Plans for more homes, fewer offices at Sydney Olympic Park metro site on Figtree Drive

A plan to slash the number of offices and shops at a western Sydney metro site and replace it with 191 apartments has sparked concerns it will stifle job growth and strain traffic gridlock.

Artist's impressions for apartment towers at Sydney Olympic Park over and adjacent to the metro station.

A plan to slash the number of offices and shops slated for the Sydney Olympic Park metro site and replace it with 191 apartments has sparked concerns it will stifle job growth while housing will strain traffic in the precinct.

A state significant development for 5-7 Figtree Drive initially proposed a tower dedicated to offices and retail in a complex atop and adjacent to the metro station.

But plans for building 1 have shifted from being a commercial tower to a mixed use building with predominantly apartments that will soar from 21 to 34 storeys.

An economic impact assessment stated it was a challenge to establish an employment hub in Sydney Olympic Park because of the rising office vacancy rates in major Sydney precincts, economic competition from nearby centres and more employees working from home.

From January 2020 to January 2025, office vacancy rates in major Sydney precincts increased from 8.9 per cent to 23.5 per cent with smaller office markets such as North Sydney and Crows Nest and St Leonards experiencing even higher rates of 23.7 per cent and 30.5 per cent respectively.

The white shaded building is proposed to be mostly residential and 34 storeys.

Lobbing hundreds of more apartments could help put a dent in the housing crisis with the government pushing to prioritise housing delivery across NSW.

However, the amendments are a major setback for Parramatta Council’s target to add 150,000 jobs across the local government area by 2050.

Parramatta Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter hit out at a reduction of commercial floor space.

Parramatta Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter slammed a move to cut jobs at Figtree Drive – which could have created 2000 jobs before commercial space was reduced by 95 per cent.

“As council has said previously, the Sydney Olympic Park Masterplan’s target of 32,000 jobs by 2050 is simply not ambitious enough,’’ he said.

“Anything that reduces that number and erodes commercial floorspace is concerning.’’

He said the council would need to more than double its recent rate of annual jobs growth to reach its target to create 150,000 new jobs across Parramatta City in the next 25 years.

Several buildings will be constructed in the Sydney Olympic Park metro hub.

“We won’t support plans that will send us backwards in realising our bold jobs target,’’ he said.

“We cannot let the housing crisis of today become the jobs crisis of tomorrow.’’

A planning document stated the updated plans for the three metro buildings would result in 372 construction jobs, 505 direct jobs and 368 indirect jobs, but also recognised the proposal represented “a significant change from the job opportunities” from the original approved development application.

The mayor has already slammed the Sydney Olympic Masterplan 2050 for failing to address the density choking the area, calling for more jobs and hospitals.

The masterplan proposes 13,000 new dwellings, shops and restaurants for up to 30,000 residents at Sydney Olympic Park over the next 25 years.

Five thousand car spots would also be wiped out in the suburb.

Sydney Olympic Park Business Association chief executive Allison Taylor agreed there was a jobs shortage in the suburb – issues she plans to address in feedback to the metro’s building 1 proposal.

Sydney Olympic Park Business Association president Allison Taylor. Picture: Monique Harmer

“While the demand for commercial office space is currently down, due mostly to hybrid working arrangements, like anything, real estate is cyclic,’’ she said.

“A few years back, commercial was in high demand. Government needs to be looking way into the future as it is difficult to retrofit commercial, particularly when the area in the town centre, right near the metro is perfect for this.’’

Mrs Taylor said the association was pro-development and supported more jobs and residents.

“However, we are of the view that a town centre should be more geared to commercial and retail and that the immediate area around the metro should be focused on such,’’ she said.

“Jobs near where people live is critically important.’’

She said the reduction of commercial space meant jobs would be primarily retail food and beverage – “not necessarily the level of career and employment opportunities that contribute to productivity and increased living standards”.

Marketing employee Eve Griffin works at Sydney Olympic Park and would favour more retail options to enliven the precinct, which is known to become a ghost town after events are held.

Eve Griffin works in Sydney Olympic Park.

“I feel like the commercial side bringing a bit more life here would be good to create more night-life – I feel there’s potential here with the right infrastructure,’’ the 25-year-old said.

Ian Dean, who lives near the future metro station, has welcomed plans for more units to help create a sense of community.

“I think residential would really make it a much nicer place to live,’’ he said.

“As a resident it feels very sterile.

“I think this metro’s really going to change everything. There’s a train that comes in here when there’s special events to Central but otherwise we have to change at Lidcombe.”

Sydney Olympic Park is bracing for more congestion especially after concerts and sporting fixtures.

“When there’s a show on or the rugby is on, it’s completely chock-a-block full of cars,’’ Mr Dean, 63, said.

He said individual bollards had to be placed throughout unit complex carparks to stop drivers other than residents parking in complexes when events were hosted.

Construction management student Seo Jun Lee, of Sydney Olympic Park, said traffic was “crazy” during events.

Sydney Olympic Park resident Seo Jun Lee is familiar with traffic chaos.

“It’s almost impossible to go out because I live right in front of the arena – -there’s like hordes of people and there’s a tonne of cars,” the 19-year-old said.

Christian Salazar and Vito Harliyanto work in recruitment at Sydney Olympic Park and said it was hard to entice employees here because of the poor public transport.

Sydney Olympic Park employees Vito Harliyanto and Christian Salazar.

IGA cafe worker Aaliyah Vaughan supported more shops over housing.

“When I look out my window I see a lot of units and apartments, I think there should be more shops,” she said.

IGA Sydney Olympic Park cafe employee and resident Aaliyah Vaughan.

Sydney Olympic Park neighbours Wentworth Point -– one of the most densely populated suburbs in Australia – is in a constant battle for services to cope with the influx of residents.

Only recently has the government pledged to upgrade Hill Rd – the main access point for the peninsula which is often closed because of flooding – and attracts 2200 vehicles during peak hour daily.

While criticising plans for Sydney Olympic Park, the council has said it would compound problems in neighbouring suburbs along the peninsula.

The plans are on exhibition and will allow the public to submit feedback until September 4.

Originally published as Plans for more homes, fewer offices at Sydney Olympic Park metro site on Figtree Drive