Park Development Underway
The
Redfern-Waterloo Authority will commence construction of the first new building
for five years at the ATP in early 2006, signalling the start of a major new
phase in the Park’s development.
WITH
CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW BUILDING TO HOUSE NICTA/DSTO GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD FOR EARLY
NEXT YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT’S APPROVAL OF THE NEW ATP MASTER PLAN AND APPROVAL
ANTICIPATED FOR ADDITIONAL ROADS AND A NEW MAIN ENTRANCE, AN EXCITING PHASE OF
DEVELOPMENT AT THE PARK IS ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY.”
MINISTERS LAUNCH NEW MULTI-MILLION RESEARCH BUILDING
Friday,
September 23, a special media event was held on Site D, which will be the location
of a new multi-million dollar research building at the ATP. Officially
launching the go-ahead for construction of the facility was NSW Minister for
Redfern-Waterloo and Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor MP, Federal Minister
for Communications, IT and The Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, and Member for
Heffron, Kristina Keneally MP.
A NSW
Treasury loan of $47m to the Redfern-Waterloo Authority (RWA) will allow the
construction of Building D to house Commonwealth research agencies – National
Information and Communications Technology Australia (NICTA) and the Defence,
Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO).
The six
storey building is expected to be completed by mid-2007, with NICTA to occupy
the top three levels, and DSTO the three lower levels.
“Once completed,
it will provide space for around 600 research and support staff,” Senator
Coonan said. “This will significantly improve the high technology research
capabilities in NSW.”
“The aim of
the ATP is to maintain a strong focus on industry development and attract
valuable investment opportunities to NSW,” said Mr Sartor.
“The work
carried out by these two organisations fits well with this aim and will help to
drive Australian innovation,” Senator Coonan said. “This building promises to
change the whole character of the Park and I commend and congratulate everyone
involved.”
“This has
been made possible by the approved new Master Plan and the Government’s
Redfern-Waterloo development strategy,” said Robert Domm, Managing Director,
ATP. “The RWA is developing and managing this project and it’s occurring as
part of a much broader urban renewal process.”
“This is
the first new building to be constructed at the ATP in five years, and with the
new Master Plan, and approval pending for the new roads and landscaping, this
building is another step towards the Park becoming a major innovation centre
for Sydney.”
Images of
the new building, along with planned road developments and the ATP Master Plan
are now on display near the café in Bay 8.
Photo: Paul
Gosney : FRANK SARTOR MP, SENATOR HELEN COONAN, & KRISTINA KENEALLY MP,
OFFICIALLY LAUNCHING THE GO-AHEAD FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITY
NEW ERA FOR NICTA
“ IT WILL
BE AN ICONIC FACILITY FOR ICT NOT ONLY IN NSW, BUT IN AUSTRALIA ”
Established
in 2002, NICTA (National Information and Communications Technology Australia) is one of Australia’s leading IT and
communications companies and plays a major role in the Australian Government’s
policy to promote science and innovation.
Headquartered
at the ATP since early 2003, NICTA will relocate its Sydney research headquarters to the top three
floors of the new building in 2007.
“Accommodation will be provided for about 250
ICT researchers, research assistants, PhD students, corporate staff, and
specialised ICT research laboratory facilities,” said NICTA CEO, Dr David Skellern.
“Our fit out is designed to promote communication and collaboration amongst
staff, with open plan walkways, break out zones that facilitate team discussions,
meeting, training and seminar facilities, and an internal stair that connects
each floor. Part of the facility will provide accommodation for NICTA spin-out
companies, joint venture projects, and demonstrators.”
Capitalising
on Australia’s
extensive ICT talent through world class research, commercialisation, education
and industry collaboration, NICTA will bring together exceptional people from
research and industry to continue developing an ICT research centre of
excellence that generates national wealth.
“We are
very excited about the new building,” Dr Skellern said. “It will be an iconic
facility for ICT not only in NSW, but in Australia.”
The first
three floors of Building D have been leased to DSTO – the Commonwealth
Department of Defence, Science and Technology.
DSTO is Australia’s leading science agency dedicated to
defence and national security and works closely with the industry, science and technology
community to enhance its ability to support Australia’s defence capabilities
and contribute to national wealth.
Headed by
Chief Defence Scientist, Dr Roger Lough, DSTO employs around 2300 staff,
predominantly scientists, engineers, IT specialists and technicians in nearly
every State and Territory. Its corporate office is located at Defence
headquarters in Canberra with research
facilities in Melbourne, Edinburgh
(near Adelaide), Canberra,
Sydney, Rockingham (near Perth),
Scottsdale in Tasmania
and Innisfail, North Queensland. www.dsto.defence.gov.au
ATP TO SET DEVELOPMENT BENCHMARK
The
contract for construction of the new building goes to tender this month
(October 2005) and is expected to be awarded early in the New Year.
