ATTACHMENT 1
CHURCH STREET NORTH SUMMARY PAPER
BACKGROUND
1.Church Street North plays a significant structural, visual and historic role within the Parramatta City Centre. Identified as a Special Area under the Parramatta REP, the character and role of this precinct have been the focus of numerous studies in recent years. This stems primarily from difficulties in articulating the function and desired future character of the area, which can be mainly attributed to the changing role of the corridor within the broader context of the city over time.
2.Inconsistencies between the current planning controls, the existing built form and the objectives of the zone, have also raised questions about the function and role of the area. It is questionable whether the current controls actually achieve the objectives of the REP. Ad-hoc development and varying scales of built form also exacerbate this thinking and together, impact upon what appears to be reluctance from the development industry to reinvest in the area.
3.For these reasons, Civitas Partnership was contracted to undertake a study of the Church Street North Special Area.
CIVITAS URBAN DESIGN STUDY
4.The focus of Civitas’ investigation was to understand the character and role of the precinct and to develop a robust urban design strategy that would stimulate development and create an improved urban environment. The result would likely incorporate a set of revised planning controls including amendments to the REP.
5.Urban Futures Laboratory, a part of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), was also contracted to assist in the investigative process of the project. A digital real-time model was developed to assist the analysis and visualisation of the urban design options proposed by Civitas Partnership. This process was particularly important in helping to understand, test and communicate the impacts of revised planning controls, particularly related to increased heights. It was also important for considering the significant relationship between views, historic buildings and landscaping in the area.
EXISTING PLANNING FRAMEWORK
6.The key issues concerning the current planning controls for Church Street North prescribed by the SREP include:
6.1the maximum building height of 15 metres and floor space ratio (FSR) of 2:1, and the impact of the combination of these;
6.2the occurrence of several buildings that exceed the current controls;
6.3the effect upon achieving the desired future character of the area prescribed by the REP; and,
6.4the validity of the controls and their capacity to support the objectives for development.
7.The key objectives of SREP 28 for development within the Church Street North Special Area include:
7.1whether the development will reinforce the sense of arrival into historic Parramatta, from St Patrick’s Cemetery to Lennox Bridge, with continuous low-scale buildings and continuous street alignments;
7.2the extent to which the development will maintain identified views from Parramatta Park (the Crescent) and Old Government House towards the hills to the north, and views of St Patrick’s, St Peters, and All Saints Churches and the former Kings School;
7.3whether development adjacent to Prince Alfred Park reinforces the character of an urban park by encouraging appropriate surrounding uses and buildings to address the Park.
8.The first of these objectives, “toenhance the sense of arrival into Parramatta with continuous low scale buildings and street alignments”, is near impossible to achieve under the current planning framework. This is a directresult of the number of buildings on the eastern-side of Church Street that already exceed the maximum 15m-building height. The effect of these controls would result in continuous low scale buildings on the western-side of the street with disproportionate, ad-hoc taller buildings on the eastern-side. Not only would this outcome fail to support traditional methods of creating pleasant streetscapes, proportionally enclosed to reinforce the sense of arrival - but it also directly contradicts the objective itself. That is, it is not possible to achieve continuous low-scale buildings where half of those that already exist are of a greater height and proportion than the controls allow.
9.The effect of the current FSR control also has limitations. Specifically, that larger sites are needed to achieve the prescribed rate. The existing pattern of fine grain development combined with diverse patterns of ownership, conflict with the need and ability to achieve site amalgamation. Effectively, the lower height limits and uniform FSRs offer little incentive for existing owners to redevelop their sites, particularly those who already own developments that exceed the current controls. This paradox makes it difficult to achieve “continuous street alignments” and so challenges the validity of the objective itself.
10.As the Civitas report notes, “the affect of low height limits and uniform FSRs…..provide little incentive for redevelopment. Church Street North is already demonstrating the need for revitalisation so without adequate incentives future development is likely to be slow”.
HERITAGE AND VIEWS
11.Much of the basis of the REP controls for the Church Street North Special Area,were developed on the principle of preserving historic and cultural elements. Numerous items of heritage and conservation significance exist within the Church Street North Special Area including, amongst others, St Patrick’s Cemetery, St Peter’s Church, Royal Oak Hotel and the Bicycle Shop. There are also important views identified in the REP such as those from The Crescent in Parramatta Park to the foothills of North Parramatta, and the sequential views to St Peter’s Church when travelling south down Church Street. Outside of the boundary of the Special Area, there are also a significant number of other historical sites such as the Government Precinct, St Patrick’s Church, Our Lady of Mercy College and All Saint’s Church, to name a few. These elements combined, contribute significantly to the character of the area.
