Large Erecting Shop rezoning proposal Exhibition until 24 Nov 2022

The Department of Planning and Environment have a rezoning proposal for the Large Erecting Shop (LES) on exhibition now until 24 November. This exhibition is about changing the planning controls that apply to this site prior to what is proposed to be a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) that will deal with the detailed design. REDWatch only learnt about this exhibition on 4 November evening and it was supposed to end 10th November. REDWatch has not had time to dig into all the documents. Below is a quick guide to the key issues REDWatch is aware of.

Submissions can be made online until 24 November - Note 2 week extension

Submissions can be made on line until 24 November 2022 on the Department of Planning and Environment’s website: https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/node/30303866. While we have provided direct links to documents below they can also be found at this weblink.

Since this guide was prepared REDWatch has also posted a REDWatch Update on the LES Exhibition issues as well as the City of Sydney Submission on Large Erecting Shop Rezoning Proposal

The Southern landing site for the Carriageworks Bridge

The LES sits in South Eveleigh to the West of the recently redeveloped Locomotive Workshops. The space between these two buildings is the proposed location for a connecting Bridge to Carriageworks that would save a 20minutes walk between the two sites. If you argued for a connecting bridge for the paintshop precinct you should also argue in this exhibition for that same bridge. Latter we will also deal with the relevant contributions plan and the money the NSW Government has already collected towards the bridge.

TAHE / TfNSW / Mirvac tie up

Like the Paint Shop and Clothing Store Precincts in North Eveleigh, the LES is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity NSW (TAHE) and managed by Transport Heritage NSW (TfNSW). In 2015 when Mirvac purchased the Australian Technology Park it obtained rights to negotiate for the LES should it become available for redevelopment. After an unsolicited proposal in October 2018, Mirvac entered into a Cooperation deal with TfNSW on behalf of TAHE to start the planning for the site redevelopment.

Earlier Saving of the LES

Under the Redfern Waterloo Authority (RWA) the LES was to be pulled down and replaced with a 12 storey building but opposition from residents and heritage rail groups saw the building saved. One of the last acts of the RWA was to restore the height controls to existing height and to reinstate a zoning of ‘Special Purpose Zone – Infrastructure’ with a site-specific clause (clause 23A, Appendix 3, Precincts SEPP) that also allows development with consent for the purposes of ‘information and education facilities’ and ‘rail infrastructure facilities’. At this time the site was operated by heritage rail operator 3801 Ltd.

Zoning

The current rezoning seeks to change the zoning for the land to ‘Business Zone – Business Park’ under the Precincts - Eastern Harbour City SEPP to allow for a mix of commercial and retail development, the same zoning as the surrounding South Eveleigh park.

Height

The Height remains the existing height but with flexibility for minor protrusions of up to 1 metre for roof plant, machinery and cooling towers subject to consent authority approval.

Floor Space Increase

The big change is in the floor space that will be allowed within the building. The proposal takes a high open production building and in effect puts 3 floors of offices into the building. The internal floor footprint of the LES is approx. 6,000 sqm and the rezoning proposes 15,000 sqm equating to a Floor Space ration of 2.5:1. The Explanation of Intended Effects lists those items not included in floor space calculations such as loading docs, lift wells, cooling towers etc. The quantity of floor space requested will have the effect of removing much of the scale of the original building when inside.

LES Heritage Significance

The site is on the State Heritage Register, Is listed on the heritage buildings for the precinct. The exhibition documents include heritage studies and an interpretation plan. The Overarching Eveleigh Workshops Conservation Management Plan (CMP) gives the LES a high heritage value. The Overarching CMP describes the Large Erecting Shop (1898-1906) as:

Rectangular building, approximately 185 metres in length (running east-west) and 36 metres in width, formed as two parallel bays with gable roofs. It has brick masonry load-bearing walls laid in English bond with double semi-circular arched windows in corbelled and polychrome brickwork. Internally, cast-iron columns support steel roof trusses clad with corrugated metal sheets and clear alsynite panels and overhead cranes run the length of both bays.

