CUB UPDATE – COUNCIL, CSPC AND COMMUNITY REMOVED FROM THE PROCESS

The Panel's recommendations threaten the complex and balanced controls developed by the City and Central Sydney Planning Committee (CSPC) through extensive planning studies, expert architectural and heritage input, numerous public forums and negotiations with the site owner. If the Panel's recommendations are adopted, significant heritage buildings on the CUB site will be lost, density of development on the site will increase significantly and there will be greater overshadowing of the proposed public parkland.

The Foster's Group, which owns the CUB site, has not yet lodged its concept plan for the site with the Department of Planning. On 4 October the Director-General wrote to Foster's consultants setting out his requirements for the environmental assessment to support the concept plan.

The environmental assessment must demonstrate that the proposal is consistent with the Expert Advisory Panel's recommendations and where there are inconsistencies it must show that a similar or better outcome will be achieved.

In contrast, the controls developed by the City and CSPC included:

• creation of a unique heritage precinct through the preservation of   key Heritage buildings;
• identification of a site for a new public park
• encouragement of design excellence for the site, including the provision of a high level of amenity for the proposed park
• ensuring the proposed public park has a strong connection to the  wider Chippendale community; and
• better sun access for the park and new residents achieved by limiting building heights.
  

Council and CSPC also resolved to enter into a Voluntary Planning Agreement to provide public benefits which included:

• a public park of at least 5,000 sq.m;
• a new community facility of at least 1,000 sq.m in size or an upgrade of the Pine Street Community Centre;
• creation and completion of roads within the CUB site, to be dedicated to the City;
• traffic light pedestrian crossings over City Road at Myrtle Street and over Regent Street to Prince Alfred Park,
• a child care centre
• upgrades of road intersections including Broadway/Balfour Street, Regent/Old Kent Road, and either  Abercrombie /O'Connor Streets or Abercrombie/Irving
• public domain, footpath and road upgrades, and
• Public art in line with a public art plan.
  

The Director-General has also informed Fosters of his requirements for the CUB site to be classified as a State Significant Site. This will allow the Minister to determine all future development applications for the site.

The Minister has subsequently written to me informing me that Foster's concept plan will be put on public exhibition for at least 30 days, once it has been received. He has refused the City's request to review the concept plan before it is placed on public exhibition, claiming that this would create unnecessary delays. He said that the Department of Planning would decide whether a public meeting on the concept plan would be held during the exhibition period.

He further said that Fosters is expected to provide a draft voluntary planning agreement to be exhibited with the concept plan. The Minister expects the draft agreement will include community benefits at least to the level contained in the draft agreement which Council had previously negotiated with Foster's.

The City had requested the Minister ensure that the public benefits from the development are equal to the benefits proposed by the City and the CSPC and that they be increased if the density of the development is increased.

Information

The Director-General's letter and other documents are available from www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/register2006.asp#gma