Cr Moore called on the Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, to
“come clean” on how much money the Government would raise through an
affordable-housing levy on the developer and how it would be spent.
The two leaders spent the day trading insults as Mr Sartor
took advice about whether to assume planning control of the $800 million
residential development.
More than two years of negotiations between the City of Sydney and the site’s
owner, Foster’s, reached an impasse this month when Mr Sartor criticised the
way the council had handled the talks and told the parties to negotiate the
levy.
Residents and the council fear Mr Sartor will allow bigger
apartment blocks to be built on the site in exchange for a larger developer
contribution, at the expense of community facilities such as parkland.
“How can the minister claim to provide a balanced
outcome for the community … when he is ignoring expert advice and advocating
for an increase in the size of the development which will see his Government
reap a cash bonanza?” Cr Moore asked.
Mr Sartor said he had a record of guaranteeing quality
public facilities and it was a “simple untruth” to suggest the
development would be worse if he took over planning control.
“The Lord Mayor should concentrate on her
administration,” he said. “She’s had two general managers … she
should concentrate on doing her job better.”
Mr Sartor also said the council was not capable of
addressing the architectural quality of the apartment blocks or affordable
housing, and promised that the levy – which is expected to raise about $30
million – would be spent appropriately.