Like the Paint Shop Precinct there is here a playoff between Heritage Significance and redevelopment floor space. Council has indicated that they thing the floor space is excessive and is concerned the introduction of two internal floors will take away from the scale and characteristics of the large space linked to its historic use and the low ceilings will result in poor amenity.

Additional Uses

It was not clear to REDWatch what was changed in the Additional Uses map (Fig 6 of the Intended Effects). Following our raising concerns with DPE a new Aditional Uses map has been removed from the Explanation of intended effect amended 10 November 2022.

Parking

The RWA planning controls for the ATP / South Eveleigh Site of set a maximum parking level cap of 1600 spaces. As this cap has not been reached the rezoning proposes 20 car parking spaces be provided at street level alongside the LES.

RWA Contributions Plans

The RWA also set up separate Contribution plans for Affordable Housing and local infrastructure delivery separate from the Council plans. These contribution plans have now been transferred to the Minister for Planning and Homes. Government has been sitting on contributions from these funds and has not spent them for affordable housing or local infrastructure.

Money Already Collected for Connecting Bridge

One of the items government said they were collecting funds for was a bridge across the railway line linking North and South Eveleigh. In fact when the NSW Government sold the ATP to Mirvac they also pocketed the funds that the ATP had promised to this bridge. In short the NSW Government has been promising this connection since 2005 and collecting funds for it but then saying it won’t deliver the bridge.

State not Council will be Consent Authority

As with the original RWA plan the current rezoning proposal proposes to leave the NSW Government as the Consent Authority for the redevelopment rather than allow it to be handled by Council.

City of Sydney’s Initial Concerns

Council has released its City of Sydney Submission on Large Erecting Shop Rezoning Proposal. Following are a summary of some concerns raised by Council which have been made available to REDWatch:

The City argues that the future DA should not be declared state significant as proposed, and that the City should be the consent authority.
A bridge connecting North and South Eveleigh should be considered.
Part of the building should be considered for heritage tourism.
The City supports the retention of the external heritage fabric, but is concerned the introduction of two internal floors will take away from the scale and characteristics of the large space linked to its historic use and the low ceilings will result in poor amenity. The City recommends larger voids and reducing the floor space.
The Redfern Waterloo Authority Contributions Plan is outdated and does not account for this additional development. The City recommends that the RWA Contributions Plan be rescinded and the City’s development contributions plan should apply.
The City is concerned there is no commitment to affordable workspaces.
The City suggests this site could contribute to the late-night economy, given its location next to the railway.
The City is concerned about the design of the public domain, particularly Locomotive Street, and suggests the City’s public domain, streets and tree planting policies are applied.
The City recommends a reduction in car parking given the site’s location.
The City recommends the application be subject to a design competition.
The project must be informed by the Connecting with Country Framework, in accordance with the Government Architect NSW policy.
The City asks for higher sustainability targets in its development, operation and waste management.

Links to Important Documents:

Early on there was a move to change the name for the exhibition from the Heritage Register name of the Large Erecting Shop to the South Eveleigh Train Workshop. This is still the name on the Priority Growth Areas and Precinct page of the DPE site however it does not link to the exhibition documents. You can see the information on this page at https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Plans-for-your-area/Priority-Growth-Areas-and-Precincts/South-Eveleigh-Train-Workshop.

The exhibition documents and the portal to make a submission is at https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/node/30303866.

The main documents are the Explanation of intended effect amended 10 November 2022 and the Large Erecting Shop planning report of which all the other reports below are appendices:

Mirvac have also lodged a request for Secretaries Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARS) for a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) which gives further information on what they plan for the site. The SEARs setting out the requirements for the LES SSDA were issued on 18 November 2022.

The SSDA site is - https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/south-eveleigh-large-erecting-shop

The request of SEARS that give an overview of what is planned for the SSDA is at https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=PDA-49541706%2120221020T024028.022%20GMT

You can find more of the history about the earlier battles around the LES on the REDWatch website under The Large Erecting Shop (LES).

REDWatch Updated 18/11/2022

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