The Parramatta government is planning to build the tallest building in Australia - a 90-storey skyscraper in New South Wales to be called Aspire. When built, it would stand at 336 metres.

If the plans would push through, now under study by the NSW government, the structure would beat Gold Coast which currently holds the record for having the tallest buildings in the country.

The edifice would have indoor gardens, shops, 700 apartments, bars and a 150-room hotel. John Chedid, Lord Mayor of Parramatta, said the city hopes the tower, estimated to cost $375 million, would be its landmark and main attraction similar to Sydney's Opera House.

He said the planned skyscraper would have a viewing platform that would provide spectacular views of the Sydney Harbour and the Blue Mountains.

It would be built at 160-182 Church Street, across three hectares of council-owned land and part of the Parramatta Square, a landmark development being planned by the council.

Andrew Cortese, partner of Architect Grimshaw, said the grand sculptural design of Aspire would become a benchmark in Australian environmental agenda, particularly living in high-density apartments. He pointed out that residential towers have a much lower environmental footprint than the suburbs.

The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, used to hold the world record as the tallest completed freestanding structure on land at 553.3 metres, until it was dethroned by the Burj Khalifa in 2007. The Burj, found in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, stands at 829.8 metres.