Construction is slated to begin shortly after and due for completion mid-2007.
“This new
building will create around 600 new jobs,” said Director of Urban Renewal RWA,
Richard Clarke. “And construction will be in accordance with the
Redfern-Waterloo Jobs Compact, employing local indigenous people and new
apprentices as a key element,” said Mr Clark.
Designed by
Cox Richardson Architects, it will be located on the Park’s eastern edge with
frontages to Garden Street
and Mitchell Way,
occupying approx. 3,000sqm and providing just over 11,000sqm of floor space
with 66 secure parking spaces.
The design
will have a 4.5 Star rating under the Australian Building Greenhouse Rating
scheme (ABGR). 4.5 is the benchmark for all new NSW Government buildings.
Energy
consumption is obviously affected by how tenants conduct their business.
Fortunately, ATP tenants have environmental values aligned with those of the
Park, so confidence is high that the building will perform to expectations.
Other
environmentally sustainable initiatives will also be incorporated into the
construction including the use of recyclable materials where possible and
double plumbing for future water reuse initiatives.
The
remaining four percent of ground floor space has been designated for a café and
retail/services space, which will be of benefit to a business wanting to make
its services available to those who work within the park, to local residents
and to commuters.
The RWA and
ATP are encouraging best practice throughout the Park, setting the tone for
future development by pointing to this landmark building and saying:
“If we can
do it, anyone can.”
Contact:
Richard
Clark
Director
Development and Urban Renewal
Redfern-Waterloo
Authority
T: +61 2
9202 9100
NEW & APPROVED ATP MASTER PLAN
Master Plan
Vision
“TO
ESTABLISH AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED
WORLD CLASS
TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS CENTRE AIMED AT BUILDING GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS IN KEY
GROWTH SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY.”
The ATP
Master Plan contains objectives and guidelines for the provision of development
within the Park and the new ATP Master Plan, approved in June this year,
includes the following revisions:
• Moving
the position of the main access point to Henderson Road to form a complete
intersection and deletion of some internal roads
• Providing
for a consolidated parking basement rather than individual basements under
buildings
• Altering
the details of open space and public domain treatment
• Providing
for an increase in the area of public recreation space
These
revisions were the result of an extensive community consultation program
undertaken by the ATP to test the vision for the ATP’s future development. Two
workshops were held, one for Community members, the other for ATP tenants.
Richard
Clark, Director Urban Renewal – Redfern-Waterloo Authority, says the two groups
had very different ideas about what the future development at the ATP should
provide.
“For the
local community, ATP is special because of its historical significance, its
provision of open, public space for recreation, and its potential to become a
quality, well maintained development that generates employment and provides a
sense of ownership and pride for the residents of Redfern,” said Mr Clark.
Tenants
were more focused on the need to establish a unique status for the ATP as a
technology community with links to the broader scientific research and
development community, in academia and in industry.
The vision
and the amended Master Plan for the development of the ATP should enable the
continuing establishment of research and development activities on the site but
also recognise the value of the site and its operations to the local community.
“Both
viewpoints are valid, and it’s our (ATP’s) job to develop the park in a way
that meets all our stakeholders’ expectations,” Mr Clark said. “That’s the only
way everyone will view the end result as a success.”
A graphic
interpretation of the built form of the site is on display in Bay 8.
NEW MAIN ENTRANCE & ROAD WORKS DESIGN
FOR NEW MAIN ENTRANCE & ROAD WORKS AS PER NEW ATP MASTER PLAN
The
development application for new roads at the ATP has been lodged and, following
approval and the tendering process, construction is expected to start early in
2006 and scheduled for completion within six months. The application includes
provision for a new main entrance to the Park with a road to be constructed
(called Davy Road)
from the intersection of Henderson and Mitchell Roads to Central Avenue, west of the Biomedical
building. Garden Street
will become a secondary entrance.
In
accordance with the ATP Master Plan, road names have generally been chosen to
recognise important people and activities in the development of the historic
railway use of the site. Davy Road,
for example, is named after the famous ‘Davy Press.’ Dating from the early 20th
century, this was a machine for manufacturing train wheels and is on display in
the Locomotive Workshop exhibition space.
Other road
works will include an extension of Locomotive
Street through to Alexander Street. Central Avenue will
also be extended, ending in a cul-de-sac at the rear of the Childcare Centre. There
will also be modifications to the Henderson/Mitchell
Road intersection as a result of the new road,
along with in-ground services, street lights and road corridor landscaping.
For status
of the new roads project, the new ATP Master Plan and proposed buildings, an
information board is on display near the café seating in Bay 8.
Contact:
Eugene Besh
Eugene.besh@atp.com.au
T: (02)
8374 5601
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