A $250 million plan to build hundreds of apartments near the Caddens Corner shopping centre has been rejected.
Caddens Estate Pty Ltd is proposing to demolish the current car park at the shopping centre and build 469 residential apartments across 17 buildings.
The staged development would have ultimately seen the current Caddens Corner car park demolished with spaces moved underground.
The apartments would be built to the east of the current shopping centre.
Penrith City Council does not support the proposal.
The Sydney Western City Planning Panel dealt with the proposal, given it exceeds $30 million in cost.
On Friday, it released its determination – refusing the ambitious project.
The Planning Panel said the applicant had put forward a development proposal that is “totally inconsistent” with planning controls.
It said none of the 17 buildings comply with height limits, and only two of the buildings comply with the four storey limit for the subject site.
“… the proposed exceedances of the height limit are substantial,” the Panel said in its determination.
“In fact, they are so substantial that they are effectively seeking to replace the existing strategic planning framework that was developed for the site with a completely new planning framework – with significantly greater building heights, building forms and dwelling yields – without considering in any detail the implications this may have on the planned redevelopment of the Caddens release area and WELL precinct, including the provision of suitable infrastructure and services.”
The Panel said it was not satisfied that the development is in the public interest as it is “clearly not compatible with the height, bulk and scale of the desired future character of the locality”.
Public submissions were heard from Zoe Schmidt, Karen Mobbs and Vanessa Howe.
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.