Lend Lease has revealed further design improvements to its plans for Barangaroo South ahead of its submission in July to the NSW Department of Planning.

Key changes include a reduction in the number of office towers from four to three, increasing public space and cutting building heights.

Changes include:

- redesign and relocation of the proposed cultural building back to the Southern edge of Globe Harbour to frame the edge of a new north-facing, waterfront public space (West Quay)

- repositioning the public pier and a significant reduction in its length (down to 85m from 150m), so that the building projects no further into the harbour than the proposed ferry terminals

- redesign of the hotel to reduce the building height (from RL 213m to RL 159m) and gross floor area (from 42,000 sqm to 33,000 sqm) improves the scale for potential operators. No permanent residential is proposed within the building

- hotel footprint nearly halved (90m to 50m), as well as its relocation north (with the pier) and east (along the pier) to better connect with the shore. This reduces shading into Darling Harbour and improves the hotel’s connection with the public realm and the development as a whole

- reduced overall building massing by cutting the number of commercial towers from four to three, with only one exceeding the 180m height limit of the current approved concept plans. This tower (at RL 198m) will become the 7th tallest building in Sydney and the 18th tallest in Australia

- inclusion of low rise buildings along the waterfront, with retail/leisure at ground level and residential above, positioned to improve the micro-climate in the heart of the site and to better articulate the waterfront and improve the scale of the public space along it

- reduced amount of first floor elevated space within the development by moving pedestrians down to the ground plane as soon as they cross Hickson Road/The Hungry Mile

- revised mix, increasing residential proportion of the overall scheme

- a 5 per cent increase in public space across Barangaroo South than was envisaged in the current approved concept plan

The development of Barangaroo South is funding the return of the previously underutilised industrial land back to the public, including 2.2 km of harbour foreshore; a new headland park; and delivery of 50 per cent public open space across the entire 22 ha site.

The new plans will be placed on display for further review and comment by the public.