22-Storey Tower Seeks 5.36:1 FSR Uplift in West Ryde

This article is via Urban Digest:
https://urbandigest.com.au/ssd-81610714-shop-top-housing-96-anzac-avenue-west-ryde/
A 22-storey shop top housing proposal has been placed on public exhibition in West Ryde, targeting a corner site about 150 metres from the railway station. The applicant has lodged the scheme as a State Significant Development with a concurrent rezoning to amend local planning controls. The proposal seeks to increase the maximum height from 15.5 metres to 80.5 metres and raise the floor space ratio more than fivefold.
The development would deliver 145 apartments and 29 co-living rooms, along with a small affordable housing component. As a result, the application brings housing supply, built form and urban design into focus. The assessment will consider whether the proposed scale is appropriate for the town centre and how the project responds to nearby heritage items and the broader public domain.
Tower Proposal for Anzac Avenue
The application covers a 3,149-square-metre site at 96 Anzac Avenue, currently occupied by a vacant two-storey office building and surface car park. The developer proposes a four-storey podium with a slender tower rising between 18 and 22 storeys. The building would reach RL 98.8 metres, or 80.3 metres above ground. In total, the project would deliver 16,878 square metres of gross floor area, equating to an FSR of 5.36:1.
The scheme includes 145 apartments comprising 29 one-bedroom, 92 two-bedroom and 24 three-bedroom dwellings. In addition, it provides 29 co-living rooms across Levels 1 to 3. Four apartments, representing 3 per cent of residential gross floor area, would operate as affordable housing. Whitechapel Community Housing would manage those dwellings for 15 years.
At ground level, the proposal includes 609 square metres of retail space fronting Victoria Road and Anzac Avenue. Separate residential and co-living lobbies would improve circulation and wayfinding. Below ground, three basement levels would accommodate 195 car spaces, including 17 accessible spaces. The design also provides six motorcycle spaces, 57 bicycle spaces and a heavy rigid vehicle loading bay.
Communal open space totals 842 square metres for residents and 97 square metres for co-living occupants. These areas sit across podium and rooftop levels to maximise outlook and solar access. In addition, the landscape plan delivers 1,040 square metres of planting, including 240 square metres of deep soil. Tower setbacks extend up to 23.5 metres to the north, which the applicant argues will reduce visual bulk and moderate impacts on adjoining properties.
Architectural drawing illustrating the proposed 22-storey shop top housing development at 96 Anzac Avenue, West Ryde.
Push for Higher Density Near Transit
The proponent justifies the uplift by pointing to the site’s proximity to West Ryde station and its position within the town centre. Because the site sits within walking distance of rail and bus services, the applicant argues it can accommodate greater density. The proposal also aligns with the NSW Government’s National Housing Accord targets. Furthermore, Council strategies identify the site as a “catalyst site” within the West Ryde renewal corridor.
From Modest Approval to Ambitious Bid
The site’s planning history reveals a steady escalation in ambition. A previous consent allowed a four-storey mixed-use building with a 2.5:1 FSR. However, the proponent did not proceed with that approval, citing market feasibility. In early 2025, the applicant sought to increase the height to 49.5 metres and the FSR to 4:1. It later withdrew that planning proposal and instead pursued the SSD and Housing Delivery Authority pathway.
The Minister declared the project State Significant Development in March 2025. The Department issued Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements in April 2025. The concurrent rezoning now seeks to amend the Ryde Local Environmental Plan 2014 to permit the proposed height and FSR.
Biggest Jump Yet in Height and Density
The most contentious element is the scale of uplift. The proposal would increase the maximum height from 15.5 metres to 80.5 metres. At the same time, it would lift the FSR from 1.25:1 to 5.36:1. Consequently, the project represents a substantial departure from existing controls and from the previous approval.
The applicant argues that strategic alignment and housing targets justify the increase. However, the Department must assess whether the scale suits the evolving character of West Ryde. Recent nearby approvals have not approached this height or density, which may influence that assessment.
Architectural drawing illustrating the proposed 22-storey mixed-use development at 96 Anzac Avenue, West Ryde.
Heritage Concerns on the Edge
Although the site is not heritage-listed, it sits near the Ryde Pumping Station, a State heritage item. It also adjoins other locally significant heritage sites. Because the tower would dominate the local skyline, its visual relationship with these assets remains a key issue. The applicant contends that setbacks, podium articulation and tower modulation respond to this context. Nevertheless, the adequacy of those measures will be tested through the assessment process.
Public Exhibition and Next Steps
The Department has placed the application on public exhibition and invited submissions. After the exhibition period closes, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure will assess the proposal and consult relevant agencies. It will then make a determination.
Project Team
- Developer: Scion Dev 01 Pty Ltd
- Urban Planning: Colliers Urban Planning
- Architecture: Turner Architects
- Landscape Design: A Total Concept
- Heritage: GBA Heritage
- Traffic & Parking: TTPA
- Community Housing: Whitechapel Community Housing
- ESD: Senica Consulting
- Geotechnical: EI Australia
- Public Art and Cultural Strategy: Vertebrae
For more information, search the application number (SSD-81610714) on the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s website.














