10 Dangar St Wickham Mixed-use development

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham.

I work nearby in the area and I'm genuinely concerned that the application hasn't shown how a development this big can happen without causing real problems for Wickham, Newcastle West and the Newcastle Interchange precinct.

My main worry is about construction impacts. This isn't just about whether they can physically build a tower — it's about whether the applicant has actually demonstrated this will be done fairly, safely and without going overboard.

What's also bothering me is the hotel pick-up and drop-off arrangements. That just adds another layer of impact that hasn't been properly thought through. The application feels premature to me.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm a visual artist based in Wickham, and I've been working in this area for years. I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street.

My main concern is around aviation and crane risk. A building this tall needs to be assessed properly — it's not just about whether it can physically go up, but whether the risks have been genuinely thought through and managed. The application doesn't convince me that safety considerations have been taken seriously enough, particularly given how close this site is to existing flight paths and operations.

There's also the question of heritage and how a tower of this scale fits with what's already here in Wickham and Newcastle West. These issues feel unresolved, which is why I think the application is premature in its current form.

I'm not against new housing. We need it. But we shouldn't be trading safety for housing numbers. There are still unanswered questions around flooding, traffic impacts, wind effects, the building's design quality, and what happens to public space and local infrastructure. These need proper answers before anyone approves anything.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I work as a delivery driver around Newcastle, so I'm in this area regularly and I know how the traffic and pedestrian flows work on the ground. That's why I'm concerned about this 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street without proper answers on stormwater and drainage.

The streets around here — Dangar, Charles, Hannell and the Interchange — are already complicated to navigate. There's a lot happening: deliveries, pedestrians, cyclists, service vehicles all moving through tight spaces. Adding a building this size needs to account for what that actually means for the area.

What worries me most is that the application hasn't convinced me the stormwater and drainage systems can handle it. I've seen what happens when drainage isn't right — water sits where it shouldn't, things back up. This needs to be sorted out properly before anyone approves this, not left as something to figure out later in operational plans.

The same goes for community infrastructure. These are things that should be locked down with clear evidence and real commitments before you're asked to let something this far outside the existing planning rules go ahead.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham.

I've spent years working on heritage conservation in this area, and I'm genuinely concerned that this application doesn't adequately demonstrate how a building of this scale can be built without causing serious damage to Wickham, Newcastle West and the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The heritage character of these neighbourhoods is already fragile, and a project this size needs to prove it won't compromise what makes them valuable.

My main objection is about what happens during construction. It's not just whether the tower can technically be built—it's whether the applicant has shown that the building process itself will be fair, safe and proportionate to what this area can absorb. Construction impacts on heritage areas tend to be understated in these applications, and I don't see that happening here.

There's also the issue of hotel pick-ups and drop-offs adding to traffic pressure. That reinforces my concern that this application isn't ready for approval in its current form.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I drive for rideshare here in Wickham and I'm picking up passengers constantly in this area, so I see firsthand what the streets are like. I'm concerned that this application hasn't properly shown how a 43-storey development can actually be managed without causing serious problems for the neighbourhood.

The location is already flood-affected and the infrastructure's stretched. Risk to life, basement safety, emergency access and where people shelter during emergencies — these things need careful thought, not just a tick-box approach.

What's really troubling me is that CPTED and management haven't been sorted out yet. Add loading and servicing on top of that, and there are too many unknowns. This shouldn't get approval without independent review of those issues.

The fact that it's close to public transport doesn't mean the actual impacts on Wickham, Newcastle West and the Newcastle Interchange precinct don't matter. This needs to be assessed on what it'll really do, not just on proximity to trains.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the 43-storey development proposed for 10 Dangar Street. As someone who volunteers with emergency services in the area, I see firsthand how stretched our local infrastructure already is, and this application raises serious concerns I think need to be addressed before consent is given.

My main worry is around the affordable housing component and what's being offered as public benefit. The details I've seen don't spell out enough about how this would actually work — things like how long the affordable units would stay affordable, who sets the rents, who manages them, and whether what's being offered is actually proportionate to the scale of development the community is being asked to accept. These aren't small details. Without clearer commitments on paper, I'm not confident the community gets a genuine benefit here.

Beyond that, I'm concerned about what this adds to pressure that's already building in this part of Wickham. Traffic, public transport use, foot traffic, cyclists — it's all intensifying. Another major development stacks on top of existing strain in ways that matter for how the precinct functions day to day.

The application seems to lean heavily on the fact that it's near transport and that we need housing generally. But those arguments shouldn't override looking hard at what the actual on-the-ground impacts would be in this specific location.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street. As a local ratepayer in Wickham, I have a real stake in how this decision shapes our neighbourhood.

My main concern is that nobody's properly shown how a building this big can work without causing real problems for Wickham, Newcastle West, and the area around the Newcastle Interchange. This isn't just about one building — it's about setting the tone for what happens next in this part of the city.

I've looked at what's being proposed around affordable housing and public benefit, and it doesn't add up to me. These things don't feel like they're adequate enough to justify asking for the height and density the developer wants. The two don't balance out.