12.In short, there are many cultural and historical features of the Church Street North landscape and it is critical for the preferred built form option to enhance and preserve these qualities. In this way, consultation with the NSW Heritage Office was an essential part of developing a suitable vision for the area. Along with input provided by Musecape:Heritage, Conservation and Landscape Consultants,contracted by Civitas,this process guided a responsive urban design solution that is sensitive to the critical heritage related issues of the precinct.
13.During consultation, exploration of the general design intent was discussed and several built form options were tested using the digital model. A number of concerns were raised by the Heritage Office during this process including:
13.1the adverse impacts of the option for a 10storey buildingat the northern-end and 8storey building at the southern-end of the precinct;
13.2the lack of building setbacksand buffer adjacent St Peter’s Church;
13.3the need for more articulated controlsrelating to heritage items;
13.4the need for further testing of the impacts of increased heights on significant views; and
13.5the need for increased public transport through the corridor including a reduction in vehicle use and speed.
14.These issues were assessedand reviewed and subsequently supported and refined to affect the preferred built form option.
15.Whilst the REP generally prescribes broad objectives for the preservation of heritageitems and key views, the Parramatta Heritage LEP and DCP do not provide sufficient detailed controlsto further enhance these elements as part of the landscape. Accordingly, Civitas recommends that further work be carried out to expand the design related provisions within the Heritage LEP to strengthen the heritage features of the Special Area. This aligns with comments made by the Heritage Office.
PREFERRED URBAN DESIGN OPTION
16.The preferred urban design option seeks to resolve the various inconsistencies, provide incentives for redevelopment, improve the pedestrian amenity and preserve and protect the sensitive heritage elements within the area. The process of developing and investigating the urban design options were tested against the objectives of the REP, City Centre DCP and Heritage LEP, and also considered those issues raised during the various consultation workshops.
17.The preferred built form option for Church Street North focuses on reinforcing the area as a ‘northern gateway’ and its significant role in supporting the regional function of the Parramatta City Centre. By creating a precinct with its own identity, separate from other areas in the city centre, also creates an opportunity to anchor the current concentration of activity at the Westfield-end and stimulates movement and access through Church Street – the spine of the city.
18.The recommendation includes 3 primary precincts along Church Street including a southern cultural precinct focused around Prince Alfred Park, a central, vibrant ‘mixed-use village’ and a northern gateway. The vision is focused on an improved public domain that:
18.1Enhances the links with the surrounding residential areas.
18.2Recognises the area’s unique cultural identity separate from the southern end of the city.
18.3Enhances open space networks and links mixed-use zone.
18.4Embodies a strong sense of place intimately linked to the landscape, its history and its people.
18.5Integrated with the surrounding area as well as a component of the wider region.
19.Mixed-use development is a key feature of the preferred vision and aims to encourage movement through the precinct, create activity along the street, and enhance the public domain. Commercial development would be encouraged on the ground floor and residential development accommodated on the higher floors to reinforce street-level activity. The built form would be integral in shaping the volume of the public domain and used to reinforce sequential views along the corridor, enhance the gateways and reinforce the sense of arrival to Parramatta.
20.Capitalising on the existing open space networks, particularly around Prince Alfred Park and the links to the Parramatta River are also a key focus of the strategy. Footpath widening and landscaping is suggested as the preferred option to further enhance these elements.
The 3 Primary Precincts along Church Street North (p. 22, Urban Design Study)
KEY URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES
21.The key urban design principles informing the preferred built form option are based on assessment of the current conditions and desire for a successful public domain. As Civitas notes in its report,
“Our experience in public places defines how we perceive and relate to those parts of the city. These perceptions in turn shape our values and attitudes to places and form civic or community identities. In this way, public space can symbolise the culture of a community”.
Church Street in the Role of the Broader Parramatta Context
(Refer p.30, Urban Design Study)
Views
(Refer p.30, Urban Design Study)
Access
(Refer p.31, Urban Design Study)
Pedestrian Oriented Village
(Refer p.31, Urban Design Study)
Appropriate Building Heights
(Refer p.31, Urban Design Study)
Active Street Edges
(Refer p.31, Urban Design Study)
AMENDED HEIGHT AND FSR CONTROLS
22.The key changes to the REP that emerge as a result of the preferred built form and urban design principles relate to increases in the height and floor space ratio controls. These increases are proposed where it has been demonstrated that additional height has a positive effect upon the built form and does not compromise important views or items of heritage significance.
