Three major approvals spur City of Parramatta's construction boom

Three major approvals spur City of Parramatta's construction boom
Mark BaljakJuly 12, 2018

The past fortnight has seen three major development applications within City of Parramatta's boundaries receive the go ahead.

Hundreds of new hotel suites and residential apartments stand to be added to both Parramatta's core and emerging apartment enclave Wentworth Point. The trio of developments also stand to add near on $400 million in construction activity to the municipality.

Earlier this week Parramatta's 89 George Street received final approval. Starwood Hotels have committed to the 27 storey tower, with Four Points By Sheraton Parramatta expected to take residence by April 2020.

JZL Properties and Sandstone Capital have backed the project which went to planning late last year, with the intention of providing 271 new hotel rooms within a purpose built tower. Architecture firm Group GSA handled the tower's design, incorporating ancillary uses such as 722 square metres of function space, bar, restaurant, gym and pool.

Parramatta's strong uptake of hotel accommodation continues to generate new hotel activity with recent mooted projects including a 33 storey redevelopment of the Roxy Hotel and additional Meriton Suites slated for Parramatta's riverfront.

Three major approvals spur City of Parramatta's construction boom
Four Points By Sheraton Parramatta. Image: Starwood Hotels

Second most recent to gain approval is Block B 6-8 Baywater Drive which is the latest substantial apartment development for the Wentworth Point Urban Activation Precinct.

Expected are 275 apartments within a Tier Architects-designed u-shaped apartment block with a central communal garden and courtyard. The approved project sits between the first stage of Nascorp Properties' Harbour Village apartment development and the mouth of the Parramatta River.

Harbour Village's initial release includes approximately 400 apartments, with the freshly approved Block B shaping as the next major release.

Spanning 9 storeys at its highest point, Block B 6-8 Baywater Drive includes 85 single, 151 double and 39 triple bedroom apartments within the build which is valued at just under $75 million. Block B 6-8 Baywater Drive adds to the thousands of new apartments planned or in delivery within Wentworth Point.

Three major approvals spur City of Parramatta's construction boom
6-8 Baywater Drive Wentworth Point. Planning image: Tier Architects

Rounding out the trio is Coronation Property 's statement tower at 8 Phillip Street in Parramatta's CBD. The Woods Bagot-designed tower is a mix of apartment and hotel uses, and is expected to stand 200 metres above the Parramatta streetscape.

Final approval was granted at the turn of July for the development which carries an estimated delivery cost of $238.7 million. The 55-storey tower includes 314 apartments, approximately 250 hotel rooms, function/conference facilities and 9 levels of basement parking.

QT Hotels & Resorts have signed on for the tower's hotel aspect, taking approximately 15 levels. Additional project drawcards include a level 18 pool and green space, two restaurants including a Sake by Rockpool Dining Group and a rooftop bar.

Although final approval arrived within the past fortnight, 8 Phillip Street's apartments have been marketed for some time. 

Three major approvals spur City of Parramatta's construction boom
8 Phillip Street's open air pool. Image: Coronation

Mark Baljak

Mark Baljak was a co-founder of Urban.com.au. He passed away on Thursday 8th of November 2018 after a battle with cancer. He was 37. Mark was a keen traveller, having visited all six permanently-inhabited continents and had a love of craft beer. One of his biggest passions was observing the change that has occurred in Melbourne over the past two decades. In that time he built an enormous library of photos, all taken by him, which tracked the progress of construction on building sites from across metropolitan Melbourne.

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