SYDNEY METRO PITT STREET STATION DESIGN AND PRECINCT PLAN - VISUAL ASSESSMENT Prepared for CPB 7 September 2020 URBIS STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPORT WERE: Director Jacqueline Parker Associate Director Jane Maze-Riley Project Code P0022802 Report Number Final All information supplied to Urbis in order to conduct this research has been treated in the strictest confidence. It shall only be used in this context and shall not be made available to third parties without client authorisation. Confidential information has been stored securely and data provided by respondents, as well as their identity, has been treated in the strictest confidence and all assurance given to respondents have been and shall be fulfilled. © Urbis Pty Ltd 50 105 256 228 All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced without prior permission. You must read the important disclaimer appearing within the body of this report. urbis.com.au CONTENTS Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Method ................................................................................................................................................ 2 Sensitivity ............................................................................................................................. 2 Visual Modification Levels ................................................................................................... 3 Assessment of Impacts ........................................................................................................ 7 2. Project Scope .................................................................................................................................... 9 3. Character & Components of the Project .......................................................................................10 3.1. Pitt Street North Station .....................................................................................................10 3.2. Pitt Street south station ......................................................................................................11 4. Pitt Street Station Viewpoint Analysis ..........................................................................................12 4.1. Northern Site ......................................................................................................................14 4.1.1. Viewpoint 1 – View southeast along Pitt Street ..................................................14 4.1.2. Viewpoint 2 – View south along Castlereagh Street ..........................................15 4.1.3. Viewpoint 3 – View northwest from Hyde Park at the corner of Park and Elizabeth streets .................................................................................................16 4.1.4. Viewpoint 4 – View northwest at the corner of Castlereagh and Park streets .................................................................................................................17 4.1.5. Viewpoint 5 – View northeast at the corner of Park and Pitt streets ..................18 4.2. Pitt Street SOuth Site .........................................................................................................20 4.2.1. Viewpoint 6 – View south east along Pitt Street .................................................20 4.2.2. Viewpoint 7 – View west along Bathurst Street ..................................................21 4.2.3. Viewpoint 8 – View west along Bathurst Street from Hyde Park .......................22 4.2.4. Viewpoint 9 – View north along Pitt Street .........................................................23 5. Summary of Impact .........................................................................................................................25 Disclaimer ........................................................................................................................................................27 APPENDIX A – Urbis Methodology Definitions FIGURES Figure 1 Pitt Street north station entrance fronting Park Street....................................................................... 10 Figure 2 Pitt Street south station entrance fronting Bathurst Street ................................................................ 11 Figure 3 Pitt Street Station Viewpoints – CSSI EIS ......................................................................................... 12 Figure 4 Pitt Street Station Viewpoints by Arterra Interactive – SDPP ........................................................... 13 Figure 4 Viewpoint 1 southeast along Pitt Street ............................................................................................ 14 Figure 5 Viewpoint 2 south along Castlereagh Street ..................................................................................... 15 Figure 6 Viewpoint 3 northwest from Hyde Park at the corner of Park and Elizabeth streets ........................ 16 Figure 7 Viewpoint 4 northwest at the corner of Castlereagh and Park streets .............................................. 17 Figure 8 Viewpoint 5 northeast at the corner of Park and Pitt streets ............................................................. 18 Figure 9 Viewpoint 6 south east along Pitt Street ........................................................................................... 20 Figure 10 Viewpoint 7 west along Bathurst Street .......................................................................................... 21 Figure 11 Viewpoint 8 west along Bathurst Street from Hyde Park ................................................................ 22 Figure 12 Viewpoint 9 north along Pitt Street .................................................................................................. 23 URBIS PITT STREET SDPP VISUAL ASSESSMENT_FINAL TABLES Table 1 Visual Sensitivity Levels adopted in the CSSI Approval ...................................................................... 2 Table 2 Visual Modification Levels .................................................................................................................... 3 Table 3 Urbis Visual Effects .............................................................................................................................. 4 Table 4 Daytime Visual Impact Levels .............................................................................................................. 7 Table 5 Urbis levels of Visual Impacts including Iris Impact ratings .................................................................. 8 Table 4 Daytime Visual Impact ........................................................................................................................ 25 INTRODUCTION Urbis has been engaged by CPB to prepare a visual assessment of the Sydney Metro Pitt Street Station – Station Design Precinct Plan. This visual assessment is required in order to fulfill condition E102 of the Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI) Sydney Metro City & Southwest Chatswood to Sydenham approval SSI 15_7400 (the CSSI Approval) , as it relates to the Station Design Precinct Plan (SDPP) for Pitt Street Station. It is noted that SSI 15_7400 pertains only to the station entrances and ‘station box’ / podium structures of both Pitt Street north and Pitt Street south stations, and does not extend to the over station development (tower) components above, which are subject to separate development application and assessment pathways. The visual assessment contained in this report and required by Condition E102 therefore does not address the visual impact of the over station development. Condition E102 of SSI 15_7400 requires that The SDPP must achieve a minimum visual impact rating of at least ‘Minor Benefit’ as defined in the EIS for all design elements of the project, where feasible and reasonable. Where it can be demonstrated, to the DRP’s satisfaction, that a ‘Minor Benefit’ is not achievable, then a ‘Negligible’ visual impact rating must be achieved as a minimum. This visual assessment therefore assesses the nine views identified in the CSSI EIS of the Pitt Street Station north and south entries. This assessment considers the visual impacts of the operational station design from these nine view points, but excludes assessment of the over station development components which are subject to a separate approval. URBIS PITT STREET SDPP VISUAL ASSESSMENT_FINAL INTRODUCTION 1 1. METHOD Condition E102 of SSI 15_7400 requires that this visual assessment use the methodology contained within the Sydney Metro Chatswood to Sydenham, City and Southwest Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The method to determine the level of visual impacts followed the following key steps; • Identify the visual sensitivity (perception and significance) of the view (refer Table1). • Identify the level of modification (visual effects) expected in the view (refer Table 2) regarding descriptions of visual effects). • Assign an impact level (refer Table 3) or assess the level of effects in the context of important additional factors for example external visibility, visual absorption capacity and compatibility with the existing concept approval. This visual assessment was undertaken broadly following the required method as follows; • This assessment comprises a desktop assessment of the photomontages prepared by Arterra Interactive and Unsigned Studio in the context of fieldwork observations and documented views undertaken by