Lendlease, Coombes, Mirvac Secure Metro West Precinct

Sector heavyweights Lendlease, Mirvac and Coombes Property Group have been appointed to deliver the Hunter Street Station precinct in Sydney’s CBD, including two commercial towers above the future Metro West interchange.

Hunter Street is the city-end station for Sydney Metro West—the 24km line linking Greater Parramatta with the CBD—scheduled to open in 2032.

The station is planned as a major interchange, with underground pedestrian connections to Barangaroo, Wynyard and Martin Place.

The appointment covers construction of the Hunter Street Metro station and two over-station developments, one above the western station entrance and one above the eastern entrance (east tower pictured above).

Lendlease will deliver the station and the west tower at the corner of George and Hunter streets.

Mirvac and Coombes Property Group will jointly deliver the east tower, between O’Connell and Bligh streets.

The precinct was tendered through a competitive process launched by Sydney Metro in 2022.

Two consortia were shortlisted, including the Metropolis Consortium, which brought together Lendlease, Mirvac and Coombes Property Group alongside hospitality entrepreneur Justin Hemmes.

A rival consortium led by Brookfield withdrew.

Sydney Metro subsequently appointed Lendlease, Mirvac and Coombes Property Group as the delivery partners for the precinct.

▲ Rendering of the west over-station commercial tower at Hunter Street Station, to be delivered by Lendlease above Sydney Metro West’s CBD interchange.

Planning for the over-station developments has been under way for several years.

Concept state significant development applications were exhibited in late 2022 for a 51-storey commercial building above Hunter Street Station West and a 58-storey commercial building above Hunter Street Station East.

Both proposals include commercial office space with retail and hospitality uses at lower levels, integrated with public domain works and underground pedestrian connections.

Planning approval for the over-station developments was granted in April 2024.

The sites sit within the City of Sydney’s Central Sydney Planning Strategy, which allows additional height and density at major transport interchanges to support employment growth in the CBD.

Sydney Metro forecasts more than 15,000 people an hour will move through Hunter Street Station in the morning peak when services open, rising to more than 30,000 by 2061.

Construction of the station’s main works is expected to begin in late 2026.

Metro West services are scheduled to begin in 2032.

The over-station developments are planned to complete after the station opens.

Lendlease chief executive for development Tom Mackellar said the group would apply its experience delivering integrated Metro projects to set “benchmarks for transport-led precincts with the delivery of the Hunter Street project”.

Mirvac chief executive for development Stuart Penklis said the east tower would be directly connected to the station and was designed to achieve the highest sustainability ratings, including Platinum WELL.

Coombes Property Group chief executive Michael Coombes said the group would co-own and co-develop the east over-station site.

Sydney Metro has previously said Hunter Street would play a central role in Metro West’s plan to double rail capacity between Parramatta and the CBD.