Public Hearing Reclassification of Council land for Pemulwuy Project - 14 Mar 2012

The City is proposing to reclassify seven parcels of Council-owned land from 'community' to 'operational* so that it can be included in the Pemulwuy Project.

Community land is generally open to the public. Operational land may be used as work depots or garages.

In August and September 2011 the planning proposal for the reclassification of these parcels of land was publicly exhibited and in November the City and the Aboriginal Housing Company held a community meeting to discuss your concerns. The next step is this public hearing.

The Pemulwuy Project, which is supported by Council, is the Aboriginal Housing Company's proposed redevelopment of The Block to provide much needed affordable housing, open space and community facilities.

The Pemulwuy Project is being assessed by the State Government not Council. You can see more information at http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=4889

Wednesday 14 March 2012 Redfern Town Hall 73 Pitt Street. Redfern From 6pm

For enquiries call 9246 7846 or visit cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au       

Source: Advertisement Sydney Morning Herald 14 February 2012.

The Following Clarification has been provided by the Council

Where it is proposed that 'community land' be reclassified to 'operational land', the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act requires that a public hearing be held. In this instance, the 'community land' in question is 91-99 and 119-121 Eveleigh Street, Redfern. The proposed reclassification is to allow the land to be included in the redevelopment of The Block, known as the Pemulwuy project.

The purpose of the hearing is to give any interested party the opportunity to make an oral submission on the proposed reclassification. On the night, any interested party may make a submission to the chair of the hearing.  The hearing will continue until all parties have had a chance to make their submission.

The Local Government Act requires that the public hearing be chaired by an independent party.  To this end, we have engaged an independent consultant to undertake the hearing.  They will chair the hearing on the night and take notes of the submissions made. They will then prepare a report complete with a recommendation on if they think the reclassification is acceptable. It is a statutory requirement that Council make this report publically available within 4 days of receiving it.