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FEAR FOR THE FUTURE OF SOUTHERN SYDNEY

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP has called on the State Government and the Redfern Waterloo Authority (RWA) to guarantee that more than $1.8 billion worth of expected development will include provision for essential community facilities and open space reports a media release from the Lord Mayor Clover Moore on 19 February 2007.

“The RWA’s draft contributions plan proposes a developer levy of just two per cent or $36.7 million to provide community infrastructure such as parks, childcare centres, pools and community facilities,” Ms Moore said.

“In contrast, the City of Sydney has undertaken rigorous research for its contribution plan in the southern suburbs which concluded that a developer levy of about seven per cent is needed to just maintain existing open space and community facility ratios. The NSW Property Council described the City’s levy as sensible.

“This is an area which really needs and deserves investment in community facilities and infrastructure, so the RWA must explain how this is going to be provided.

“Imposing a low developer levy may make it attractive to developers in the short term – and enable the Authority to kick-start the regeneration of the area ahead of other inner city areas where a higher levy is imposed – but there are real questions about the long term cost to the community and the quality of the development which will take place.

The Government’s rationale for establishing the Redfern Waterloo Authority was to address the needs of this sensitive and complex community. Investment in infrastructure is an essential component and the community needs to be assured that this is not just a case of the Government acting in the role of developer – looking for a quick buck for the sale of state government sites in the area.

“The Government has a responsibility to act in the public interest and ensure adequate investment in urban infrastructure if this redevelopment is to be successful. This is a real opportunity to set new standards and lead the way in sustainable inner city renewal but it is hard to see a quality development happening with these bargain basement developer levies.”

“The draft contributions plan anticipates an additional workforce or 18,000 and an additional residential population of 3,200 by 2018 – so adequate provision must be made. In order to maintain the current ratio of open space, about 30,000m2 or more than five football fields of additional open space should be provided,” the Lord Mayor said.

“I am concerned the proposed levy is too low to secure enough open space to support the growing population and workforce.

“At some point, the work of the RWA will come to an end and I do not want the local community and City ratepayers to inherit responsibility for an area which lacks proper community facilities or has unfunded or under-funded public works.

“There needs to be a consistent approach across the city so neighbouring areas are not unfairly affected and end up by default subsidising the provision of open space and community facilities in the RWA area.

“I call on the Premier to intervene to ensure effective infrastructure planning. We don’t want to create the urban slums of the future – with a whole new set of urban problems when we have the opportunity here to introduce an innovative sustainable inner city renewal program addressing both social and urban infrastructure issues.

“There must be appropriate consultation, studies and investigation to ensure proposed development and infrastructure is adequate to meet community needs now and into the future,” Ms Moore said.