Milligan Group, the developer behind the proposed skyscraper over Sydney’s Hunter Street Station, has applied to demolish the site’s current buildings as part of the project’s next stage.
In July 2022, Milligan Group received initial approval to rezoning a 2,000-square-metre site at the junction of Hunter and Pitt streets in Sydney’s CBD.
The location for the world’s tallest hybrid timber tower will offer breathtaking city and harbor views and a blend of residential, commercial, and retail spaces.
Initially outlined in 2022, proposals for the site received final endorsement from the Central Sydney Planning Committee in February 2023.
In March 2023, Merricks Capital joined forces with Milligan Group to finance the construction of the $2 billion 55-story mixed-use commercial tower.
The development features a sustainable office building with top-tier amenities for collaboration and lifestyle, situated next to the Hunter Street metro station.
Merricks Capital has contributed $465 million to the project, which is anticipated to rejuvenate Sydney’s low office occupancy rates and deliver significant cultural and economic benefits to the city.
The tower’s design will be selected from a design competition, started in May 2023, before being presented to the state government for approval.
The Hunter Street Station redevelopment
The proposed tower will rise over the top of the new Hunter Street Station, part of the New South Wales government’s $6.5 billion Sydney Metro West rail line.
Currently under construction and due to open in 2030, Hunter Street Station joins eight new stations on the Sydney Metro West line, which will form a 24-kilometre rail link between Westmead and the CBD.
Three of the site’s four existing buildings will be demolished if the City of Sydney approves Milligan Group’s application.
A four-storey Victorian Italianate building at 15–17 Hunter Street, formerly known as Pangas House, will be retained due to its heritage status.
Milligan Group described the project as “a legacy building for Central Sydney in the form of a world-class commercial office tower in the commercial core of the CBD.
A second commercial tower is scheduled to be built over Hunter Street Station, Sydney Metro reported in 2022.
Sydney Metro said the proposal is “consistent with the Central Sydney planning strategy, which allows increased building density and heights in suitable locations while protecting public spaces.”
According to the report, the two towers will differ in height to comply with sun access and plane regulations.
Atlassian Central Tower: The renewable energy-powered skyscraper
Just a stone’s throw away from the Hunter Street metro station, construction commenced on the 39-story Atlassian Central Tower in September 2022.
Situated in Sydney’s Tech Central innovation and technology district, adjacent to the Central rail station, the Japanese-Australian joint venture is a mixed-use tower that aims to slash carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50% during construction using renewable energy.
The Atlassian Central Tower will employ hybrid timber technology, combining steel frames and cross-laminated wood from the seventh story upwards.
Reinforced concrete will be used for the basement and lower floors. Australian real estate company Dexus is partnering with Obayashi’s joint venture and local construction firm Built to finish the tower, scheduled for completion in 2026.
