I am gravely concerned about current proposals to develop
the historic Eveleigh Carriage Workshops- described by the Smithsonian
Institute as one of the rarest and most intact industrial precincts in the world.
Under the Redfern Waterloo Authority proposals – for which
the Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, is the sole consent authority –
development on this iconic site will include:
- a range of
buildings between four and 16 storeys (equivalent to the TNT Towers) - parking for
almost 2000 cars - construction
of over 1,200 dwellings for Z400 new residents - unsympathetic
re-use of heritage buildings, including an apartment building on top of the
historic Paintshop which would require demolition of most of the building’s
most visible façade - a range of
new buildings over the fan-of-tracks to the east of the Paintshop
We are also concerned that traffic modelling in the plan
doesn’t appear to accurately reflect the existing situation on surrounding roads.
Nor does it take into account the long-standing proposals to close Shepherd and
Ivy Streets north of Abercrombie and Butlin
Avenue within the University.
The development will not meet the requirements for
sustainability, including cogeneration, which should be incorporated to meet
sustainability targets for Sydney.
We are especially concerned that the public spaces provided
in the concept plan are poor, consisting of a series of small, narrow and
fragmented spaces, often reading as forecourts to buildings rather than genuine
and usable public space.
It is also poorly integrated with surrounding residential
areas.
But this development will proceed unless the Authority can
be presented with a viable alternative.
The University
of Sydney does have a
more sympathetic plan for the site, which it would like to present to
residents.
The City has called a meeting for this Saturday, July 26, at
the CarriageWorks, Eveleigh, at 2pm, so that residents can listen to an
alternative plan for this precious historic site.
I hope you will be there.
Yours sincerely
Clover Moore
MP
Lord Mayor of Sydney
