85-91 Thomas Street, Parramatta

Council has negotiated a Draft Planning Agreement with the developer which includes 2,496sqm of land dedication to Council. Since July 2017, Council identified this land as having environmental and biodiversity value and identified part of this area (rear portion of 85 Thomas Street) as being subject to future land acquisition for open space (currently unfunded by Council). The total land dedication area is being proposed for public open space uses (as reflected in the Planning Proposal) and is offered to Council at nil cost.

The Draft Planning Agreement is the mechanism for Council to acquire this land for future open space and biodiversity protection.

Details on the Draft Planning Agreement are shown in Draft Planning Agreement (Attachment 3b), Letter of Offer from the Applicant (Attachment 3a) and Explanatory Note (Attachment 3c).

Council is exhibiting changes to the Parramatta Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2011. Key aspects of the Planning Proposal are:

• Reconfigure the Zoning to reduce the R4 – High Density Residential area to the developable portion of the land (3,825sqm) and extend the RE1 – Public Recreation zone over the remaining land (2,496sqm) identified for biodiversity and open space along the river foreshore.
• Amend the Maximum Floor Space Ratio (FSR) control for the high-density residential land (zoned R4) from 0.8:1 to 1.3:1 for the proposed R4 zoned area and remove the FSR control from the proposed RE1 zoned land.
• Amend the Maximum Building Height (HOB) control for the high-density residential land (zoned R4) from 11 metres (3 storeys) to 22 metres (6 storeys) for the proposed R4 zoned area and remove the HOB control from the proposed RE1 zoned land
• Amend the Minimum Lot Size control to apply to the proposed R4 land only and remove this control from the proposed RE1 zoned land
• Amend the Land Reserved for Acquisition control as it applies to 85 Thomas Street, Parramatta following land dedication to Council being formalised via the Planning Agreement at nil l cost to Council.

Council is also exhibiting amendments to the Morton Street Precinct controls as they apply to the site (Attachment 2b) in the Parramatta Development Control Plan (DCP) 2011. Part 4.1.9 Morton Street Precinct in Parramatta DCP 2011 (Attachment 2a) is proposed to be amended to include a new “Area 5” section for land at 85-91 Thomas Street which includes:

• Specific controls on building height, building separation, setbacks
• Deep soil, landscaping, open space, ecology, and river foreshore controls.

These controls intend to manage the change in building height and development interface to nearby properties.