Australia’s Independent Planning Commission (IPC) has rejected a plan by Star Entertainment Group to develop a new AU$530 million luxury hotel tower alongside its flagship integrated resort, The Star Sydney.
The IPC published its decision on Wednesday, claiming the tower – which was to house a six-star Ritz-Carlton hotel and around 200 residential units – would be “inconsistent with current strategic planning for the site and locality” and “result in unacceptable built form, including a tower of height which is overly obtrusive and that will result in unreasonable and unacceptable impacts with respect to view loss, visual impact and overshadowing.”
Plans for the tower, first unveiled in 2018, had attracted vastly contrasting viewpoints with business and tourism groups arguing its development was an important step forward for a city lacking in new high-end hotel projects. Community groups argued it did not fit in with the character of the area.
The IPC was called in to review the proposal in July after the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment recommended against the development.