Developer Plans 17 More Storeys for Homebush Tower

A developer wants to add 17 storeys to an approved eight-storey mixed-use building in Sydney’s Homebush, to take advantage of zoning changes, during construction of the project.

Three eight-storey buildings with 221 apartments were approved for the site in 2014 at 21 Parramatta Road, Homebush. Two have been completed by Lyda Holdings, led by Sydney developer Antoine Bechara.

The new application, designed by Squillace Architects, would add 151 apartments to the final 63-unit tower, which is already approved, at a cost of $44 million.

In 2016 the NSW government finalised the Parramatta Road Urban Transformation Strategy increasing the height for the area from 26 to 82 metres.

The latest plans submitted to Strathfield Council replace an approved 25-storey, mixed-use development application from October, 2020, designed by SJB Architects for 125 residential apartments above 77 serviced apartments.

The developer decided to go back to the original architect for continuity across the project and change the offering from that submitted in 2020, according to the application.

“The applicant has undertaken a detailed design review of the approved tower as is typical for developments of this scale and complexity and, in particular, because of the impact on the serviced apartment market of Covid-19,” the application said.

“As a result of this analysis, the composition of the apartments in the tower and the methodology for delivering the tower has had to be reconsidered.”

An extra 27,000 homes are expected to be built along the 23km section of Paramatta Road in Homebush after changes to the planning strategy.

Last year Chinese-backed developer Shanghai Lihua Australia also resubmitted plans to build two 27-storey towers in Homebush.