Double Bay Developers Keep Pushing Planning Limits

Plans for a $27-million, six-storey commercial building in the heart of Double Bay are the latest to push Woollahra Council’s planning controls. The proposal for 393-399 New South Head Road would replace the Commonwealth Bank branch and include ground-floor retail, five levels of office space and two basement levels of parking, accessed via a car lift. Designed by Grimshaw Architects, the building would front New South Head Road and Kiaora Lane. The plans exceed height and floor-space limits but, the developer argues, the project fits the area’s changing character. If approved, it would reach 24.2m, well above the 18.1m height limit set by the Woollahra Local Environmental Plan. It would also have a floor-space ratio more than 1½ times that permitted for the site. In planning documents, the developer, listed as 399 NSHR Developments, said the project would deliver a “high-quality six-storey commercial building that contributes to the local economy and employment in the area”. ▲ Grimshaw Architects render of the building from Kiaora Lane. They also pointed to several nearby projects granted approval despite exceeding planning limits. That includes a five-storey office building at 356-366 New South Head Road and a commercial development at 394-400 New South Head Road that both secured approval despite having greater floor space ratios than permitted. Mixed-use developments at 374 and 376-382 New South Head Road have also changed the area’s streetscape. The 374 New South Head Road site was approved in 2017 for a six-storey mixed-use building, and the 376-382 site, originally a four-storey commercial building, was granted approval for an extra level, converting part of it to residential use. ▲ A render of the approved project at 394-400 New South Head Road. Woollahra Council has previously said its approvals aligned with the Double Bay Centre Planning and Urban Design Strategy, which encourages greater height and density to support commercial growth. But the Local Environmental Plan hasn’t changed, meaning applications that exceed planning limits are still assessed individually through the Clause 4.6 process. Another proposal currently on notification is a four-storey medical and retail building at 4-8 Manning Road. The developer, Tripodina Nominees, has lodged a Clause 4.6 variation to exceed the site’s 14.7m height limit, bringing the building to 17.4m. ▲ An SJB rendering of the approved offices at 356-366 New South Head Road. Planning documents argued the additional height was “compatible with the desired future character of the locality”. These projects are part of a broader development wave in Double Bay, including the InterContinental Hotel site’s $1-billion transformation into a mixed-use precinct. Backed by Pallas Capital and Fortis, the project will deliver a boutique hotel, luxury residences, office space, high-end retail and a wellness centre. Described as a “lifestyle destination of enduring quality” the development aligns with Woollahra Council’s push to establish Double Bay as a premium retail and commercial hub.

Double Bay Developers Keep Pushing Planning Limits

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