateway determination by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE).

However, not all the councillors were happy with the decision, including Councillor Scott Morrissey who called the planning proposal “a joke”.

“To say that the intersections (in that area) could accommodate more development is quite frankly a joke. It’s laughable. And we are being asked to support it,” Cr Morrissey said.

Councillor Christina Curry agreed and said a new LEP was in the pipeline and any changes to zoning laws should wait until that was completed.

“The point here is why are we considering spot zoning, when we are coming to a new LEP?” Cr Curry said.

“We have to be consistent with what is in that particular area.”

The development would neighbour Mascot Oval.

Councillor Michael Nagi voted in support of passing the proposal to the DPIE and said matters such as traffic would be addressed in a new development application for them to consider.

“What we have before us is a planning proposal, it is not a development application,” he said.

“We can’t tell the developer go away and wait until we deal with the LEP (that may not be) finalised until the end of 2020.”

The site of the proposed development is on the eastern side of O’Riordan St and is in a different zone compared to the hotels on the western side of the street, such as the Holiday Inn and Pullman Hotel.

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