The “Central to Eveleigh Global Precinct
Opportunity” has two distinct components linked by a Cleveland to Lawson Street
rail corridor, bike and pedestrian route. It proposes covering the railway
lines between Central Station and Cleveland St linking Surry Hills and Prince
Alfred Park with Chippendale and Ultimo. The high cost of building over the
rail corridor would need to be met by up to 90 storey high rise development according
to some commentators.
At the Eveleigh end, high-rise over the
railway corridor at and next to Redfern Station is proposed alongside the development
of already identified land at the Australian Technology Park (ATP) and North
Eveleigh.
New high-rise developments are also proposed
over current operational railway areas west of ATP. Railcorp’s Air-conditioned
Depot Carriage Sheds are combined with some Eveleigh public housing for one
development while the Macdonaldtown stabling yards and station potentially
produce a high-rise abutting Leamington Avenue. Improved pedestrian and bike
routes across the Eveleigh corridor are also proposed.
City Shapers in the Draft Metro Strategy
gives priority to “investigate the regeneration potential of areas
such as Town Hall, Central to City Road and Central to Eveleigh”. While still
on exhibition, the Metro Strategy was used as the basis for the announcement
alongside Council’s 2030 Strategy proposal to build over the rail corridor
around Central.
The Redfern Waterloo Authority planning
controls on government land adjacent the rail corridor will be reassessed as
part of the EOI process. Larger buildings and fewer setbacks to surrounding conservation
areas may result for the community with land sale revenue going to treasury
rather than the construction of Redfern Station.
Developer interest is reported but there is
also scepticism within the industry that this will be the cash cow the
government hopes. Earlier studies on Redfern Station suggested that property
prices would need to increase substantially to make building over the station
viable. There is concern that if Redfern station has to wait for building above
the lines to be viable then an accessible station is still a long way off.
A council resolution following the
announcement noted council was meeting the Metro Strategy new housing targets
but that new commercial and jobs development was needed. Lack of interest in
commercial space has seen Frasers switch approved commercial space to
residential at Central Park. Commercial blocks at the ATP have not been
released due to insufficient interest.
While the CBD end looks most viable for
building above the lines, it is the already identified sites at ATP and North
Eveleigh that are likely to be the first to go to market.
UrbanGrowth NSW, which has carriage of the EOI
process, expect by the end of 2013 that a Rail Futures Report will make building over
lines possible without limiting future rail system requirements. This will also
determine if all of North Eveleigh can go to market.
Under the provisions
of the government’s New Planning System
the community is to participate in the preparation of plans and a vision for
their local areas and a Community Participation Plan in line with the processes
in the White Paper should be prepared. UrbanGrowth is currently preparing such
a plan for discussion with the community.
REDWatch has asked UrbanGrowth
to explain the proposal to the community surrounding the site and to hold a
community forum as soon as possible. A broad based community reference group,
transparency and release of studies including around Redfern Station and
improvements on web portals have been requested by REDWatch.
Most importantly the
community needs to be consulted about the constraints and requirements expected
of the site’s developers before the EOI goes out. The preservation of heritage
buildings is one constraint recognised in the announcement but there are others
that need to be included in the EOI. This discussion needs to happen upfront so
the community and developers have certainty about what is expected to be
delivered.
Geoff Turnbull is spokesperson for REDWatch – www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/corridor for more information.
Source: South Sydney Herald August 2013