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Sydney

$156m build-to-rent plan near Parramatta scaled back after heritage backlash

Revised proposal for Harris Park factory site follows more than 100 objections and a petition with over 4600 signatures

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By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources2 outlets
The owners of a disused pharmaceutical factory in Harris Park have revised a contentious $156 million build-to-rent development near the Parramatta CBD, more than four years after neighbours and heritage groups opposed the original 483-apartment proposal.

The original plan, lodged in 2022, proposed knocking down the factory at Gregory Place in Harris Park to build 483 apartments. At the time it was one of Sydney's first major build-to-rent projects after state planning laws changed in 2021.

The project drew backlash from heritage groups and the City of Parramatta Council, who feared it would overshadow and dwarf what the National Trust described as "three of the most significant historic houses in Australia": Elizabeth Farm, Hambledon Cottage and Experiment Farm.

Residents and community members lodged more than 100 negative submissions, and a petition against the project collected more than 4600 signatures. More than half of the submissions raised concerns about heritage preservation, 45 per cent mentioned traffic or parking, and 39 per cent raised the proposal's form and scale. About one-third also mentioned impacts on the neighbouring Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral.

The revised plans have been scaled back, but the owners have not yet released details of the new design. The proposal remains one of the higher-profile tests of how build-to-rent housing can fit into heritage-sensitive parts of Sydney.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The outcome will test how Sydney balances housing supply with heritage protection in established suburbs.
  • Build-to-rent projects are still relatively new in NSW, making this a potential reference case for future proposals.
  • The revised plan may set a precedent for how councils and developers handle conflicts between density and heritage.

Background

The original 2022 proposal was among Sydney's first major build-to-rent developments after NSW planning law changes in 2021 encouraged the sector. Build-to-rent differs from traditional apartment sales because the developer retains ownership and leases the units. The site sits near three colonial-era properties of national heritage significance and next to the Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral.

Key Perspectives

Developers and housing advocates: They argue projects like this add much-needed rental stock during a housing shortage, and may see the scale-back as a willing compromise.

Heritage groups and Parramatta Council: They opposed the original plan over fears a tall building would dwarf the historic houses and cathedral. Heritage concerns featured in more than half of all submissions.

Local residents: Their objections centred on heritage, traffic and parking, with about a third also worried about the impact on the co-cathedral.

What to Watch

  • The specific details of the scaled-down design, including apartment numbers and building height, once the revised application is made public.
  • Whether the City of Parramatta Council maintains its opposition or negotiates conditions.
  • The planning decision timeline, and whether the state government becomes involved given the project's status as an early build-to-rent test case.

Sources

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Articles published under the Zotpaper byline are synthesized from multiple source publications by our AI editor and reviewed by our editorial process. Each story combines reporting from credible outlets to give readers a balanced, comprehensive view.

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