Why this high-voltage Sydney tower will leave you Thunderstruck
But could it be on a highway to development hell? Burwood Council is among those who have lodged submissions with the state's planning department objecting to the glossy tower, which has also raised the ire of nearby residents.
Land cleared in December at the former home of Angus and Malcolm Young, 4 Burleigh Street, Burwood, would form part of the footprint of a proposed 39-storey tower featuring a hotel, commercial offices and 48 two-bedroom residential flats. The demolition stunned AC/DC fans and led Burwood Council to consider alternative tributes to the band.
The architectural designs do not reference the rock legends directly, but a heritage statement refers to the former Young family home, the formation of AC/DC in 1973, and older brother George's involvement in the Easybeats.
Identified as a state-significant development, with residences worth at least $75 million, the tower would include 18 affordable housing units, allowing it to be fast-tracked under new planning laws.
In its submission, the council identified 'significant' problems with the tower, which it says 'treats the site in isolation', does not meet design excellence standards, and will clog surrounding roads.
'In particular, the council is concerned that the proposed design does not demonstrate an adequate level of integration with the surrounding urban context.
'The development appears to have been designed in isolation, lacking a cohesive relationship with the character, scale, and function of adjacent sites,' the council said in a submission.
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EV owners group the Australian Electric Vehicle Association said any road user charge must be universal and not incentivise internal combustion vehicles over EVs. The introduction of road user charges should not slam the brakes on Australia's shift to clean transport, Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Julie Delvecchio said. "Reforms should only apply once electric vehicles reach 30 per cent of new vehicle sales." EVs accounted for about 12 per cent of new car sales in the first half of 2025. Coalition senator Jane Hume said more needed to be done to fix ailing roads, which a broader road tax could achieve. Motorists could face distance-based fees to drive on Australian roads as part of a proposed tax change expected to be on the menu of Treasurer Jim Chalmers' economic roundtable. Momentum is building for a road user charge, seen by one federal frontbencher as a "sensible" solution to fund road maintenance as more people switch to electric vehicles. But EV owners are urging the government not to slow the transition from internal combustion. The tax change was flagged by the treasurer during a speech in June, saying he was working with the states and territories "on the future of road-user charging" for EVs. A group of transport industry leaders, convened by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, met on Monday to discuss a preferred model for a road user charge. Roads Australia chief executive Ehssan Veiszadeh attended the meeting and said without changes, Australia risked falling short on the infrastructure needed to support its growing population and economy. Money collected as part of the fuel excise is allocated for fixing roads, but concerns have been raised there will be less set aside in coming years as the number of EVs increases. "Without reform, we risk a future where our roads are underfunded, unsafe, and unable to support the demands of a growing population," Mr Veiszadeh said. 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"I don't think anything's happening tomorrow, but I do think it's sensible ... for the states and territories, to look long term at what they do, to make sure that there's enough money to build the roads that people want to drive on," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Victoria tried to put in place a two cent per kilometre charge on EV users in 2023, but the proposal was overruled by the High Court, effectively banning states from implementing a road user charge and leaving the issue in the lap of the Commonwealth. NSW has assumed one will eventually be implemented regardless. In its latest budget, the state's treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, forecast a road user charge kicking in by 2027/28, which is estimated to bring in $73 million. New Zealand has a road user charge scheme for EVs based on vehicle weight and distance driven. Last week the NZ government announced petrol cars would also have to pay the charge, while its fuel excise would be scrapped. EV owners group the Australian Electric Vehicle Association said any road user charge must be universal and not incentivise internal combustion vehicles over EVs. The introduction of road user charges should not slam the brakes on Australia's shift to clean transport, Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Julie Delvecchio said. "Reforms should only apply once electric vehicles reach 30 per cent of new vehicle sales." EVs accounted for about 12 per cent of new car sales in the first half of 2025. Coalition senator Jane Hume said more needed to be done to fix ailing roads, which a broader road tax could achieve.