When a development is this large, the consent authority needs to be careful and base decisions on solid evidence. That's especially true here, where the precedent will matter for years to come. I'm not convinced that's happened with the cumulative impacts analysis.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I work in health services across the region, and I've spent enough time in Wickham to see what makes it work as a place. I'm writing to object to the 43-storey development proposed at 10 Dangar Street because I don't think the application has made a real case that impacts of this scale can actually be managed.

My main worry is about heritage and how the building will sit in the townscape. A tower this tall with that kind of podium design is going to change how you experience the heritage buildings around it and the whole character of Newcastle city centre. That's not something to sort out later in design development—it matters now for whether this should be approved at all.

The visual impact concerns me too. Right now the drawings and descriptions are too vague. We need actual, detailed material showing exactly how the visual impact will be handled, not just general statements about trying to minimise it. There should be clear drawings, proper conditions attached to any approval, and real commitments from the applicant about what will actually happen.

Before asking the community to accept something this far outside the current planning rules, the applicant needs to put forward much stronger evidence and binding guarantees. It's a significant departure and it deserves that level of rigour.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham.

I've lived in this area for many years since retiring, and I'm genuinely concerned that the applicant hasn't made a proper case for how a building of this size can work without serious problems for Wickham and the surrounding neighbourhoods. It's not just about whether it can physically go up — it's about whether this decision makes sense for the community.

My main concern is community infrastructure. The proposal doesn't adequately address how services like water, sewerage, transport and local facilities would cope with this much added density. A development bringing thousands more people to the area needs to show it won't strain essential services beyond what's reasonable.

The sheer height and scale of this tower makes those concerns worse. I'm not opposed to new housing — we need it — but we shouldn't have to accept unresolved risks with flooding, traffic congestion, wind effects, design quality, public spaces and infrastructure just to get it built.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street. I teach at a local school and spend a lot of time in this area, so I've watched how it's changing over the years.

My main concern is the visual impact of a tower this size. From where I stand—literally, walking around Wickham most days—a 43-storey building is going to fundamentally change what this precinct looks like. The views from Wickham itself, from Honeysuckle, Newcastle West, and along the harbour edge will all be affected. A tower of this height will dominate the skyline in a way that can't be undone. This isn't something to sort out later in the design process. Whether this building fits here or not should be decided now, based on how it actually looks and feels in the landscape.

I'm also worried about the parking shortfall. The application talks around the issue rather than properly explaining how it will work. I need to see actual drawings and concrete operational plans, not just statements about managing it somehow down the track.

I'm not against new housing—we need it. But housing development shouldn't mean we have to accept unresolved problems with flooding, traffic, wind impacts, design quality, public spaces, or infrastructure. These aren't minor details. The applicant needs to show they've actually solved these problems, not just promised to think about them later.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm a student in the area and I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham (SSD-89869959).

My main concern is around wind impacts. I've looked into what's been submitted and the wind tunnel testing has flagged serious safety issues on the upper-level balconies. From what I can see, the mitigation strategy still needs further verification, and I don't think that's good enough. We shouldn't have to accept those kinds of risks without much stronger evidence that they're actually going to be managed properly.

I'm also concerned about how this development will work with crime prevention through environmental design and overall management. Wickham is already dealing with a lot of pressure from traffic, public transport, pedestrians, cyclists and other new building work. Adding a development this size without properly thinking through those impacts doesn't sit right with me.

Because this proposal is so large, I think the consent authority needs to be really careful and base any decision on solid evidence rather than assumptions.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I work in affordable housing advocacy, and I've been following this proposal for 10 Dangar Street pretty closely. What concerns me most is that the design excellence requirements haven't been properly sorted out before this gets approved.

The design excellence pathway is incomplete. There's an Alternative Design Excellence Strategy that hasn't been finished, and the State Design Review Panel raised issues that haven't been fully addressed. This isn't something that can be tidied up later — it matters now, before any approval is given. If the design hasn't gone through proper excellence review, we shouldn't be moving forward.

I'm also worried about how construction will actually be managed day-to-day. The application talks about managing impacts in general terms, but there's nothing specific — no detailed drawings of how traffic and site access will work, no clear operational commitments, just vague promises about intent. That needs to be concrete before we know what we're really approving.

A 43-storey building is a significant intervention in this part of Wickham and Newcastle West. The assessment needs to look at what will actually happen on the ground, not just rely on the fact that there's a train station nearby or that we need more housing. Those things matter, but they're not substitutes for doing the real work on design quality and construction management.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham (SSD-89869959).

I'm a first home buyer in the area, and I'm trying to understand how a 43-storey building fits with what's already been approved for Wickham. From what I can see, this height and the floor space ratio are well above what the current planning controls allow, and I haven't seen a proper explanation for why this particular site deserves such a massive exception.

The scale of this just doesn't seem proportionate to the area. There's nothing in the application that convinces me the community should accept this kind of departure from the existing framework without much stronger justification.

