Mod 13 - New Hotel & Apartments

I believe the tower is way too high and it is not in keeping with its
surroundings. The casino was approved on basis that it would never
exceed the height of the power station that was previously on the
site.

I wish to object to this application on the following grounds
Height
This is out of scale with all the other high rise in pyrmont which are
predominantly a maximum of 20 stories or 60m
Traffic
The area is already very congested and the traffic generated by a
development of this scale will have a huge adverse impact on local
traffic

LEP
I understand that this is non compliant with the LEP. This should be
complied with within a small margin of flexibility.

We are the strata managers for Strata Plan 60040 (John St Square) located
on the site bound by John St, Harris St and Harvey St and write to you
on behalf of the owners corporation to lodge an objection to the
proposed modifications as follows:

1. The development breaches height and zone restrictions within the
area.

2. This proposal betrays promises to the community when the casino was
first approved that development would never exceed the height of the
Pyrmont Power Station stack demolished for the facility.

3. This proposal is an oval shaped tower with facades to the east and
west. There have been shadow projections as part of the DA, but there
has been no Reflection Projections off the glass windows due to the
western sun. The reflection from the glass will directly and
negatively impact the residents of SP6004. There is already an impact
of the Barangaroo Towers on the John St Square building in the late
afternoon and early evening, and the Star Casino will only exacerbate
this problem. The glare needs to be minimised and dealt with
adequately.

4. Pyrmont does not have any major roads. The proposed plans include a
200 car space for not only the "visitors" but the planned apartments.
The increase in traffic through narrow roads will grossly increase
with no obvious plans to improve the local infrastructure.

5. There have been no provisions made or planned for the disruptions
to traffic in Pyrmont during the build for the years that it will take
to build.

6. Changes fail to represent strategic planning for the region.

7. Insufficient time has been given for the community to fully grasp
the proposal and negative impact it will have on residents,.

I wish to lodge an objection to the proposed Ritz-Carlton
Hotel/apartments addition to The Star Casino.
Firstly, the fact that this is being considered as a "modification" to
the original development consent seems laughable. It is a major
addition to the casino site and, as I understand it, the height of the
proposed building far exceeds the height limits imposed by the
original DA for the casino. Surely that alone is justification for a
completely new development application.
Even if that is not the case, the height and bulk of this building is
completely out of proportion for the area.
I concede that times must change and that Sydney must go up, but this
proposal is ludicrously out of character for the area and must not
then be used as a precedent for what else can be permitted.
Further, if this is an additional hotel intended to service the
casino, then why the inclusion of apartments? They have nothing to do
with the use and enjoyment of this "entertainment, tourism and
recreation" quarter.
They are simply included to allow the developer a quicker return on
outlay (as are the apartments in the Packer development across the
water).
Pyrmont does not suffer a shortage of apartments!
I don't object to apartments per se (I live in one!) and on the whole,
the re-development of Pyrmont over the last decade or so has been
tasteful and proportionate. These apartments will be ridiculously
priced, will do nothing to add to affordable housing and, one
imagines, will be largely uninhabited on any kind of permanent basis,
as it can be guessed, they will be sold overseas.
If the apartments were deleted, at the very least, this would greatly
reduce the size and bulk of this ugly, out-of-place building.
I urge you to please consider this and the many objections and
petitions you are receiving in opposition to this over-development,
which has been spurred on, it seems, in order to compete with the
Packer development across the water (as if the Sydney CBD needs two
casinos anyway!).
Thank you
Roslyn Forrest

The height of the proposed building is unacceptable as it will cast a
shadow over most of pyrmont and impact on residences living in the
area.

The building is going to have an impact on the traffic within the area
which is already an issue in Pyrmont during peak times.

The height of this development is not in keeping with the Pyrmont area.

To Whom it May Concern

I have been a resident of Pyrmont since 2005 and have lived in four
different buildings in the area. I have also served as the Strata
Committee Chairman of two of - including my current residence (The
Point apartments contain 76 apartments).

Whilst living in Pyrmont I have married and also became the father to
two children.

Accordingly, as a father, a property owner, and a resident, I am very
mindful of the development of my suburb and what new developments
bring to the area.

