Sydney's Liverpool on track for $200 million in new commercial space
The Uniting Church (NSW & ACT) and private landowners are poised to lodge plans for $200 million in new commercial property development in Sydney’s third CBD and new airport gateway Liverpool, complementing Scentre Group’s proposed development of its existing Westfield centre.
The Uniting Church is planning a $100 million, 20-storey multi-purpose aged care independent living centre with a range of community facilities and office space at a 3490 square metre site near Elizabeth and Bigge streets in the CBD.
It is understood Uniting is considering a 35,000 square metre all-in-one tower with aged care, retirement living, a long day care centre, a seniors gym, a workshop space and some commercial space.
The not-for-profit group is set to operate the community spaces and retain some commercial spaces while leasing out the rest.
Population growth will explode in south-west Sydney on the back of the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, prompting Uniting to focus on the key western Sydney centres of Liverpool, Campbelltown and new suburb Leppington.
The plan is still in its early stages and a development application has not been lodged.
The private owners of 24-28 Elizabeth Street are also in talks with council to initiate a $100 million, 29-storey office tower project, Elizabeth Place.
The site will house an office tower with retail spaces and food courts as well as childcare and conference facilities. Architects Mosca Pserras said no residential space was being considered.
“The market says we need commercial. Elizabeth Place is targeting utilities, educational, government – large institutional types that want flexible floor space,” principal Frank Mosca said.
The new deals follow several proposals made earlier this year.
Scentre set aside $93 million to create a new dining, entertainment and leisure precinct with offices at Westfield Liverpool.
Binah Group has also submitted plans to build a $104 million, 35-storey mixed-use development on a 1.2-hectare block in Elizabeth Street. The building will house Liverpool’s first rooftop restaurant, a hotel, 194 apartments, commercial spaces and 345 car spaces.
The four new ventures join an existing approval, Mackycorp’s $106 million, 23-storey 27,0000 square metre office tower to be built above the redeveloped Commercial Hotel and council’s own Liverpool Civic Place, a $400 million development that will include new council offices.
The race to create Sydney’s third CBD in Liverpool emulates the efforts at its second, Parramatta, a few years ago. The Liverpool CBD will yield new offices as well as community spaces and universities much like Parramatta Square, where developers like Walker Corporation are heavily developing.
“This surge of progressive change in Liverpool will be boosted even further by the rezoning last year of 25 hectares in the heart of the city to allow mixed-use developments that include commercial and residential elements,” Liverpool mayor Wendy Waller said.
