10 Dangar St Wickham Mixed-use development

As a flood risk professional, I've worked on enough transport and urban design projects to know when the planning details don't add up. My concern here is specifically about the hotel pick-up and drop-off arrangements. A development this size will generate significant vehicle movements, and the application hasn't adequately addressed how those are going to work in practice on Dangar Street and the surrounding road network.

This isn't about whether the tower can technically be built. It's about whether the applicant has actually shown that the pick-up and drop-off operations can happen safely and without creating traffic chaos in the precinct around the Newcastle Interchange. The documents don't convince me they have.

The way the public domain and road reserve issues interact with this only makes it worse. The whole thing feels premature — there are too many unknowns about how the traffic management will actually function on the ground.

Dear Assessment Officer,

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

As an environmental professional, I've spent years looking at how development impacts neighbourhoods and surrounding areas. What concerns me here is that the applicant hasn't adequately demonstrated this tower can function without creating real problems for Wickham, Newcastle West and the Newcastle Interchange precinct.

My main concern is the parking shortfall. A development this size generates significant demand, and the plans don't show where people will actually park. It's not enough to say a building can technically be constructed—the applicant needs to prove the outcome is workable and fair for the area. The shortfall in parking spaces would inevitably push vehicles onto local streets, creating congestion and frustration for residents who already navigate this precinct.

There's also the issue of aviation and crane risk during construction, which adds another layer of concern about whether this application is ready for determination.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street because I don't think the flood risk has been properly addressed.

I'm a student living in Wickham, and this area is my home. The development is massive compared to what's already here, and it's going to set the tone for how Wickham develops in the future. That's a big deal, and it needs to be done right.

My main concern is flooding. The application hasn't convinced me that a building this size won't make flooding worse in Wickham and Newcastle West. I've seen how water moves through these streets when it rains heavily, and I'm worried about what happens when you add a 43-storey tower to the mix. The applicant needs to show much clearer evidence that this won't create problems for the people living here.

There are also issues with traffic and road safety that haven't been sorted out properly either. Before you approve something this big and different from what the planning rules currently allow, the applicant should have to make binding commitments that actually solve these problems.

Dear Assessment Officer,

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

I work as a teacher in the area, and I'm concerned that the application hasn't adequately shown how a development of this scale can work without causing real problems for Wickham, Newcastle West and the Newcastle Interchange precinct.

My main issue is around basement safety. It's not just about whether they can physically build it — it's about whether they've actually proven this will be safe and proportionate for the area.

The wind impacts add another layer to why I think this application isn't ready to be approved yet.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham. As a member of the strata committee in this area, I've got a direct stake in how this project affects our neighbourhood.

My main concern is that the application hasn't properly addressed what happens when you put a building this size in a location that's already dealing with significant constraints. The bicycle and motorcycle parking provisions are particularly unclear — there's no detail about where residents and visitors will actually store bikes, or how many spaces are being provided relative to demand. That's a real problem for a 43-storey tower.

Beyond parking, there are broader issues that need sorting. This area is flood-affected and already stretched for infrastructure. The stormwater and drainage implications haven't been adequately resolved, and that worries me given the basement parking and the flood risk. Emergency access and evacuation arrangements need careful thought too, but I don't see evidence that's been properly worked through.

I'm not opposed to new housing — we need it. But it has to go in the right places with the right planning. Housing numbers shouldn't mean we ignore genuine risks around flooding, traffic, wind impacts, or design quality that affects everyone living and working here.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I've been working in heritage conservation for over a decade, and I'm genuinely concerned about what this 43-storey proposal could do to Wickham's character. The application just doesn't adequately show how the impacts can be managed.

The main issue for me is heritage and townscape. A building of this scale with that podium-to-tower relationship has real potential to damage the setting of our heritage items and fundamentally change what Newcastle's city centre feels like. This isn't something that can be sorted out later in the design process — it's central to whether this proposal should be approved at all.

I'm also worried about the visual impact. The drawings and documentation provided don't directly show us how this will actually look or work in practice. There are broad statements about managing impacts, but nothing concrete with clear drawings, binding conditions, or operational commitments that we can assess properly.

Before the community is asked to accept such a major change to the planning rules, the applicant needs to provide real evidence and binding guarantees that address these concerns. We shouldn't be approving something this significant on the basis of vague promises about later refinements.

Dear Assessment Officer,

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

I've lived in this area for several years as a local ratepayer, and I'm genuinely concerned about what's being proposed here. A 43-storey building just doesn't fit with what Wickham is, and I haven't seen any convincing explanation for why this site should get such an enormous exception to the planning rules we all work within.

The height and scale are the real issue for me. The current controls exist for a reason, and this application is asking for something way beyond them. Without proper justification for such a dramatic uplift, I don't think the community should just have to accept it.