23.Generally, a 4 storey street wall (podium) would be emphasised along Church Street with key sites punctuated by higher buildingsparticularly at the ends and in the middle. The locations identified at the junction of Pennant Hills Road and Church Street, and Victoria Road and Church Street are considered suitable to accommodate 8 and 6 storey buildings, respectively. The central 'village area’ of the corridor around Grose Street, could also accommodate an additional 2 stories above the 4 storey podium. The higher components of these buildings would be setback a minimum of 4 metres from the front street alignment, with the exception of buildings at the Church Street and Victoria Road intersection which would comprise block-edge development for the full 6 stories to emphasise the transitional gateway and reinforce the edges and “village green” effect of Prince Alfred Park.
24.Height restrictions would be placed on buildings adjacent particularly sensitive heritage buildings or sites where there is a potential impact upon view lines and increased front setbacks would be required for the sites immediately adjacent St Peter’s Anglican Church to enhance the views to the building. Further studies would be required to accompany any development proposal for sites located on the southern corners of Fennell and Church Streets.
25.In addition to height controls, revisedFloor Space Ratio controls are important to help achieve the desired built form outcomes. Specific controls for individual blocks have been determined relative to the maximum height limits and land area. This mechanism aims to encourage site amalgamation, and is necessary to generate continuous block edge development and reinforce the street wall.
26.The maps identified as Attachments 2 and 3, detail the proposed amended REP Height and Floor Space Ratio controls for the Church Street North Special Area.
TRAFFIC, ACCESS AND MOVEMENT
27.In order to achieve the desired public domain for the Church Street North Special Area, a critical aspect is to resolvethe traffic, parking and access concerns that currently impact upon the amenity and functioning of the area.
28.Since the creation of the pedestrian mall in the southern part of Church Street, the notion of arrival and entry into Parramatta from the north has been redefined. Specifically, regional traffic now by-passes Church Street North using O’Connell Street to the west, so that the street no longer operates as the main north-south connector. This displacement of vehicular traffic has altered the pattern of movement along the corridor and impacted upon the street’s role and function in the city. While Church Street North now effectively functions as a ‘local road’predominantly associated with the distribution of traffic within the City Centre, unfortunately the hostile and deprivedpedestrian environment suggest otherwise.
29.The lack of on-street carparking, landscaping, street furniture, legibility and links to the public domain, impact on the amenity of the area. In order to strengthen Church Street as part of the spine of the city,it is necessary to make this street a place and a desirable destination rather than a ‘thoroughfare’. Accordingly, options for increasing public transport, reducing private vehicle use, slowing traffic and enhancing the aesthetics of the street are essential.
30.Various strategies are available to address the access and movement within Church Street North including a review of circulation and signage, restructuring of the road hierarchy and review of access to the city via public transport. Options to improve the pedestrian amenity and activity along the street to create a desirable place could include:
30.1.Reducing traffic volumes and speed along Church Street North by introducing on-street parking.
30.2Public domain improvements such as increased footpath widths, landscape linkages, and continuous awnings.
30.3Improving pedestrian connections and legibility to train and ferry.
30.4Encouraging commercial development that provides active ground floor uses.
30.4Provide increased off-street car parking to enhance retail opportunities.
30.5Establish uniform landscaping and tree planting along either side of the street and median strip.
30.6Improving public transport accessibility and reliability.
30.7Extending and linking the pedestrian environment from the CBD to Pennant Hills Road.
31.In developing options to address the issues of traffic, access and movement along the corridor, consultation with the Roads and Traffic Authority was conducted. Council staff met with the RTA to discuss these issues andgeneral support was given to the general direction of the proposed changes particularly the enhancement of the corridor as a main bus route. Notwithstanding,it was acknowledged that further analysis of the finer details of the proposed options to alter traffic patterns and pedestrian flows through the area was required to support the strategy. Effectively, Council would need to stage the introduction of changes to the traffic environment of Church Street North following assessment and demonstration of the impact of reduced traffic speeds, introduction of on-street parking and the reduction of traffic lanes on the area.
32.While options have been discussed by the RTA to widen parts of Church Street, north of Pennant Hills Road, this is to introduce abus lane to improve flows to/from the north-west corridor. The proposed changes to the corridor as presented in this study, align and support this concept of enhance the bus transit options through this part of Church Street.
SUPPORTING FRAMEWORKS
33.While the REP is the primary vehicle for the proposed changes, a natural consequence of the design strategy is that adjustments to the supporting frameworks, such as the City Centre DCP, the Heritage LEP and the operational aspects of the traffic and pedestrian environments, will also be required. More detailed controls that support the main structural changes within the REP of height and FSR, such as setbacks, building footprints, materials and finishes, building articulation, car parking and s.94 contributions, are necessary to realise the urban design strategy.