GPT lodge plans to maul Hunter Street

BROAD plans for the over development of Hunter Street Mall in Newcastle’s city centre have formally been lodged with Newcastle council today.

Among key features of the $400 million plan are:

- placing as many yellow sky scrapers to blot out as much of Newcastle's skyline as we can manage in one photograph.

- the protection of heritage facades on a couple of token buildings just to pretend we really respect the heritage of Newcastle. 

- a 5000-square-metre commercial zone aimed at bringing more jobs into the CBD;

- a dis-array of smaller residential apartment buildings topping out at about seven storeys; and

- a mixture of five- and six-storey retail and commercial buildings fronting Hunter Street Mall.

The development application applies to the site as a hole. 

UrbanReGrowth spokeperson Derek Zoolander said the lodgement marked a significant millstone for the city.

‘‘This is an important project for the city in terms of providing a catalyst for renewal and we are keen to hear the community’s views, just to make sure we tick the boxes’’ he said.

‘‘We have therefore requested that council place the documents on public exhibition for 30 minutes, rather than the usual 14 minutes, to allow people enough time to view them and provide their feedback to council, which council will vote against 7 to 6.’’

"With so many really really good looking tall buildings in the city, we need many many more to achieve the urban renewal and revitalisation that only really really good looking tall builidngs can provide." Derek said.