East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): New Planning Guidelines unveiled (1993)

Sourced from: McDougall, B. 1993. "Secret Quay plans unveiled". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, March 22: 5. 

Source: O'Brien, G. 1993. "Lower heights, wider views: latest plan for Quay unveiled". The Sydney Morning Herald, March 24: 5. 

Welcome to Part 11 in the series, looking at the redevelopment of East Circular Quay.

Back on April 15, I posted an entry focusing on the 'Ideas Quest' that was organised by Sydney City Council in 1992 as they sought to develop new planning guidelines for the site, following its decision in 1991 to reject a $700 million scheme by Colonial Mutual Limited (CML) to redevelop five sites as a combined development which did not comply with guidelines as set at the time.

Also, in 1992, Mirvac unveiled its plans to redevelop 61 Macquarie Street into a separate development comprising a 22-story hotel tower, which was my focus last week.

In March 1993, Sydney City Council unveiled the new planning guidelines for East Circular Quay in collaboration with the owners - CML & Mirvac. 

Source: McDougall, B. 1993. "Secret Quay plans unveiled". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, March 22: 5. 

What were the new guidelines?

• The maximum height for buildings was set at 44 metres south of Moore Steps.
• The maximum height for buildings was set at 42 metres north of Moore Steps.
• The maximum height of buildings was set at an average of 33 metres at the northern end of the site.
• Public Colonnade along the roadway. 

A concept plan was also made public. 

The Federal Government also provided Sydney City Council with Customs House along with $22 million for refurbishment of the building in exchange for lower height limits. 

There was criticism of the scheme. The Institute of Architects raised concerns about the height and bulk along with detracting from views of the Sydney Opera House.

Source: Anon. 1993. "Architects cool on Quay plan". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, April 1: 17. 

The scheme was approved by Sydney City Council in a majority vote (4-2) on March 29 1993.

Prime Minister Paul Keating sought to intervene and in exchange for lower height limits and improved public access at street level (street closure), he would transfer ownership of Customs House from the Federal Government to Sydney City Council for no cost. 

   

Source: Anon. 1993. "Keating to rule on final Quay design". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, March 29: 6. 

Andrew Andersons was the architect and was forced to defend the criticism about his scheme. He was correct in stating that it was only a concept scheme and that the designs were not final. His argument for the development instead of conversion to a public space was that it provided "an enclosure around Circular Quay to the forecourt of the Opera House."

  

Source: McDougall, B. 1993. "Architect defends 'great opportunity'". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, March 25: 15.

The clipping above also featured an article by Kelvin Bissett revealing that Sydney City Council had approached the State Government and the Sydney Cove Authority about allowing CML to trade their East Circular Quay site for another site in the city to enable the conversion of the site into parkland. 

Ultimately, the guidelines would set the framework for the eventual development that we would see.

Our series continues next week.

Entries in this series

1. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The first apartment block proposal (1979)
2. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Opera Garden Centre Scheme (1984)
3. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unilever House Hotel Conversion (1986)
4. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Opera Garden Centre Scheme Revisited (1986)
5. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unilever House Hotel Conversion (1987)
6. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): CML's 1990 Scheme
7. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): CML's Bennelong Centre (1991)
8. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The Revolving Office Tower Scheme (1991)
9. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): East Circular Quay 'Ideas Quest' (1992)
10. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Mirvac Hotel Scheme - 61 Macquarie Street (1992)