NSW Planning and Environment has set out the conditions that the developers must meet before Hunters Hill’s Local Environment Plan can be changed to allow their massive three tower development at Gladesville Shopping Village (GSV).  It includes:

  • relocation of public open space
  • revised traffic impact assessments
  • overshadowing of Trim Place and 3-7 Cowell Street
  • relocation of the heritage property at 10 Cowell Street to a site owned by Council
  • consistency with the Greater Sydney Commission’s Draft North District Plan.

The Gateway Determination states that “if the development exhibits design excellence” the floor space ratio can be increased to 3.4:1 which would allow the developers to pack even more units onto the site.

But who will determine whether the development has ‘design excellence’ and what are the criteria for excellence?