Decision-making reverts to City of Parramatta Council for Bennelong Cove

The final decision on Bennelong Cove, the last phase of developer Billbergia’s waterfront development at Wentworth Point, NSW, will now be determined by the City of Parramatta Council, with the NSW Government’s Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure making the Council the relevant planning authority for the Homebush Bay West Development Control Plan (DCP).

Part of Billbergia’s 11ha masterplanned community at Wentworth Point in Sydney’s suburbs and located at 16 Burroway Road (known as ‘Block H’), Bennelong Cove was the culmination of more than seven years of planning including an international design competition. 

Designed by FJC Studio (formerly FJMT), the mixed-use development was originally planned with a 50-storey tower and a 40-storey tower. However, following feedback from the Council and the community, Billbergia revised their plans to accommodate two 40-storey residential apartment towers, for which the developer sought amendments to the existing Homebush Bay West DCP for the site.

Existing planning controls for the Block H site would allow approximately 30,000sqm of residential gross floor area (GFA), equivalent to about 350 apartments; and a maximum height of 25 and 16 storeys for the two towers. 

Billbergia’s revised plans sought a total available GFA of 98,619sqm including 85,000sqm of residential GFA, equating to 997 apartments, almost three times of what the DCP allowed, along with two 40-storey towers. The amended proposal was also supported by more than $70 million in community infrastructure including a new multipurpose indoor sports centre, 2 childcare centres, 16,000sqm of open space with park, outdoor courts, play spaces and community pavilion, a waterfront promenade and amphitheatre, restaurants and cafes along the waterfront, and the operation of the free Baylink shuttle service from the community to Rhodes Station until 2031. 

In January 2023, the Department of Planning revoked the Council’s delegated power as the local planning authority to assess and determine proposed amendments to the Homebush Bay West DCP. Billbergia submitted their revised proposal for assessment by the Department in April 2023.

Following an exhibition of the draft Homebush Bay West Development Control Plan, Amendment 2 on the NSW Planning Portal from November 2023 to February 2024, the feedback from the community revealed that of the 1,130 total submissions received in response, 636 submissions were supportive while 480 submissions opposed the amendment. 

Key concerns expressed by the community ranged from overdevelopment of the area, impact of increased density on traffic, transport and parking, and current lack of public transport in the area, to the built form and design impacts as well as shortage of open space and social infrastructure including community and play spaces. 

The report, summarising the feedback, was released in December 2024, more than 10 months after the exhibition, with the Department of Planning restoring control of decision-making to the Parramatta Council.

According to an update from the Department of Planning published on their website, “The Department’s Planning Secretary has issued a new delegation making the City of Parramatta Council the relevant planning authority for the Homebush Bay West Development Control Plan. This means Council can assess and determine proposed amendments to the DCP.”

“Enabling Council to make decisions relating to the DCP will ensure local planning matters are addressed by Council. It also enables better alignment with the Council led draft Planning Agreement, which seeks to secure local community infrastructure on the site.”

The City of Parramatta Council is expected to make a decision on the DCP amendments later this year.

Main image: A render of the Wentworth Point Indoor Sports Centre proposed by Billbergia in their revised plans (Source: Billbergia)