‘Worst overdevelopment’: Local councils at war over Harry Triguboff’s tower

Harry Triguboff and Clover Moore are unlikely bedfellows, but the billionaire property developer and Sydney’s lord mayor find themselves on the same side amid a growing row over plans for a 25-storey residential tower.

Randwick City Council voted last week to seek legal advice to restrain the City of Sydney and NSW government from pushing Meriton’s proposal to redevelop the former Suttons car dealership site in Zetland.

Meriton wants the City of Sydney to lift building heights from 45 metres to 90 metres at the former Suttons car dealership site in Zetland.Credit: Nick Moir

Randwick Labor councillor Alexandra Luxford said she was “extremely concerned” that planning decisions would be made before a proper analysis of traffic, public transport and infrastructure outcomes. The 4.45-hectare site sits on the boundary with Randwick council.

“To date no consideration has been given to the views of the residents of Randwick [council area],” she said. “I have no faith in this planning process that has delivered the worst overdevelopment of a suburb.”

Billionaire Harry Triguboff is the boss of property giant Meriton.Credit: Peter Braig

Meriton wants the City of Sydney to lift the building height limit from 45 metres to 90 metres to permit residential towers up to 25 storeys. The developer plans to build 30 townhouses and 785 apartments in medium- to high-density buildings on the site, as well as a childcare facility, supermarket and retail shops.

Triguboff said anyone could review Meriton’s planning proposal and make a submission once it was on public exhibition.

“When Meriton buys a site, we consult with the council where the site is located,” he said. “Nothing is being built now in this housing crisis and this would be worse if we also had to ask the adjoining councils what they think.”

A majority of City of Sydney councillors voted to send Meriton’s proposal to the state government for a gateway determination – the next stage in the planning process – prompting Randwick to vote unanimously to seek legal advice.

Randwick Greens councillor Philipa Veitch said a decision on the proposal should not be rushed before the 2023 state election.

“It’s one of the very last large undeveloped sites in the inner city and there should be a full community consultation about its future use,” she said. “It could be reserved for green open space, a new school or affordable housing if that’s what the community asks for.”

An artist’s impression of Meriton’s planning proposal for the Suttons car dealership site in Zetland.Credit: Artist impression

Luxford said the proposed towers would “sit in West Kensington residents’ front and backyards and will create overshadowing”.

“There is an absolute lack of public transport, green space and any other infrastructure in this area to handle this development,” she said.

Triguboff accused Randwick City Council of failing for years to deliver enough housing. “It should be thanking the City and Bayside Councils for delivering the housing and community facilities their people will use.”

Triguboff and Randwick councillors have previously fought over Meriton’s controversial plan for 1900 apartments in Little Bay, which was rejected by a planning panel in 2021.

‘We should be building high density in our cities, but there are massive planning failures in how Green Square and Zetland have been developed.’

Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor Sylvie Ellsmore

Triguboff is also at loggerheads with neighbouring Waverley Council after it rejected a rezoning proposal to build flats on the site of a synagogue in Bondi.

A City of Sydney spokeswoman said the council had considered likely impacts on privacy and solar access for Randwick residents.

“Rejecting compliant development proposals creates a risk of developers appealing to the Independent Planning Commission and could forgo the public benefit offered to the city,” the spokeswoman said.

She said the proposed height of the tower was consistent with others along Southern Cross Drive.

“The planning proposal may result in a slight reduction in dwellings compared to what the current built form would allow, as some apartments would be replaced with larger townhouses for families,” she said.

Greens Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor Sylvie Ellsmore, Labor councillor Linda Scott and independent councillor Yvonne Weldon did not support Meriton’s proposal.

Ellsmore said the area lacked schools and sports fields, streets were regularly gridlocked with traffic and bus routes had been cut.

“We should be building high density in our cities, but there are massive planning failures in how Green Square and Zetland have been developed, which current residents face every day,” she said.

Ellsmore also said the council should not keep working within a planning system that “prioritises developer greed at the expense of communities and sustainability”.

“Residents expect council to challenge the state government on the things that aren’t working,” she said.

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