Plans for North Eveleigh Now on Exhibition – Clovers eNews
I am concerned that the future of North
Eveleigh’s is being considered in isolation, despite the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority’s claims of “an exciting residential,
commercial and cultural community in the new millennium”.
There is inadequate consideration of the pressing issues of
climate change and sustainability, and a failure to take advantage of North Eveleigh’s potential to become an environmental
exemplar. I remain concerned about protection of the site’s heritage, impact on
surrounding residential communities, and linkages with adjacent educational
institutions.
The concept plans, which will be determined by the Minister
for Planning, are now on public exhibition and envisage:
- the
adaptive reuse of a number of key heritage buildings across the site; - the
construction of an estimated 1258 dwellings for 2400 new residents,
including an “iconic” residential tower at the northern end; - commercial
and retail space providing permanent new jobs for 3270 employees; - a
series of public and private open spaces some of which will be dedicated
back to Council; and - the
provision of approximately 2000 car parking spaces.
Information on the Authority’s website also indicates that
the sale of surplus land at the site will fund a major upgrade of Redfern
Railway Station, including new station access and link routes, and the proposed
pedestrian bridge between the Australian
Technology Park
and North Eveleigh.
I have asked the City to draft a submission on the concept
plans focussing on key issues such as:
- The
extent to which the principles for North Eveleigh align with Council’s
Sustainable Sydney 2030 Vision and the integration of North Eveleigh into
the adjacent Darlington village and
future Redfern Activity Hub; - The
implications of the new development on traffic in the Darlington
area;The impacts of the redevelopment on the Wilson Street cycleway; - The
provision of better access for residents and workers to and from Redfern
Station, including direct connections between the Station and the proposed
development, facilitating greater public transport use; - An
assessment of the appropriateness of the adaptation and reuse of key
heritage buildings, including their conversion and use as residences; and - An
examination of the proposed car parking rates.
The City will work to ensure that Ministerial planning
decisions don’t undermine the Sustainable Sydney 2030 vision and that future
development of the site occurs in consultation with the community.
I encourage both residents of the area and others interested
in ensuring better planning outcomes to forward submissions to the Department
of Planning before the closing date of 12 June 2008.
Information
- www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/development_applications/north_eveleigh.htm
- www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/major_projects.asp
Source: Clovers eNews Friday 16 May 2008 – No. 397
Extract from CoS Council Meeting Monday 12 May 2008
Question
by Councillor McInerney
I note from a recent CEO
update that the City had not received the documentation from the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority, relating to the public exhibition of the North
Eveleigh Concept Plan, by the time it went on public exhibition. Could the CEO
confirm or inform me as to whether the City has now received this
documentation? Also, I’d like to note that we must get a submission in because
I believe we certainly should make a submission. I’m sure the CEO will do that,
but the CEO will need to make that submission before 12 June, which is the
closing date.
Answer
by the Lord Mayor
It’s an important issue and
I would like to make some comment on it and then refer it to the CEO. The draft
concept plan is now on public exhibition, as you’ve said. This was raised at
the recent CSPC meeting and they have requested a presentation from the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority. The CEO has followed that up and put that request
in and, if that is agreed to, we will ensure that all Councillors are invited
as well as the members of the CSPC.
The plan envisages the
adaptive reuse of a number of peak heritage buildings across the site;
construction of an estimated 1,258 dwellings for 2,400 new residents, including
an iconic “residential tower at the northern end”. I’m not sure what that
means; it makes me very wary, I must say, I hope it’s not like the TNT Towers.
Commercial retail space providing permanent new jobs for 3,270 employees; a
series of public and private open spaces, some of which will be dedicated back
to Council, and the provision of approximately 2,000 car parking spaces. The
sale of surplus land at North Eveleigh is also expected to fund a major upgrade
at Redfern Railway Station – I thought that was actually the job of Government
to fund essential rail – improving access link routes as well as a proposed
pedestrian bridge between the ATP and North Eveleigh.
I will ask the CEO to
ensure that a submission on the draft concept is developed and the following
issues are explored as part of the submission:
- implications of the new
development on planning in the Darlington
area; - impacts on the Wilson
Street Cycleway; - provision of better access
to residents and workers to and from Redfern Station, including direct
connections between the station and the proposed development, facilitating
greater public transport use; - the appropriateness of the
adaptation and reuse of key heritage buildings, including the conversion and
use as residences. For example, I’m concerned that one illustration shows a
multi-story apartment building coming out of the roof of the heritage paint
shop; and - the proposed car parking
rates.
The submission should also
address the extent to which the principles of North
Eveleigh align with Council’s Sustainable Sydney 2030. I think the
major concern for us is that this site is being excised from the City, it’s
been excised from the work that we do right across the City, in particular in
relation to 2030, in the same way that Barangaroo has been. I think we have to
really try and work hard to ensure that the mistakes of the past when sites are
excised out of the City don’t occur again. The problems we currently have with Darling Harbour are a result of that site being
excised and developed in isolation.
I am really quite concerned
that the finances are not coming from Government Department budgets like the
SRA, but being generated perhaps by overdevelopment of this really important
heritage site. I think there are real issues for us here, and I think it’s
really terrible that we’re hearing about what’s in the plans, instead of the
plans being developed in consultation with our Planners. We need to be working
side by side and in cooperation with both the RWA as well as SHFA on these very
important sites for the future of the City. I’ll certainly ask the CEO to
prepare that submission and circulate it to Councillors, given the timeframe.
City of Sydney Meeting Minutes – 12 May 2008 | PDF 379Kb