I'm also concerned about where people will park bikes and motorcycles. This part of Wickham already feels congested with traffic, buses, pedestrians and cyclists all competing for space. Adding more residents without addressing these practical issues seems like it's setting up problems down the track.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm renting in Wickham and I'm writing to object to the 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street in its current form.

My main worry is about traffic and road safety. The way vehicles would access the site hasn't been properly worked out. There are real issues around driveway sightlines, how heavy vehicles would move in and out, and how that affects pedestrians and cyclists using Dangar Street. The street has a civic function that matters to how this area works, and I don't think we've got enough evidence to show these problems can be solved safely.

I'm also concerned about flooding. Wickham's already dealing with a lot of pressure from traffic, buses, people walking and cycling, and all the new development that's happening. Adding another major building without addressing flood risk properly doesn't seem right.

I'm not against more housing — the area needs it. But we shouldn't have to accept unresolved problems with flooding, traffic, wind impacts, building design, public spaces or infrastructure just to get it built. These things matter for people living here.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I live in an apartment nearby and I'm writing to object to this application because I don't think the impacts have been properly worked through.

A 43-storey development at this location is a big ask, and the application hasn't made a convincing case that Wickham, Newcastle West and the Newcastle Interchange precinct can absorb it without real problems.

What bothers me most is the public domain and road reserve side of things. The proposal seems to depend on public-domain outcomes, road interfaces and through-site links that haven't been properly locked in or endorsed by the relevant authorities. This isn't something that should be smoothed over later during design development — it's fundamental to whether this should get approval in the first place.

I'm also not satisfied with the design excellence commitment. Right now it's just broad statements of intent. We need actual drawings, specific conditions and clear operational commitments that show how design quality will actually be delivered and maintained.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to SSD-89869959 for the 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham. I live in Newcastle West and this proposal will directly affect my area.

My main concern is around hotel pick-up and drop-off. A building this size will generate constant vehicle movements at street level, and I don't think the application has properly worked through what that actually means for traffic flow and safety in Wickham. The applicant needs to show how this will work in practice, not just assert that it's manageable.

There's also the question of public domain and road reserve. The way the development sits in relation to the street and how people will move through that space doesn't feel properly resolved. These aren't minor details—they matter for how the precinct functions day to day.

The application treats this like it's acceptable just because it's near the Interchange. But proximity to public transport doesn't automatically solve the real-world problems a 43-storey hotel will create. I need to see actual evidence that the impacts have been thought through properly, not general statements about housing supply or transport.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham.

I've lived in Wickham for several years now, and I'm genuinely concerned about whether a development of this size can work without causing real problems for the neighbourhood. The applicant needs to demonstrate that this actually fits with what Wickham, Newcastle West and the Newcastle Interchange precinct can handle.

My main concern is the parking shortfall. This isn't just about whether they can technically build a tower here — it's about whether they've actually shown that the outcome is fair, safe and proportionate. I don't see how you can justify this scale of development without sorting out the parking properly. People still need to park their cars, and pushing that problem onto local streets isn't an acceptable solution.

There's also the aviation and crane risk issue, which adds to my concerns that this application simply isn't ready for approval yet.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm a renter in Wickham and I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street.

My main concern is about hotel pick-up and drop-off. A building this size will generate a lot of traffic, and I don't think the application has properly shown how that will work without creating real problems for the surrounding streets. It's not just about whether you can physically build a tower here — it's about whether the developer has actually thought through what happens on the ground.

The public domain and road reserve issues add to this. These aren't minor details. They're part of why this application feels premature to me. We need to know the actual impacts this will have, not just hear that it's close to the transport interchange or that we need more housing.

I'd like to see DPHI and City of Newcastle ask for more detailed information about traffic and movement, get independent peer review of those plans, and put proper enforceable conditions in place before anyone approves this.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I've lived in Maryville for over a decade now, and I'm worried that this application hasn't properly shown how a 43-storey development can work at 10 Dangar Street without causing real problems for our area.

This location sits in a flood zone with existing infrastructure limits, so we need to be careful about life safety, basement protection, emergency access, and where people would shelter during events. That's not something to rush through.

What's particularly unclear is where people will actually park their bikes and motorcycles. Combined with the unresolved stormwater and drainage questions, there are too many unknowns. The proposal shouldn't move forward without a proper independent review of these issues.

I'm not against new housing — we need it in the right places. But we shouldn't accept unresolved flood risks, traffic problems, wind impacts, design concerns, or infrastructure gaps just to get more apartments built.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham.

I live in an apartment nearby and I'm genuinely worried about how this project will work in practice. A building this size needs to come with realistic solutions, not just promises on paper.

My main concern is parking. The development doesn't show anywhere near enough spaces for the number of people who'll be living and working there. That means more cars circling the streets looking for spots, more congestion in our neighbourhood, and more pressure on the limited parking we already have. It's not enough to just build the tower and hope it sorts itself out — the applicant needs to prove the parking problem won't simply shift onto the rest of us.

I'm also concerned about the aviation and crane safety risks during construction. These aren't minor details that can be worked out later.