All it took was COVID-19 and a global pandemic to prompt the soulless and nondescript suburb of St Leonards in North Sydney to get a major facelift, after the state government approved three major rezoning proposals that will inject almost $160 million into the suburb.
The rezoning approvals in St Leonards include:
- 575-583 Pacific Highway: the site has been rezoned to allow for an 18-storey residential tower that will retain the local heritage of the existing building façade. The proposal will create 63 jobs and inject $31.4 million in to the economy.
- 100 Christie Street: the rezoning will provide an upgrade to Christie Street Reserve and allow a 36-storey residential and commercial tower to be built, replacing the existing office building. It will create 164 jobs and inject $82.2 million in to the economy.
- 23-35 Atchison Street: the site can now accommodate a 16-storey building, provided a new park is created along Oxley Street and Hume Street Park is upgraded. It will create 92 jobs and inject $46 million in to the local economy.
The three rezoning proposals are part of the NSW government’s Planning System Acceleration Program, which is fast-tracking planning assessments to keep people in jobs and the economy moving through the COVID-19 pandemic.
To be considered for an accelerated assessment, the development application (DA) or rezoning must already be progressed within the planning system, deliver a public benefit, demonstrate an ability to create jobs, and be able to commence construction or lodge a DA within six months.
Image: NSW government
