Honeysuckle’s urban transformation is reaching city-shaping heights, with the unveiling of Honeysuckle HQ.
Over the next 15 years, the final development lands will be transformed into a magnetic, mixed-use precinct with day-to-night cultural, hospitality and entertainment offerings, coupled with new homes, jobs and tourism opportunities.
Development partner selected
DOMA Group (DOMA) has been announced as the development partner to make the vision for Honeysuckle HQ a reality, following a competitive, outcome-led selection process.
DOMA will deliver a true mixed-use precinct that blends commercial, retail, residential and hospitality spaces with vibrant public and cultural places.
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What this means for you
HCCDC and DOMA are creating day and night experiences for the entire community.
Here’s what you can expect:
- More than 11,000m2 of stunning public spaces for the whole community.
- A ground-level dining and retail experience – think cafes, casual and formal dining, a cinema, a brewery, a local grocer, a cultural centre and health and wellness businesses.
- New homes and jobs, right in the heart of our city.
- An 18-hour day-to-night economy that invites you to stay from your morning coffee to an evening movie or meal.
- Wide promenades, shared zones and carefully designed view corridors so everyone can connect with our incredible waterfront.
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Community and economic benefits
Honeysuckle HQ will contribute $80 million to the economy each year during construction, and $133 million annually once complete.
It will unlock approximately 1,000 new homes, commercial and retail space enabling 4,000 new jobs, as well as a 180-room hotel and a 500-seat conference centre.
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Heritage, culture and public space
The development will feature cultural ‘anchors’ in each of the precinct blocks, including a dedicated cultural centre on Hannell Street and cultural facilities integrated with the former Wickham School of Arts building.
The heritage-listed former School of Arts building will be preserved and adaptively reused, anchoring a new Arts Square alongside a hotel and conference centre.
The precinct will also feature more than 11,000m2 of premium public spaces, including the new waterfront ‘Honeysuckle Green’, an ‘Arts Square’ plaza, wide access ways and shared zones, and carefully integrated view corridors for the entire community to share and enjoy.
We will continue our tradition of award-winning public spaces and will work with DOMA to deliver quality public domain alongside Cottage Creek, along the waterfront promenade and through an enhanced Tree of Knowledge Park.
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About the site
Honeysuckle HQ is located at the western end of the Honeysuckle precinct and includes:
- the last remaining waterfront development land on the northern side of Honeysuckle Drive, at the Hannell Street intersection
- and the gateway development land on the southern side of Honeysuckle Drive, at the Hannell Street intersection.
Once complete, public domain will be dedicated to City of Newcastle.
Key dates
The development will be delivered in stages over an expected 15-year timeframe.
Stage 1 groundworks are expected to commence in 2028, with new homes and ground floor retail as the first activation to be realised and development to continue east-to-west.
Prior to this, we will lead mines grouting work to enable development.
Q. How much land will be retained for public space?
A. The development includes more than 11,000m2 dedicated to public open space delivered by DOMA. Key public spaces include a new waterfront park known as ‘Honeysuckle Green’ and an ‘Arts Plaza’ surrounding the Wickham School of Arts building.
HCCDC will also develop the western bank of Cottage Creek into an inviting green space, transform Tree of Knowledge Park into the cultural and recreational heart of the precinct and link it all together by continuing new waterfront promenade connecting Cottage Creek to Wickham.
Green gateways and attractive laneways will create accessible and inviting movement corridors.
Q. Will the development include public parking?
A. The development will include approximately 2,400 parking spaces in total.
Many of these will be dedicated to commercial and retail tenants, although a public parking station featuring more than 200 spaces is planned to serve visitors enjoying the precinct's attractions and shops.
Parking is designed to work together with public transport, walking and cycling options, so you'll have plenty of ways to get here.
Q. What will happen to the existing commuter carpark?
A. Parking in Honeysuckle will change over time as the precinct develops. This includes the gradual removal of the Throsby commuter car park to make way for new development.
The car parks in this area were always intended as a temporary arrangement while the long-term plans for Honeysuckle HQ were being finalised.
Q. Why is there no social or affordable housing as part of the project?
A. The project will include a contribution to City of Newcastle’s new Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme. This scheme allows the payment of a financial contribution to the Council to use for affordable housing or the dedication of dwellings.
Contributions will be made on a per stage basis and will be resolved through the DA process.
Q. When will DOMA lodge a development application (DA) for the project?
A. DOMA expects to lodge the masterplan and Stage 1 DAs by the end of 2026.
Q. How will development be staged?
A. A staged approach to construction from east to west aims to minimise disruption and accessibility while work is underway. Parking is anticipated to continue in Honeysuckle’s temporary carparks as work progresses. Construction is tentatively expected to start in 2028 with final stage delivery expected in approximately 2041.
Q. What building heights will be allowed in Honeysuckle HQ?
A. The Newcastle Local Environment Plan (LEP) 2012 outlines the planning controls for the site. In keeping with the site’s key role in the future CBD, Honeysuckle HQ will have some of the highest buildings proposed for the city, up to around 100m. This reduces to around 30m high closer to the waterfront.
Q. Will the Wickham School of Arts building be retained?
A. Yes, the building will be retained. DOMA is proposing heritage adaptive reuse of the building, which will undergo renovations to include a restaurant and bar forming part of a broader conference centre, ensuring its legacy continues as a vibrant, activated destination. The surrounding land will form a new public plaza.
Q. How was the development partner selected?
A. In 2022, HCCDC undertook an Expressions of Interest (EOI) process seeking proposals from developers to partner in the delivery of Honeysuckle HQ. Proponents were shortlisted to participate in two Call for Detailed Proposal (CFDP) processes.
An evaluation committee comprising HCCDC, NSW Government representatives and 2 independent members reviewed responses. These were evaluated against criteria including quality of design, economic benefits, capability and experience, environmental sustainability, social impact, and heritage and culture.
This process was supported by advice from an expert design review panel, a transaction assessment panel and other external technical advisors.
Q. Why was DOMA’s proposal selected?
A. DOMA’s proposal strongly aligned with the project objectives. It incorporates sustainability, high-quality design and placemaking outcomes, anticipates positive economic outcomes, and incorporates genuine community benefits.
DOMA has invested more than $700 million into Newcastle. Almost all its secured sites are now fully developed and have achieved a substantial transformative effect on the Honeysuckle Precinct and its surrounds.
Q. Was community input considered in this proposal?
A. Yes. Community input was sought through the ‘Honeysuckle Ideas’ engagement program in 2020. We invited the community to share their ideas and aspirations for how the final development of Honeysuckle lands should emerge, with a special focus on social, economic and environmental outcomes.
More than 1,000 responses were received. Common themes include destination, environment, economy, connections, heritage and design excellence.
We also invited Aboriginal community members to join the conversation about including local Aboriginal culture and heritage in Honeysuckle HQ.
As a state significant development (SSD) project, public exhibition and community consultation is required as part of the approval process.
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