There's also the practical side of things. The bicycle and motorcycle parking arrangements aren't adequately addressed, which matters because this section of Wickham already handles a lot—traffic congestion, public transport, pedestrians, cyclists moving around. Adding another major development without sorting out how people will actually get here and park makes things worse for everyone already living and working here.

Dear Assessment Officer,

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

The wind impacts are my main concern. The wind tunnel testing has flagged serious safety issues on the upper-level balconies, and from what I can see, the proposed fixes still need further verification. I don't think residents and workers should have to deal with unresolved safety problems like this, especially without clearer evidence that the mitigation will actually work.

I'm also worried about how this development will affect the way the precinct functions. Wickham and Newcastle West are already dealing with a lot of pressure from traffic, public transport, pedestrians and cyclists. Adding a building of this scale without properly addressing management and safety issues will only make things harder.

Given how large this proposal is, I think the consent authority needs to take a careful, evidence-based approach rather than just accepting what's been presented so far.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I've lived in this area for a long time, and I want to raise some serious concerns about this 43-storey proposal at 10 Dangar Street.

The scale of what's being proposed here troubles me. I don't see how a development this large can work without creating real problems for Wickham, Newcastle West, and the whole Interchange precinct. The application just hasn't shown that it can be done properly.

What really bothers me most is the design. The design excellence process is still up in the air—there's no complete Alternative Design Excellence Strategy, and the State Design Review Panel's issues haven't been properly answered. This isn't something that should be sorted out later on. It's fundamental to whether this should be approved at all.

Then there's construction. The applicant has given us broad statements about managing impacts, but nothing concrete. We need actual drawings, clear conditions, and real commitments about how work will happen on site. That's not too much to ask.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm a first home buyer looking at properties in the area, and I'm worried this application hasn't properly shown how a 43-storey development can work here without creating real problems for Wickham and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

What concerns me most is the public domain and road reserve. The proposal seems to depend on outcomes and interfaces with public land that aren't properly locked in or confirmed. These aren't small details that can be sorted out later—they're fundamental to whether this should be approved at all.

I'm also not convinced the design excellence has been properly demonstrated. The application should show clearly how this will actually be managed, with specific drawings and conditions, not just vague statements about what they intend to do.

With a development this large, the assessment needs to be careful and based on solid evidence rather than assumptions.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street because I don't think it should be approved as it currently stands.

I've lived and worked in Wickham as an artist for several years, and I'm genuinely concerned that a project of this scale hasn't properly demonstrated it can work here without serious problems for the neighbourhood, Newcastle West, and the Newcastle Interchange precinct.

My biggest issue is the affordable housing component and what's actually being offered to the community. The public benefit claims need much clearer details — things like how long the affordable units stay affordable, how rents are set, who manages it, and whether what's being offered is actually fair given how much the developer is gaining from this uplift. Right now it feels vague, and I don't think we should accept impacts of this magnitude without concrete answers.

I'm also concerned about what happens when you layer this development on top of everything already happening in this area. Traffic, buses, pedestrians, bikes, and all the other new building going on — it's already quite a lot. This proposal needs to be judged on what it actually does to Wickham, not just because it's near a train station or because Newcastle needs more housing in general.

Dear Assessment Officer,

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

I've been involved with the local community group here for several years, and we're genuinely worried about whether a building of this size can go ahead without causing real damage to the area. The application just hasn't shown us that it can work without creating serious problems for Wickham, Newcastle West and the Newcastle Interchange.

My main concern is the construction phase. This isn't just about whether it's technically possible to build a tower — it's about whether the applicant has actually thought through what a fair outcome looks like for the people who live and work nearby. The dust, the traffic disruption, the noise over what will likely be years of work — none of this feels properly considered in what they've submitted.

Then there's the hotel component. Adding pick-up and drop-off for hotel guests on top of everything else just makes the whole thing feel premature to me. We haven't had the chance to properly understand the everyday impacts before they're throwing this extra layer on.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm a delivery driver covering the Wickham and Newcastle West area, so I'm on these streets most days. I don't think this application should be approved as it stands.

A 43-storey building is a massive jump in scale, and I haven't seen the applicant properly show that Wickham can handle something this big without serious problems. The streets around here, the Newcastle Interchange, the whole feel of the precinct — this development would change all that, and it would set the tone for everything built after it.

What concerns me most is that no one's properly looked at what happens when you pile this on top of everything else already happening in the area. And the affordable housing and public benefits being offered don't seem anywhere near enough to justify asking for a development this large.

Because of the sheer size of what's being proposed, the assessment needs to be careful and based on solid evidence. I'm not convinced that's happened yet.

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

My main concern is the aviation and crane risk that hasn't been properly addressed in the application. Building a tower this tall in this location isn't just a matter of whether it can physically be constructed—the applicant needs to demonstrate that it can be done safely without creating unacceptable hazards for the surrounding area, including Wickham, Newcastle West, and the Newcastle Interchange precinct.

The heritage and townscape issues add to my concerns that this application simply isn't ready for approval yet.