I support the development of the Star site incorporating a new Ritz
Carlton hotel.

In addition to providing much needed additional luxury hotel
accomodation to the city, I have been impressed at the extent to which
the Star has not only engaged with the local community, but also the
provision for community space within the proposed development.

There is no doubt with the development of Barangaroo and the ongoing
renewal of the City of Sydney, areas like Pyrmont will remain sought
after for residents and tourists alike.

While Pyrmont has had much development of high and medium density
housing over the past twenty years, the requirements of the Sydney
City Council have ensured these have been high quality developments -
I can speak with first hand knowledge of this!

The proposed development by the Star with a new hotel as well as
residential accomodation at a very high standard is desperately needed
in Pyrmont.

Not only am I of the strong view such a development is required, I am
also excited at the additional amenities in restaurants and retail
that will come with such a development. It will only improve our
suburb and I commend it to Council.

I would be more than willing to expand on these comments at any time.

Pyrmont was a quiet suburb near the City. A 237m tower will make whole
suburb noisy and precarious. It is not appropriate to the look and
feel of Pyrmont. The new hotel is undesired in Pyrmont as there are
more than 3 luxurious hotel buildings in Barangaroo. Fire safety is
another issue need to be worried about seriously.

I object against this tall building. It causes too much shadow, to much
additional traffic on such a small piece of environment

I object to it

I strongly object to the high rise tower part of the development. The
height and scale are disproportionate to surrounding existing
structures, the building will block natural light and create
overshadowing effects. It would be an eyesore.
There appears to be a resurgence in the area of whose building is
bigger - this is self serving, does not promote any sense of community
building and is disappointing.
The associated traffic generation from the overall development is a
big concern. Pyrmont already experiences traffic congestion especially
at peak times and weekends and the additional traffic generated by the
development is not acceptable. Not to mention the strain on already
limited street parking.
While some aspects of the development may be reasonable, a 235m tower
is not

First, it is an absurdity to suggest this massively over-sized structure
is a 'modification' to the original design. Allowing it to be
considered as such is an abuse of the public faith and makes a mockery
of formal approval processes.

Second, this structure is completely out of context with its
surrounds. It will never ever sit within a context of similarly sized
structures. It will forever be a sad representation of one casino's
attempt to maintain relevance through simply building a larger
structure, in the face of the threat imposed by a new competitor. Such
an approach may be appropriate in a cityscape such as New York or Las
Vegas. It is not appropriate for Pyrmont. Sydneysiders deserve better.
If this is all Star can come up with to compete, their lack of
imagination and lack of competitive imagination should not be approved
by a govt body that should demand more - for the sake of future
generations.

Third, the building's physical design signals its inherent lack of
suitability for the local community. It is narrower at the bottom than
at the top in a poor attempt to limit the impact on existing
residents' views. The question is begged however as to why a structure
should be built that is entirely out of context with neighbours,
causing such a problem in the first place. This is not to mention the
natural light it removes from a significant number of Pyrmont
residences and its traffic implication in an already very built up
area.

This building impacts negatively on its surrounds. It will never sit
in an appropriate context so it will always simply be a blight on the
area.

The Committee for Sydney welcomes the opportunity to comment on this
consultation.

The Committee recognises the importance of the accommodation sector to
the continued and future success of Sydney's visitor economy. Sydney
is the tourist gateway to Australia and well positioned to reap the
benefits of increased tourist numbers, particularly from emerging
economies in Asia.

However, with the average Sydney city centre hotel occupancy rate at
over 80 per cent and often near to full capacity during peak holiday
periods and major events, there is a clear need for additional hotel
accommodation infrastructure in the city. Sydney is renowned as a
high-quality global destination for tourism, but faces competition
from other cities, many of which have invested in new hotel
infrastructure.

The Committee also welcomes the development of the Western Harbour
Precinct as a hub for tourism, commerce and entertainment. A central
part of developing the precinct will be the addition of new
infrastructure, including additional hotel and entertainment space.
Building upon the success of the Barangaroo and the ICC, new hotel
amenities could increase footfall and spend in the area, both from
domestic and international visors. The Ritz-Carlton development could
also create vital new accommodation space for international business
travellers attending major events and conferences in Sydney.

