REDWatch Joins in Open Letter to NSW Government

REDWatch has joined with a range of other resident groups in issuing an Open Letter to the NSW Government and the City of Sydney requesting the City Plan be placed on hold. The statement follows a range of concerns raised by residents groups about changes forced on the City of Sydney by the previous NSW Government regarding the planning controls to be exhibited. In Redfern and Waterloo this included the removal of the public housing estates from the planning control of the council. At Ashmore Estate a directive to increase heights and densities well above what council studies had shown viable was given without any supporting planning studies to test the densities proposed. The text of the statement is provided below:

Dear Premier and Ministers

We, the undersigned community groups, representing the concerned residents of City of Sydney council area, request the draft new City Plan (Draft Sydney Local Environment Plan 2011 and Draft Sydney Development Control Plan 2010) be put on hold, pending further consultation between the community, council and the new State Government. We have come to this position because of the following;

The draft provisions do not afford adequate protection of resident amenity or heritage items.

The draft provisions encourage over development of and inappropriate uses in residential and public recreation zones.

The state directives under which the new City Plan was formulated are in conflict with the new state administration's stated aims and objectives.

There has been inadequate consultation with communities

We understand the new state government was elected with an overwhelmingly large mandate, partially on the platform of less intense development in inner and older suburbs and returning development issues to the local councils. The draft City Plan is the creation of the previous State Government, through directives to Council, on the numbers of dwellings to be imposed and the deletion of planning rules that recognise regional differences.

Signed by

Ben Aveling, Co-convenor, Alexandria Residents Action Group

Ph 0407 228 240

ben.aveling@optusnet.com.au

Peter Tzannes, Co-Chairman, Centennial Park Residents Association

Ph 9663 3370

ptzannes@ozemail.com.au

Jo Holder - Co-Convenor, Darlinghurst Residents Action Group

Ph 0406 537 933

joholder@aic.net.au

Rosemary Potts – Co-Convenor, Friends of Bourke Street
Ph 0431 677 542
friendsofbourkestreet@hotmail.com

Brett Mason, President, Friends of Erskineville