Tobacco company plans fire up to rejuvenate Eastlakes

The proposal for a massive $626 million residential and retail development in Eastgardens is expected to get the tick of approval by the end of next year.

British American Tobacco (BAT) plans to free up 10 hectares of its 16.8-hectare site on Westfield Dve including 15 residential towers of up to 12 storeys in height, containing about 1,000 apartments and
35,000 square metres of retail floor space.

The proposal was declined by Planning NSW last month under its Part 3A planning laws.

The department informed BAT it would be more appropriate for the site’s future use to be considered through the preparation of Botany Bay City Council’s new council-wide local environmental plan or as a stand-alone rezoning request to council.

Former planning minister Tony Kelly said concern was also raised regarding the suitability of the proposed uses and the potential impacts on existing retail centres.

“When the wrong kind of proposal is lodged, the evidence has clearly been the system is robust enough to say ‘no’, and that is what has happened here,” he said.

But a Botany Council spokesman said the development was an exciting opportunity to create a perfect retail/ residential development.

“This is one of the biggest projects that the Eastern Suburbs will see because it’s a unique site,” he said. “There’s the parks and the golf courses opposite, access to the beach on the other side, public transport through the bus services either down Wentworth Ave or Bunnerong Rd, retailing adjacent, access via Southern Cross Dve to the city, you’re near the airport and you can access the M5.”

The spokesman said council would change its LEP and zoning and would work with BAT to have the amendments done by the end of next year.