Harry Triguboff sues NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian over stalled Macquarie Park unit tower
Harry Triguboff has launched legal action against Gladys Berejiklian in a bid to have a Sydney tower approved.
Billionaire developer Harry Triguboff has launched legal action against NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and a handful of government bodies barely a week ahead of the state election in a bid to have a controversial unit tower in Sydney’s north approved.
Mr Triguboff’s Meriton has issued a summons in the Land and Environment Court against the Premier, Planning Minister Anthony Roberts, the secretary of the Department of Planning and Environment and the Lucy Turnbull-led Greater Sydney Commission over its proposed 42-storey tower at 112 Talavera Road at Macquarie Park.
Last month, the Greater Sydney Commission recommended a pause on new approvals in the Ryde Council area following an announcement by the Premier last year that the GSC would undertake a public inquiry into overdevelopment in the area.
Meriton amended its original proposal of up to 63 storeys following 380 objections, cutting the height to 42 storeys, Mr Triguboff said. The project was rejected by Ryde Council late last year.
NSW deputy Liberal leader Dominic Perrottet said any legal action would have to run its course “but I want to assure the local community that we are on their side”.
The NSW government was in line with local communities on keeping councils in check on development, Mr Perrottet said.
“Under the Labor-led Ryde Council, led by Labor’s election candidate Jerome Laxale, development in Ryde has been allowed to get out of control.
“We are fixing the issue, following a review by the Greater Sydney Commission.”
Overdevelopment and congestion, along with disruption from the controversial light rail, have simmered in a number of electorates.
Meriton general counsel Joseph Callaghan said the company was seeking a declaration and orders to compel the NSW Department of Planning to make a Local Environmental Plan increasing the floor space ratio and height control for Meriton’s Macquarie Park site.
“An issue in the case will be the function of an ‘assurance report’ ordered by the Premier in late-2018 and whether that review can have any impact on a planning proposal as well-advanced as Meriton’s,” Mr Callaghan said.
Mr Triguboff said the proposals had already been approved by government bodies and were consistent with planning policies.
“Those policies should not suddenly change because the seat of Ryde is in contention at the upcoming election,” he said.
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