And besides the 32 storey bulk, the detriment is blocking traffic (800+ car spaces) in surrounding streets and Victoria road (new set of lights). The primary entrance/exit is on Victoria Road with lights adjusted similar to Broadway's carpark entrance. Staying on Broadway (which is relatively close) you don't see people filling up the sleep of Glebe any more than what you saw beforehand.
Poaching shopping trade from surrounding area with a "1 stop shopping mall" (Balmain's Darling street). This argument is being used by critics yet it is flawed.
The development is not a super shopping mall like Westfields. It will not be filled with level after level of retail outlets. It is relatively small and there is already far more retail space on the Rozelle strip of Darling Street.
If you include Balmain then this development will only increase total retail space by a small fraction. Rozelle's unique highstreet character has improved in leaps and bounds over the past decade. It continues to do so with new shops, bars and restaurants opening up.
People will still walk down Darling Street to get their coffee from boutique shops or stroll through the market. This development is far too small to suck up trade. It is also on the other side of a major arterial road. Additionally, Rozelle has had three retail marketplaces open in recent times: IGA, Seven 11 and About Life. These compete directly with local shops and Woolworths. However no one has complained about these shops, in fact they have been widely supported.
Also, look at Broadway and Glebe Point Road. The sky certainly hasn't fallen there and Broadway is MANY times bigger than this
Overshadowing from Callan Park to Evans St. wrong
1 - Evans street is north of the site. As we are in the southern hemisphere it is impossible for a shadow to be cast north. Also, Evans street (and most of the area to the East of the site) is built on an east-facing slope, existing buildings already cast a "shadow", but this only occurs for a brief period in the afternoon when the sun is approaching the horizon. Even with this development, overshadowing will have little effect on any site East of the site. Maybe like 5 minutes of extra shadow in the depths of winter.
2 - Shadowing over areas to the West are more valid concerns. However to say that it will extend to callan park is ridiculous. Yes, maybe at 5am for a brief 2 minute period after sunrise, but so does Centerpoint Tower and the whole CBD for a few minutes at sunrise. Sites around waterloo street do have the right to be concerned about overshadowing in the morning, but this building isn't tall/wide enough to cast a huge shadow
3 - I note the local anti-development propaganda has a render of the building casting a shadow over Victoria Road and Rozelle… again, as these areas are to the north of the site, this is physically impossible unless the earth suddenly shifts its rotational axis. Of course this FACT would not help their cause...
Everyone within a few blocks (and the public school across the road) loosing their backyard privacy.
Since when do schools ask for privacy? Plus that school has a HEAP of tree coverage.
As for privacy... well I don't know about you but live anywhere in Balmain/Rozelle and you have pretty liimted privacy anyway. I look out my window at home and can see into people's yards, plus I can be viewed by many others. Nothing new! it's been like this for ever
Setting a precedent for other tower buildings.
The govt will only approve such large scale developments along important corridors. Plus, what's wrong with increased density? The mentality of everyone needing backyard and pool is flawed. All it leads to is urban sprawl which in turn puts more pressure on education, transport and health services, etc. as every man and his V6 ute complain about having to travel 2 hours into the city.
And overall, just killing the village vibe that the peninsular has.
Oh please. Did Balmain Cove or Balmain Shore's do this? no! Actually they brought even more affluent people to the area and helped increase demand for housing as people WANTED to live here.
Go to Crown Street/Bourke Street in Surry Hills and look at how highrises/density can easily fit into areas with terraces and backyards, adding to the area and generally making it better. That "village" vibe certainly hasn't died there.
FTR, i live three blocks away from the site and am in support