Encouraging more tourists to come to Sydney - and increasing the
amount of days they spend in the city - will help to grow the city's
economy and is likely to have knock-on benefits to the wider tourism,
entertainment, retail and cultural sectors. The development of an
iconic branded hotel such as the Ritz-Carlton will help to provide
greater consumer choice and an enhanced visitor experience in Sydney.

Whilst we cannot comment on the design of the Ritz-Carlton project, we
commend the proposal to create an additional five stories of community
amenities including a social enterprise café and tech hub, as part of
the development.

Department of Planning and Environment
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001

Attn: Matthew Rosel
Re: MP08_0098 - Modification 13 - Construction of a new hotel and
residential tower and alterations to existing building
As a Pyrmont resident I am writing concerning The Star's proposal to
build a new Ritz-Carlton Hotel . I am supportive of the proposal.

I think the design is modern and refreshing. It will certainly enhance
the Pyrmont and city skyline. I like the idea of the green spine -
this will certainly make the building unique but also iconic in that
it will stand out from other towers especially those that have been
built in Barangaroo.

I am supportive of The Star's proposal for the community neighbourhood
centre as well. We need more community facilities in the Pyrmont area
and it's good to see The Star responding to this need.

While there has been attention given to the Tower, I think there are
other positive aspects - the additional restaurants, cafes and bars
that are proposed as well as the opening up of the light rail station
- we just need more light rail services to cope with the large numbers
using the service these days.

Again I support the application and look forward to the day it is open
for business.

Your sincerely,

I am a unit owner and occupier of the above residence which is within
400m of the proposed tower. This proposal will significantly impact
the amenity and character of the area as well as directly impacting my
quiet enjoyment of my home. How will it impact me ?
- privacy as the tower will look directly over my apartment and
courtyard
- noise - I am already impacted by people leaving the casino loudly
where they park in our street so a development of this nature will
only further exasperate this
- natural sun light...this HUGE building will cause shadowing of
surrounding buildings, streets, parks and of course Darling Harbour ad
the water !!
- traffic congestion - we are already suffering major traffic problems
entering and leaving Pyrmont - to have another major hotel (220
rooms)with all associated services (buses,taxis,ubers etc) and
additional support to maintain the hotel (food trucks, maintenance
services, staff movements etc) PLUS a huge residential component (204
apartments)with over 200+ cars - the road system was never designed to
cater for this huge increase in volume of traffic and will cause great
impact on residents and visitors to Pyrmont and surrounds
The Casino site is already maximised and at no time did Planning for
the area allow or contemplate a 237m tower high than most building in
the centre of the city !!!

The Star's proposed building will be an eyesore and it will dwarf the
naturally beautiful features that Sydney has and could have. It is not
in keeping with the style of Pyrmont, and not in keeping with any
style that Sydney or Australia should have.

The general problem with the modern architecture in Sydney is that it
is a mismatch of styles. It's as if the architects come to Sydney to
practice their ideas and each building seems to have no atheistic
relationship to the surrounding buildings or to an overall style.
Whereas other cities in the world have a distinctive style, the modern
Sydney doesn't have that.

The Star is even worse than that because it is just company directors
using other people's money to build something bigger than Barangaroo,
and they will be just places to launder money. Perhaps the government
wants to create a location where all the money laundering can occur in
one place so they can keep an eye on them?

If they want to build something then they should build something with
style that fits in with a lower skyline, not some monstrosity that
rises above the city like a ridiculous eyesore.

Dear Director,

On behalf of XXXX we support the above application which is currently
exhibited.

Pyrmont has become a precinct of world class entertainment prompting
Sydney as destination for both domestic and international tourism.

To maintain international status Sydney is in need of the proposed
development.

With investment of over $500 million this will create jobs during and
post construction, the re-introduction of The Ritz-Carlton is a major
win for Sydney.

The development will also stimulate small and large business
confidence into Pyrmont.

XXXXX is an established and successful catering & venue business
located in Pyrmont since 1998, we have witnesses the maturity of
Pyrmont and over the last 20 years.

