First look: Towers planned above new Sydney Olympic Park Metro Station

Sydney Metro has continued to roll out how it envisions the development around and above the new Sydney Metro West line.

The state significant development, funded by the New South Wales Government, is Australia's largest public transport program. The NSW Government is investing $12.4 billion over next four years, including $3.2 billion in 2022-23 to support major construction.

The latest plans are for what is set to be built above the Sydney Olympic Park metro station, part of the precinct which has grown exponentially in recent years.

The proposed $585 million development will comprise of three new buildings, one commercial and retail tower and two residential towers, with retail and community space adjacent to Sydney Olympic Park metro station.

The commercial tower will be the smallest at 16 levels, not including the four-level podium, and will rise above the station. The smaller residential tower can hit 27 levels, and the largest 45 levels. The latter will have extensive views over Parramatta River towards the Blue Mountains from the higher levels.

Podium heights in the central precinct are limited to four levels through Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA) Masterplan 2030 (Metro Interim Review).

The area in which the buildings are set to be developed has been identified as a "transitional zone", after Sydney Metro worked through a design and collaboration process with SOPA and other key stakeholders. There are now four zones, the high rise zone (45 levels), medium rise zone (20 and 30 levels), and low rise (8 levels).

No news on how many apartments will be on offer, but the documentation suggested the apartments will have smaller floor-plates to "provide prime apartments and allow for better sun access to ground floor plane."

Sydney Metro says the construction of Sydney Metro West represents an exciting opportunity to incorporate global best practice for placemaking and environmentally sustainable development, and to apply innovative thinking to create new city icons.

"The delivery of integrated station and precinct development enables Sydney Metro to be more than just a transport project, but also a defining city building opportunity that revitalises precincts and communities, helping to leave a lasting legacy and shaping Sydney for generations to come," the planning application documents read.

"The proposed development will create a great place-based outcome that successfully integrates transport infrastructure, open space, ground plane retail, commercial and residential land uses.

"The Sydney Olympic Park metro station will link new communities, support employment growth and diversity of housing supply.

"In addition, the proposed development will deliver community and social infrastructure with the inclusion of community facilities proposed within the Concept SSDA.

"The Sydney Olympic Park metro station precinct acknowledges growth opportunities within Sydney Olympic Park and seeks to establish parameters to attract more businesses and residents in a well-connected location reducing reliance on private transport modes whilst continuing to ensure Sydney Olympic Park can operate and function as a world class event and sporting precinct."

In October works kicked off at the new Sydney Olympic Park Metro Station, one of nine underground railway stations on the future 24-kilometre Sydney Metro West line. 

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the new Sydney Metro West line would provide a vital transport link to a growing Western Sydney and deliver world-class metro services to more communities. 

“Our Government is transforming the way that people move around Sydney, investing more than $76 billion in transport infrastructure across the state, including more than $16 billion in Western Sydney alone,” Perrottet said.

“The centrepiece of this investment is Sydney Metro, the biggest public transport project in Australia.

“Work is now underway to excavate 468,000 tonnes of rock and soil – the equivalent to 78 Olympic swimming pools – to make way for a state-of-the-art metro station at Sydney Olympic Park. 

“This new transport link will further reinforce Sydney Olympic Park’s status as a premier events, sporting, and entertainment precinct, supporting the transit of more than 10 million people who visit or stay each year.”