15/04/2026
The proposed mixed-use development on the old Waterloo waterboard pumping site at 903-921 Bourke St Waterloo when on exhibition today and given the changes from what Council had already approved (D/2021/1415) locals might want to have a close look at this one.
Under the changes to planning laws to accelerate housing delivery, some developers have pulled sites from Council and put them to the state government to get larger developments not necessarily quicker ones. Under the planning changes the exhibition period has also been shortened to 14 days so this exhibition closes on April 29!
The Environmental Impact & Rezoning Statement says the major changes from what Council previously approved are:
• Young Street tower – addition of 16 storeys, introduction of retail tenancy at ground floor, introduction of communal areas, various internal planning changes, refinement to architectural expression
• Young Street plaza building – additional of 1 storey, introduction of communal areas, various internal planning changes, refinement to architectural expression
• Young Street north building – additional of 1 storey, minor reduction to the depth of the floorplate to increase separation from tower, individual basement, various internal planning changes, refinement to architectural expression
• Young Street south building – additional of 1 storey, introduction of communal areas, various internal planning changes, refinement to architectural expression
• Bourke Street north – addition of 18 storeys to the tower, introduction of communal areas, various internal planning changes, refinement to architectural expression
• Bourke Street south – addition of 4 storeys, reduction to northern extent of footprint with increased separation from Bourke Street north building, an individual basement, introduction of communal areas, various internal planning changes, refinement to architectural expression
• Refinement to the internal layout in the basement levels, to provide for an increase of 30 car spaces from the previously approved 346 to 376
• Increase of 233 additional apartments from 347 apartments to 580 apartments
• Provision of 57 of the apartments as co-living studios
• Increase of indoor and outdoor communal open space
• Provision of affordable housing contribution equivalent to 12% for the uplift
• Minor amendments to the ground floor landscape design
• Revised plan of subdivision which reflects the amended proposal as well as the VPA Deed of Novation plan titled “VPA dedications plan of proposed subdivision of Lot 102 in DP 1203640 and redefinition of Lot 1 in DP 800771 (Post DA 2021/1415)” prepared by LTS Issue 07-03-2025.
You can find the exhibition documents at https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/mixed-use-development-903-921-bourke-st-waterloo
The illustration below shows proposed rooftop common space but also shows graphically the increase sort in this application against what Council approved.
