4.1 Australian Technology Park (ATP) - Draft

ATP is bounded by the railway corridor and Redfern Railway Station to the north, Henderson Road to the South, Garden and Cornwallis Streets to the east, and Department of Housing and RailCorp operational facilities to the west.

Existing characteristics

ATP has an area of approximately 13 hectares. It was previously owned by the State Rail Authority and formed part of the Eveleigh Railway Workshops established in the 1880’s for the assembly and maintenance of steam locomotives.

ATP is focused on supporting the growth and commercialisation of Australian technology businesses. Since its establishment in 1994 ATP has become the premier scientific and technological research and development facility in NSW, with more than 100 resident companies working in various fields of technological innovation.

The site accommodates a number of significant heritage buildings, most notably the Locomotive Workshops, which have been re-adapted to house a community of researchers, entrepreneurs, incubator businesses, start-up and mature technology companies and educational organisations.

The six storey Biomedical building is the main contemporary building located on the site. The RWA will commence construction in early 2006 of a new six storey research building on Garden Street.

Open space and tennis courts are accommodated within the site. The remainder of the site is undeveloped and primarily utilised for temporary car parking.

Development of ATP has been guided by the ATP Eveleigh Master Plan, which was last amended in June 2005. This plan sets out a clear vision and principles for development of the site, including preferred uses, floor space ratio, public open space, heritage, car parking, transport and access and public domain.

Existing land use zone

ATP is predominantly zoned ‘Residential–Business’ under Sydney Regional Environmental Plan (SREP) No. 26. A small portion of the site is zoned ‘Public Recreation’ under SREP 26. SREP 26 requires the adoption of a Master Plan for the site. The ATP Eveleigh Master Plan supplements SREP 26 with detailed objectives and provisions for the development of the site.

While residential development is permissible within the Residential–Business Zone, the Master Plan requires ATP be developed principally for employment purposes. Temporary residential accommodation for staff and visitors in the form of serviced apartments is the only form of potential residential development envisaged for the site.

Proposed land use concept

Promote a range of technology enterprises involved in research, development, innovation and commercialisation, as well as, supporting uses to reinforce ATP as a world class technology and business centre. Restrict residential uses. Permit serviced apartments, hotel accommodation, hostel, motel and other accommodation related or ancillary to business or educational purposes.

Diagram 4.1 [610KB] illustrates the proposed land use concept for the site.

Proposed design concept

The draft Plan reinforces the vision and objectives of the adopted Master Plan for the continuing establishment of research and development activities at ATP, while recognising the value and relationship of the site to the local community.

The current Master Plan allows for development of 166,650 square metres of floor space (gross floor area) at ATP, of which some 52,000 square metres has been developed. In response to growth in the technology and innovation sectors and to ensure the role of ATP as a world class centre for scientific and technological research and development is fully realised, this draft Plan increases the total floor space to around 200,000 square metres and potential employment to around 5,000 - 8,000 jobs.

Increasing the employment capacity of the site also capitalises on its location adjacent to a major railway node which is proposed to be upgraded.

A Development Control Plan will be prepared to replace the current Master Plan.

The proposed heights and floor space ratio for the site are illustrated on Diagram 4.2 [621KB].

Proposed land use zoning

Business Zone – Business Park

Recreation Zone – Public Recreation