Crown Sydney wins final planning approval following public-friendly tweaks

Australian casino operator Crown Resorts has won final approval for its controversial Crown Sydney VIP-focused casino.

On Tuesday, the New South Wales Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) gave its approval of Crown’s plan for a A$2b casino in Sydney’s Barangaroo district on land that had been reserved for a public park.

The PAC made its approval conditional upon Crown maintaining a slightly larger green space area than originally planned, as well as setting the casino back 30 meters to ensure the public has access to the waterfront. The PAC also insisted on Crown providing an extra 25 affordable apartments within a five-kilometer radius of the project.

The PAC stressed that it would have suggested many more public-friendly tweaks had it had the power to command them. But the PAC noted that its hands had been effectively tied once the NSW Parliament approved the casino project back in 2013.