“We believe Infrastructure NSW has acted improperly in their role with this project by providing misleading and deceptive information to interested parties, as well as the public, with a view to enhancing planning support for the latest Barangaroo development proposal,” the group said.
The complaint said the residents’ group, the Langham and owners in the Highgate building had been “especially critical of distortions in photographic imaging” used to support the development application, and described the “misrepresentations of development scale and related public and private view impacts as ‘unconscionable’”.
The building envelopes proposed for Central Barangaroo after years of legal battles and planning disagreements. Credit: Millers Point Community Residents Action Group
The complaint argued Mod 9 should be a new development application subject to a full assessment.
Millers Point resident Judy Hyde said development applications “should not be based on anything other than fact and truth”.
“The government – Infrastructure NSW – has gone into this misrepresenting the facts in the name of the developer, instead of representing the interests of the public.”
Infrastructure NSW denied improper behaviour and said it and Aqualand had “followed the steps required of the planning process”, which included putting the proposal and revisions on exhibition.
The revised designs for Central Barangaroo include fewer offices and more apartments.Credit: NSW government
“Infrastructure NSW will work collaboratively with the NSW Ombudsman, should it decide to review the claims made.”
The NSW Ombudsman’s office said it did not comment on individual complaints.
Aqualand did not respond to requests for comment. The company has previously said input from the government on the revised plans provided a greater focus on the public dividend through “improved view sharing, more generous public spaces, and greater connectivity through the precinct”.
The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is considering submissions on the plans before making a recommendation to Planning Minister Paul Scully, who will decide the proposal.
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Millers Point Community Resident Action Group member Bernard Kelly said: “We just hope the minister rejects [the proposal], or refers it to the Independent Planning Commission, so the application gets the full light of day.”
The Langham hotel on Kent Street is opposing the development because it would block its harbour views. The hotel’s general manager Shane Jolly hoped the complaint to the watchdog would “help to obtain a fair outcome, particularly given the decision lies solely with the planning minister”.
The City of Sydney council, Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, the Heritage Council of NSW, and the National Trust’s NSW branch have also objected to the most recent plans for the precinct.
Central Barangaroo is designed to connect the naturalistic headland park to the commercial district, and will sit above one of the stations for the state government’s future $21.6 billion metro rail line.
The station is due to open in August; Central Barangaroo likely won’t be finished until 2029.
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