Tuesday 19 December 2017

The end of year marks the time when comments on lots of big development proposals are due: last week I made five submissions.

I urged the government to weigh up impacts and benefits for the Art Gallery of NSW expansion to ensure the final determination reflects the best public outcome. There is division in the community on the project because it will remove significant amounts of open space. I opposed the outdoor Entry Plaza that paves and covers large amounts of land for a ‘meeting place’ that could be left green making it more appropriate and sensitive to the garden setting. My submission: HERE.  

UrbanGrowth’s response to our opposition to transforming the approved Bank Street public recreation site into a backend charter boat storage and waste facility does not address the fundamental problem that the proposal is a terrible outcome for prime waterfront land. I restated my objection to the department HERE. 

Revised plans for Cockle Bay still propose a massive commercial tower with waterfront podium that will further erode the public domain through wind, shadows and views loss. I opposed the newly proposed boardwalk over the water, which removes more harbour. Other significant impacts include traffic from 150 car parking spaces and ruined views in adjacent homes and on Pyrmont Bridge. I again asked the government to be custodian of the harbour and reject this damaging proposal HERE. 

Barangaroo South development continues to disrupt the peaceful enjoyment of Kent Street residents’ homes. My submission on the latest medium rise proposal aims to reduce noise impacts during construction and building operations HERE. 

My submission on the amended proposal for 201 Elizabeth Street asked that claims that overshadowing of Hyde Park would be reduced by 50 percent be properly investigated. The shadow diagrams for demolishing the existing tower and building a new one further south appear to compare changes between the existing and proposed tower without accounting for “collateral shadows” from other buildings that currently land on the existing tower. I opposed the four levels of car parking proposed in this already congested area that is heavily serviced by public transport. My submission HERE.