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Media Releases |
Media Release - Minister's Office Sydney: 25 February 2009 MORE COMMERCIAL FLOOR SPACE AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO GET BARANGAROO MOVING Additional commercial floor space has been approved for the Barangaroo precinct and a new ferry hub is planned to provide transport to the more than 22,000 people who will live and work there. While speaking at the City of Sydney's Business Forum today Premier Nathan Rees announced plans which will get the Barangaroo precinct moving and ensure it is a key part of Sydney’s economic future. “Public transport will be a key feature of Barangaroo, which when completed will be a significant commercial, residential and recreational precinct for Sydney,” Mr Rees said. “A new ferry hub is planned for Barangaroo. Ferry services will help keep residents and workers out of their cars and on public transport. “The introduction of a ferry wharf at Barangaroo will increase the number of workers and residents accessing Barangaroo by ferry from 1% up to as high as 10%. “Planning and transport departments will now work on the details of the new ferry hub, including the number of wharves needed, construction and operational start times. “In addition, I have asked the Minister to ensure the construction of the walkway to Wynyard station is a priority. I want to make sure it is available simultaneously with the commercial precinct coming on line.” Mr Rees said a proposal to increase the amount of office space at Barangaroo by 120,000 square metres and help lure some of the world’s leading businesses to set up Sydney headquarters has been approved by Planning Minister Kristina Keneally. “This takes the total commercial floor space to more than 500,000 square metres of floor space built in the new city precinct – equivalent to just over six Chifley Square buildings,” Mr Rees said. “Finance, business services and global corporations are looking for large office spaces to establish new headquarters, and Barangaroo is the last site in Sydney’s CBD where an expansion if of this size is possible. “The additional 120,000 square metres of floor space will provide a boost to the economy, with construction costs expected to increase from $2.5 to $3 billion, generating more than 4,000 construction jobs. “The increase in floor space will take advantage of the transport improvements provided by the CBD Metro, which was announced by the Government earlier this year and includes a new station on the eastern edge of Darling Harbour. “Importantly, the change can happen without impacting the already-approved maximum building heights and widths, or the ratio of retail, tourist, residential or public open space planned for the site.” The proposed increase in commercial floor space was placed on public exhibition in mid-2008 and community feedback was considered during the assessment process. “Based on this feedback, clear guidelines have been set to ensure that the increases in total floor space do not adversely affect the surrounding community,” Mr Rees said. “These guidelines will ensure that taller buildings are built alongside the existing CBD, with lower buildings at the northern end of the commercial precinct. “The increased floor space is consistent with the Government’s objective of creating a world-class city precinct that will contribute to Sydney’s future.”
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