A Waterfront Mini City in Liverpool: A Campaigning Council and a Developer with a Colorful Past

Introduction

In a time when urban development is at the heart of economic growth, Liverpool City Council has unveiled an ambitious plan to create a “mini city” along the waterfront – a project that could transform a large industrial area into a vibrant residential and commercial hub.

Despite the developer’s controversial past, plans for this new urban development are nearing approval, sparking both optimism and concerns.

A Bold Proposal for the City’s Future

Liverpool City Council has presented a comprehensive plan for a $9 billion mini city at Moore Point, located just southwest of Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.

This proposal has been touted as a solution to what was previously considered a failed project at Rosehill Gardens.

According to the council, the Moore Point development could be approved with a quick stroke of the Premier’s pen – a statement that has caught the attention of both media and politicians.

According to Mayor Ned Mannoun, it’s only a matter of time before the development moves forward, and he has already sent a direct message to NSW Premier Chris Minns, urging swift approval.

In a press release from the council, it was suggested that the plan could be signed off with minimal delay, signaling a major step forward for the region’s growth.

The developers behind the project, Coronation Property and Leamac Property Group, have been advocating for a rezoning of this industrial site for over a decade.

Now, with final negotiations underway with the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure (DPHI), they are eager to see the rezoning approved, which would allow for mixed-use development.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver Australia’s next Great Riverfront City,” according to the planning documents displayed for public review.

Environmental Concerns and Flooding Risks

However, the proposed development is not without its challenges. Moore Point is located on a peninsula between the Georges River and Lake Moore, making it prone to flooding.

A 2022 flood study found that if the development were to go ahead, it would likely generate 25,000 vehicles, while the existing roads could only accommodate 5,500 cars in the event of a probable maximum flood.

This raises significant concerns about the area’s capacity to handle such a large-scale development, especially in the face of potential flooding.

“Noah’s flood is not a planning benchmark,” said Mayor Mannoun, arguing that the flood level criteria were unnecessarily restrictive and inhibiting housing development in the area.

The DPHI has requested further flood modeling from the developers before the project can move forward.

Despite these concerns, the developers remain hopeful that the project will move ahead as planned.

A Long History with the Developer

This is not the first time Mayor Mannoun has publicly supported a Coronation project. In 2016, while still in office, he appeared in two promotional videos for the developer, supporting an earlier Liverpool project known as the “Paper Mill.”

“It’s wonderful and it’s so exciting, and it’s great to be part of the project… Let’s embrace it,” he told viewers in the video.

However, the high-rise development at Paper Mill was later hit with a building work rectification order due to serious defects, including “uncontrolled cracking” in four basements.

Owners subsequently sued Coronation’s building arm, MN Builders, and a subsidiary in the Supreme Court over alleged defects on common property.

In 2021, the council also took legal action against Coronation over unpaid rates at the Shepherd Street site, although the matter was later resolved out of court.

Moreover, Coronation failed to deliver a promised riverside boardwalk at the Paper Mill site, which had been a requirement under a 2017 voluntary planning agreement (VPA) with the council.

Delayed Commitments and Unfulfilled Promises

Despite promises, the riverside boardwalk at the Paper Mill site has still not been completed.

We don’t have an issue with them [Coronation], Mayor Mannoun said, adding that he was unaware of the alleged defects in the Paper Mill.

A spokesperson for Coronation stated that the company had largely fulfilled its obligations under the VPA and that the “final portion” of the riverwalk works would be completed within three months.

The spokesperson also added that the rectification works on the Paper Mill site had been finished.

The VPA required the riverwalk to be completed before the Occupation Certificate was signed off, which occurred several years ago.

Liverpool City Council, in turn, confirmed that the boardwalk would be delivered in six months, emphasizing that Coronation had not failed to meet its obligations, as the project was complex.

Questions of Proximity and Influence

Mayor Mannoun maintains that he “pitches and promotes” a range of developers with “good quality” projects in his council area, and he is not overly concerned about the optics of maintaining close proximity to developers.

This includes his relationship with Coronation, despite ongoing investigations into the council’s practices.

An interim investigation into Liverpool City Council, conducted by the Office of Local Government NSW in 2024, alleged that elected officials, “in particular the mayor,” had been intervening in the development assessment process.

“Every mayor and councillor makes representations … no-one can produce where I’ve done something inappropriate,” Mannoun responded to the ABC, defending his actions.

A spokesperson for Coronation emphasized that the company maintained a “good working relationship” with local councillors and both state and federal MPs.

Coronation’s Colorful Past

Coronation Property, an Australian-owned and operated developer, has been mired in controversy in recent years.

The company currently has nine high-rise projects in the pipeline, valued at $5.7 billion. However, in 2022, its building arm, MN Builders, narrowly avoided being stripped of its building registration.

After a brief Supreme Court battle, the company reached an enforceable undertaking with the Department of Customer Service and agreed to conduct an independent audit of its practices.

In 2022, Coronation was also mentioned in the resignation letter of the former NSW building commissioner, David Chandler.

Chandler briefly resigned after issuing a stop-work order on Coronation’s Merrylands project, Mason and Main.

In his resignation letter, Chandler raised concerns about an alleged relationship between the then-minister Eleni Petinos’ office and Coronation, as well as a message from former deputy premier John Barilaro, who had joined the Coronation board.

A spokesperson for Coronation stated that its Moore Point project would be the “jewel in the crown” for southwestern Sydney, an area that is facing a severe housing shortage.

Coronation is represented by Premier Communications Group, where former NSW Premier Morris Iemma serves as senior counsel.

Conclusion: A Question of Growth vs. Risk

The proposed Moore Point mini city represents a major opportunity for growth in southwestern Sydney, but it also raises significant questions about environmental risks, developer reliability, and the potential for ongoing issues with infrastructure and promises left unfulfilled.

As Liverpool City Council presses forward with the campaign for this project, the stakes are high for both the local community and the broader region.

The outcome will depend not only on the approval of the development plan but also on the resolution of past issues and the commitment to delivering on promises made.