Planned Skyscraper in Sydney Suburb OK’d by Board

A 69-story, mixed-use skyscraper planned for the western Sydney suburb of Parramatta, Australia, came a step closer to reality when the Parramatta Local Planning Panel approved a plan for a 217-m tower, the Daily Mail reported in April. The project, which would include an 11-story building next door, still must pass muster with the Parramatta Council and the New South Wales Department of Planning. The plan is also raising concerns from operators of nearby airports, who say the building’s height and the use of construction cranes could interfere with flight operations. If approved, the building, at 2 O’Connell Street, would be the tallest in Parramatta, eclipsing a 67-story twin-tower project currently under development. The report gave no indication of when the project would come before the other jurisdictional bodies but noted that regulations require the developer to apprise the airports of the building’s final height before construction can begin. It also said the airports must complete a “full aeronautical assessment” before they can comment.