Randwick Junction: Rezoning plan for taller buildings around shops
Randwick Junction has become a bustling area for shopping and medical services including the popular Royal Randwick Shopping Centre. Randwick Council has now endorsed a draft strategy to increase building heights in the area.
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A rezoning strategy has been proposed for Randwick Junction for building heights to be increased at three “opportunity sites” near Royal Randwick Shopping Centre.
The strategy is aimed at meeting high demand for retail, commercial and medical premises in Randwick Junction town centre.
Randwick Council voted to endorse the draft Randwick Junction Planning Strategy at its ordinary meeting last month and the strategy will go on public exhibition soon for feedback.
Three “opportunity sites” are highlighted in the strategy for rezoning, which would allow taller buildings to be erected within those three areas.
The three sites are referred to as High Street Block (which includes Randwick Plaza), Central Block (which includes Royal Randwick Shopping Centre), and North Western Block (which includes Randwick Club).
The maximum building height is currently three to four storeys (or 12m) in each of those areas.
The draft strategy is recommending new maximum building heights of eight to 10 storeys (or 34m) for High Street Block and six storeys for Central Block and North Western Block.
The strategy projects there will be a significant increase in jobs in the next 15 years around Randwick Junction and a significant need for more floor space.
Randwick Junction town centre is close to multiple hospitals, including Prince of Wales Hospital and Sydney Children’s Hospital, as well as the University of NSW.
“(There is) a significant future need for more commercial, medical and retail floor space in the town centre,” council papers stated.
“Current planning controls will not be able to meet future demand estimates.
“The demand in floor space will be driven by a projected expansion of the surrounding hospital and university campus which is a major metropolitan planning objective and strategy.”
The draft strategy also recommends an extension of the boundary of the existing town centre, which would mean some nearby areas would be rezoned B2 Local Centre.
“The draft strategy does not recommend rezoning, height or density changes in the wider residential areas outside the town centre,” council papers stated.
Six councillors voted to defer putting the draft strategy on public exhibition until “a better articulated rationale for specific proposed height changes” could be produced.
However, they were out voted and the council decided to place the draft strategy on public exhibition.
A date has not been set for when the draft strategy will go on public exhibition.