As a civil engineer, I've spent years working on projects across Newcastle, and I'm concerned this application doesn't adequately demonstrate that a 43-storey development can be accommodated here without creating serious problems for the precinct. The proposed height and FSR are well beyond what the current planning controls allow, and I haven't seen a compelling justification for why this particular site warrants such a significant departure from the existing framework.

Height and scale are my primary concern. The sheer uplift being requested needs to be backed by stronger evidence than what's been provided. The community shouldn't be expected to absorb this level of impact without understanding why it's necessary or what it will actually mean on the ground.

We are renting across the street at number 17, and this house is old. like really old.
Ever since construction on this eyesore has started our house has been non stop shaking, plaster falling off, photos breaking and technology wobbling and now there is a solid slant to our foundation that is huge and noticeable and was not there previously.
We understand that the construction wont stop, but this build will destroy our house.

The development is too intensive - this causes traffic significant issue, espectially around the interchange and right the main and business T-intersection. It is too high which is much high than the height limit the Newcasty le has been managed for overall the city development for future. All other building in the same street/front row is around under 20 story height and and higher in the back street/row. This will shape the city look and management and development is better.

Also, historically the previous developer had an issue with water when they dug up for foundation and went broken. It is concern if the foundation with water/flood naturally like this will be a good foundation for such high story building Or it could result to leaning/sinking by time. This will impact the entire environment and the interchange - public service for people's safety.

In addition to this, I concern whether or not their idea to offer some affordable housing = like housing commission to gain the approval as housing shortage has been an issue. Because the location is right the most expensive areas in Newcastle CBD, as well as the housing commission will be mixed within they fancy hotel room and mall complex? Does not make sense.
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i would request to take very careful consideration into this

The project is too large for the Newcastle landscape and lot size. It will encroach upon the surrounding area and produce a large eyesore.
There are insufficient parking spaces in the building project.

It needs to be downsized and parking spaces doubled.
No matter what developers and the government say the majority of humans are lazy and rarely walk. Plus public transportation in Newcastle is abysmal.

Wickham is a small village with increasing crime and many high rise buildings. A plan was put in place to protect this village and now this plan has been overridden by the State Government. While I am totally in favour of public housing to have co living rooms with shared bathrooms for this amount of rooms is a disgrace for these people to endure. Is it safe for a single lady to be going across a public hallway in the middle of the night in pyjamas? Would you?. This is a boarding house disguised as affordable housing. From my experience renting in affordable housing, this increases stress and animosity between renters. My suggestion is to remove some of the “luxury apartments” and at least put a small bathroom in these rooms. Also the number of car parking spaces is insufficient for the number of residents. Parking is difficult in Wickham now, but adding more residents with inadequate parking is wrong. Just because someone needs housing does not mean they dont t own a car. The public transport from the interchange is insufficient now. Our crime rate and safety is at risk and this development adds to my stress where at my age of 75 I need politicians to ensure my safety.

I object to the proposed 43 storey mixed development project for the following reasons:
1. A 43 storey building complex is totally out of character with existing buildings, both in height and use. For example, the new Store complex is 26 storeys high, the complex I live in is 4 storeys high, other existing apartment complexes are between 10 and 20 storeys high. The proposed complex is double that of the neighbouring buildings in the precinct. If the planners want an example of a building that "fits" the existing environment, I would suggest the developers look carefully at the Little National Hotel on Honeysuckle Drive. For the area, it is the right size with little impact parking-wise for surrounding residents.
2. There is very little street parking near the proposed complex. For example, the drop off at Newcastle Interchange is 3 car spaces long and has a 5 minute drop off time! Residents of the proposed complex (hotel patrons and apartment residents) will not be able to park out the front of the complex because one cannot stop in Hunter Street or Stewart Avenue, so non- residents will be forced into already congested space surrounding the complex. The last large car park on Honeysuckle Drive is slated for development in the near future. That's it, no additional car spaces along Honeysuckle Drive at all.
3. When the Store complex is finished there will be congestion in the area of Hunter Street. A 43 storey complex will only add to existing parking congestion.
4. For years Newcastle City Council and the Hunter Development Corporation have promoted the idea of a "village atmosphere" in the area of the proposed 43 storey building ie Wickham, Carrington, Tighes Hill etc. How would a 43 storey building possibly "fit" that concept??
My suggestion to the developers would be to go back and trim the building plans to match the existing height structures in the surrounding areas, ie the Store complex. I do not want to see some 43 storey Sydney eyesore.

I oppose the proposed development and rezoning of 10 Dangar St Wickham.

I reside in a nearby apartment building and am not opposed to high-density living in general. For this application I have several comments and concerns.

- The decision to allow this development application as a SSA is disappointing, and discards the effective planning and development programs run by City of Newcastle. This includes the Wickham Masterplan, which has been effectively delivering housing in the Wickham area.

- The building height is not in keeping with the character of the area. Perhaps the strongest evidence for this is found in appendix R1, showing the absurd visual impact (e.g. page 34) of the proposed development on the Newcastle skyline. The building negatively impacts the visual appearance of the area, despite the claims made in the visual impact report.

- Community consultation was undertaken and concerns were noted, but it doesn’t appear that any feedback has been taken on board to revise the application. Such a disregard for the community is insulting.

- Proximal to the train station, there is significant pedestrian and vehicular activity along Station St, Charles St, Dangar St and Bishopsgate St at all hours of the day. The increased vehicular activity with the underground car park and hotel will significantly complicate pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular movement through the area. The uplift to enable green travel seems to be negligible beyond encouragement to occupants.

- The 215 new car parks allocated are not sufficient for the approximately 640 new residents (442 in units, 198 in co-living units) housed in the site, let alone the 171 new hotel rooms. My evidence for this claim lies in my residence in a nearby apartment, and knowledge of the car parking struggles in my own building.

I support the original DA for the site (D2018/0119 then DA2022/00448) and strongly urge a return to this design, or something of similar envelope and scale. Alternatively, I would suggest the development consist only of the units and hotel, or units and co-living, with an corresponding scale-down of the building size.

We should all be supporting infill housing in a housing crisis. The HRP 2041 sets a 60% mix of infill vs greenfield development for the region which it has so far failed to meet. This site is incredibly well positioned for such a development given its proximity to the busiest and best served train station in NSW outside of Sydney. It makes sense for a greater density than the already approved DA here for this reason too - this SHOULD be the highest density area in the entire city even if existing planning controls don't necessarily envision that. That being said, why are we providing that many parking spaces in such a prime location? know its fewer than the number of apartments but for land like this the number should really be as close to zero as possible. There is absolutely zero reason for minimum parking to be required in general but for a location like this it's actually a joke. The only real other downside is whether this level of residential development supports the objectives of the commercial centre zoning but tbh Council's submission will probably cover whether or not they think they need the employment land idk. Anyway build it but for gods sake please do not put in that many parking spaces you are literally further entrenching car dependency by forcing people to pay for it in this kind of land (even if not everyone who lives in the building will have one the few that do will be)

This development is an ideal use of the site. Newcastle needs high density development in the CBD, close to transport

The proposal isa gross over development and will ruin the village atmosphere of Wickham. The development will dominate the landscape and the Newcastle city. Parking is already a problem in Wickham with little spare parking for visitors. This proposal will only add to the parking problems.
The proposed development is over scale and is not needed or appropriate for this area. .A proposal of half the size would be more suitable