Today XXXX is home to the heritage listed Jones Bay Wharf circa 1919
and Darling Island Wharf within the Workplace6 building being the
first 6 green star building & venue in Australia, combined we employ
over 350 people just within Pyrmont.

Being a Family business we rely on the investments of both State &
Federal Government's and their support for such developments as
proposed by The Star.

I urge the department to look favourable into this Development
Application.

Yours Faithfully,

I support this application.

I do so in my capacity as the owner of a 2 bedroom apartment in Harris
Street Pyrmont, approximately 200 metres from The Star casino.

Since purchasing my apartment in 2009, I have been fortunate too see
the local Pyrmont area evolve from a insular and withdrawn peninsula,
into a thriving cosmopolitan extension of Sydney's CBD. This has
included the completion of significant residential developments in
Distillery Drive; the beautification of streetscapes and footpaths
around Union Square; new transport options like the light rail; new
investment by a range of food and beverage outlets, including Gallon
Bar, the Terminus Hotel, and various eateries along Harris Street. As
an investor, and lover of the Pyrmont area, this transformation of
Pyrmont has been very positive.

The plans by the applicant to build a mixed residential and hotel
tower represent another significant positive development in Pyrmont's
story, and like those examples I have described above, is entirely
consistent with the ongoing transformation and renewal of an area,
that only a few short years ago, was nothing more than a "rat shack".

Private investment like the applicant proposes don't come around
often, and as a local property owner, I do not want to let this
opportunity pass our local area by. This development will not only go
to assisting with Sydney's severe accommodation shortage, and thus
ensure Sydney remains as one of the world's top tourism destinations,.
it will encourage investment by others in our area - for example, the
proposed metro line through Pyrmont, the re-development of the Sydney
Fish Markets, and the transformation of the Bays precinct.

Quite simply, this opportunity is a "game changer". I fully support
it, and I encourage others in our area to open their minds more
broadly that their own back yard.

I support The Star's proposal for a new hotel and residential tower. I
believe this development is much needed for our city and will add
value to the Pyrmont community.

I believe a separate, new application should be made for this proposal,
given that it includes such a large number of residential apartments.
This is not a "modification" of the original proposal.

The proposal to add extra car spaces because of the residential
apartments is unacceptable as the area is already overburdened with
traffic.

I consider a tower of this size and dimension is overbearing in this
location. As well as overshadowing some properties, it will block out
a significant part of the skyline and obscure any view of the Anzac
Bridge towers from the shoreline. The quiet beauty of Pyrmont Bay,
which is low rise, will be lost. I feel any development on this site
should co-exist with its surroundings rather than dominate them.

Indeed, an overbearing tower can impact on the mental health of
apartment dwellers who need to look out to clear sky and not be hemmed
in by buildings. Many people who downsized and moved from the suburbs
chose Pyrmont over the CBD because it still had a semblance of space.
This tower removes that feeling. It will dominate the Pyrmont area
from all angles because of its height. Likewise, the effects of
shadowing, and the reduction of sunlight, on Union Square, Pyrmont Bay
Park and other recreational & pedestrian precincts is unacceptable.

Traffic in the area is already beyond capacity on Friday and Saturday
nights and at other times when patrons are leaving the Lyric Theatre
or when the casino is hosting a major event.
Making Pirrama Road the focus for entrances & exits to the casino,
hotel & apartments will make this roadway a nightmare. Pirrama Road
traffic is already chaotic without adding to it. The additional
Pyrmont Street exit/entry is too limited in its ability to reduce the
Pirrama Road mess.

The proposed right hand turn from the service road into Pirrama Road,
adjacent to the Channel 7 building, is dangerous given its proximity
to the Jones Bay Road/Darling Island Road intersection. I urge
planners to re-look at the use of the exit along the service road -
both during and after any construction phase. Apart from the danger
posed by a right hand turn, traffic entering Pirrama Road at this
point will seriously impede the flow of other traffic in this area and
only add to the congestion near the roundabout.

I ask that state planners also reject the extension of the nightclub
space. Lockout laws etc. have already resulted in increased
anti-social behaviours by patrons when they leave and move into the
local area. Increasing the space and therefore increasing the number
of patrons will only add to the loss of amenity and increased safety
concerns of local residents.