I'm not opposed to new housing, but we shouldn't be rushing into approvals when there are still unresolved questions around flood risk, traffic impacts, wind effects, design outcomes, public domain issues, and infrastructure capacity. These need to be sorted out properly before anything gets approved.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I work in hotel accommodation here in Newcastle, and I've got real concerns about whether this development can actually be managed properly.

A 43-storey building at this scale needs to demonstrate it won't create unacceptable impacts on Wickham, Newcastle West and the surrounding precinct. The application just hasn't shown that convincingly. I'm not seeing how the operational side of something this big gets handled in practice.

What worries me most is that this site is in a flood-affected area with already stretched infrastructure. The basement safety, emergency access, and what happens if people need to shelter during an event — these aren't minor details. They need to be treated with real caution, not glossed over.

There are also unresolved questions around CPTED and how the building will actually be managed day-to-day, plus the loading and servicing logistics. Those operational realities matter. The proposal hasn't adequately addressed them, and I don't think approval should happen without an independent technical review of these specific issues.

I work in hotel accommodation here in Newcastle and I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street Wickham.

My main concern is around stormwater and drainage. The application hasn't convinced me that the systems proposed can actually handle what a development this size will generate. We already see water management issues in this part of Wickham when we get heavy rain, and adding a massive building like this without solid proof it won't make things worse feels like a real risk.

I'm also worried about community infrastructure more broadly. The area around Dangar Street and the Interchange is already busy with pedestrians, cyclists, delivery vehicles and service movements. A 43-storey tower is a huge departure from what's currently there, and the application just hasn't shown adequately that the existing services and facilities can cope.

What concerns me most is that these critical issues — stormwater, drainage, and infrastructure — seem to be getting pushed off to "operational plans" down the track. That's not good enough. These need to be resolved properly before approval, not left as problems to sort out later.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I work in the area around Dangar Street and see firsthand how the precinct operates day to day. I'm writing to object to this 43-storey development because I don't think the application has properly addressed the stormwater and drainage impacts.

The streets around here already deal with a lot of traffic and pedestrian movement. Adding a building of this size will put serious pressure on systems that are already stretched. But the application hasn't given us clear evidence that the stormwater and drainage can actually handle it. They've basically said they'll sort it out later through operational plans, and that's not good enough.

The same goes for community infrastructure. These aren't minor details that can be worked through after approval — they need to be resolved now, as part of the decision-making process.

If this development is going to happen, the applicant needs to show concrete evidence that the drainage will work and commit to specific outcomes in writing. Vague assurances and conditions to be figured out down the track don't give me confidence that this has been properly thought through.

I work as a delivery driver around Wickham and Newcastle West, and I've got real concerns about whether this 43-storey development can actually be managed properly.

The scale of what's being proposed just doesn't match what the application shows. There's no solid evidence that impacts on the area can be kept to acceptable levels. This isn't just about having a big building — it's about whether the systems to run it safely are actually in place.

What worries me most is the location itself. It's flood-affected and already pushing the limits of what the infrastructure can handle. When you add basement levels, emergency access, and shelter arrangements into that mix, you need to be really careful about the risks. I don't see that caution reflected in what's been submitted.

The CPTED and management plan is still unresolved. The loading and servicing arrangements aren't clear either. These aren't minor details — they're fundamental to how the building would actually operate day-to-day. Without proper independent review of these issues, this shouldn't go ahead.

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street in Wickham. I work as a rideshare driver around Newcastle, so I see firsthand how the traffic and congestion issues play out in this area.

My main concern is that no one's properly looked at what this development will actually do to the precinct when you add it on top of everything else that's already happening. The application doesn't show that a building of this size can work here without creating real problems for Wickham, Newcastle West, and the Newcastle Interchange area.

What worries me most is the precedent this sets. If this gets approved, it signals that this kind of height and density is acceptable in this part of the city. That's a big call to make, and it should only happen if the impacts have been thoroughly worked through.

Looking at what's been submitted, I don't think the cumulative impacts question has been answered properly. The affordable housing and public benefit commitments don't seem substantial enough to justify asking for this kind of uplift in what the area is currently zoned for. Those two things need to be locked in much more clearly before this should move forward.

Dear Assessment Officer,

I'm writing to object to the proposed 43-storey development at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham (SSD-89869959). I'm involved with our local community group and we've been following this application closely.

My main concern is the aviation and crane risk. The assessment doesn't adequately address how construction and operation of a building this tall can be managed safely in this location. It's not enough to say the tower can physically be built — we need clear evidence that the applicant has worked through the actual safety implications and come up with solutions that are proportionate and fair to people living and working nearby.

On top of that, there are serious questions about heritage and how this building fits into the local townscape. These issues aren't resolved, and they make me think the application isn't ready for approval.

I'm not opposed to new housing here. We need it. But delivering housing shouldn't mean brushing past unsolved problems around flooding, traffic, wind effects, design quality, public spaces, or whether the local infrastructure can handle it.