Item 9.1 - Attachment 5

Objectives and Controls for City Centre Character Areas

Attachment 5

Parramatta City Centre DCP

Section 7.3 Special Area Controls

Proposed Objectives and Controls for City Centre Character Areas

Commercial core

Objectives

· To provide increased development opportunities and encourage a high density Central Business District characterised by tall buildings and exemplary architecture.

· To reinforce the establishment of a wide range of service, knowledge based and other business activities to strengthen Parramatta's role as a regional city.

· To strengthen the relationship between the City and the river.

· To ensure the protection and interpretation of Parramatta’s significant heritage settings and items.

· To ensure active street frontages.

· To improve pedestrian and vehicular connections so that the urban form of the City becomes more permeable.

· To reduce the reliance on the use of private vehicles.

Controls

· Encourage active street frontages by requiring buildings at ground and lower levels to be built to street boundaries, and requiring upper levels to be set back a distance of 6 to 8 m depending on Street Frontage Height.

· Break up large floor plates into separate building elements to a maximum of 2500 m2.

· Emphasise defined gateway and corner sites through the erection of landmark buildings.

· Ensure that development around heritage items is sympathetic with due regard to scale, materials and setting.

· Recognise the historic role of George Street by appropriate building setbacks and ensure development strengthens and reinforces views along the street to Parramatta Park gatehouse and trees.

· Provide through block connections by a system of pedestrian orientated spaces and lane ways that link the Parramatta River foreshore with Civic Place and the Parramatta railway station.

Justice Precinct

Objectives

· To ensure that the precinct is developed for high-quality buildings and spaces reflecting the area's importance for justice and government office purposes.

· To further enhance and establish Parramatta River as a natural asset to the city

· To maintain the opportunity to improve pedestrian access and foreshore landscaping and interpret the historic locations and settings.

Controls

· Ensure that development adjoining the river provides for public access, incorporates passive surveillance and high quality facades.

· Maintain an appropriate scale and quality of building adjoining Parramatta River and O'Connell Street through building setbacks, building design and materials.

· Ensure that development creates a clear distinction between the city centre building form and the open space of Parramatta Regional Park with high-quality facades to the alignment of O'Connell and Marsden Streets.

· Ensure that development enhances O'Connell and Macquarie Streets as formal and prestigious addresses for major public and private sector buildings.

· Ensure that development maintains a consistent street frontage height adjacent to Macquarie Street to match law courts on the corner of George and O'Connell streets.

· Provide through site connections and foreshore access