The development application for the $6.7 million 2200m sq
supermarket, with parking for 27 cars, was rejected by Sydney Council earlier
this week.
The council’s director of city planning, Giovanni Cirillo,
said the application was not consistent with the city’s planning controls.
“The scale and intensity of the proposed supermarket, additional traffic
generated and detrimental impact of this on the area would not respect, improve
or enhance the urban village character,” Mr Cirillo said.
A Woolworths spokesman said the company would consider the
refusal carefully.
Paul Howard from Erskineville Village Friends said the
proposal had been flawed “from the start” and, if it had been
approved, would have destroyed the village life of Erskineville with traffic,
congestion.
“We are very happy, it’s been nine long months of
fighting,” a jubilant Mr Howard said. “The quality of the DA was
appalling – it was unbelievable that such an unprofessional document was put
together to begin with.”
Mr Howard said the comparisons used to other supermarkets
owned by Woolworths were misleading as they were smaller in size and had far
larger populations within walking distance. He said the supermarket for
Erskineville would have only a fraction of its customers living in a 500m
radius, meaning the majority would have driven to the area, causing
unprecedented congestion.
“I guess Woolworths and the developer did not think it
would get the scrutiny it did,” he said. The council said it had received
257 objections from the local community and 12 submissions of support for the
DA.
Erskineville Village Friends managed to collect more than
4500 signatures on a petition opposing the DA.
Photo: Phil Rogers: A Woolworths could have threatened local
businesses and the village life at Erskineville
Source: Central of 21 May2008