YOUR SAY - URBAN ENVIRONMENT
Diary of a development Residents, developers and interested parties with much to say about Lane Cove Council rezoning proposals that pave the way for a development at St Leonards South were last month finally able to have their say at an independent public meeting with the Independent Planning Commission (IPC). Moves for the development have been ongoing since mid-2012 when Lane Cove Council resolved to develop a master plan.
Boundaries of the St Leonards South (SLS) area, formerly East Greenwich, are: Marshall Ave, Park Road East, River Road and Canberra Ave. If it proceeds, rezoning from R2 low-density to R4 high-density residential will affect boundaries and five streets between, allowing sites of 138 single dwellings there to be replaced with 2400 units, including some up to 65 metres. Council believes its plan is a way to deliver housing required by NSW government. Yet some residents point out that Lane Cove LGA is already set to deliver 2800 dwellings by 2021, that Lane Cove is at 138% of the housing target set by Greater Sydney Commission: 1900 dwellings by 2021. Included in that 138% are 1900 units being completed in other St Leonards developments near the highway. As of the May 20 meeting, parties had a week to make written submissions to the IPC before it advises Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Rob Stokes, the ultimate decision-maker on the rezoning. The following timeline shows steps leading to this point …
July 2012 Lane Cove Council votes to form an SLS master plan to inform consideration of planning parameters
Oct 2012 Council votes to prepare a scoping paper for SLS master plan Nov 2012 Council resolves to invite two representatives of two groups - St Leonards/North Wollstonecraft Community Assn and Marshall Avenue Action Group – to be part of its new St Leonards committee which would help Council develop SLS master plan. Residents in between Park Lane and Greenwich Rd (part of the area considered for rezoning) were not invited to participate; those likely to consider selling were involved earlier. May to July 2013 David Locke Ass.(DLA) conducts strategic study via a dedicated website separate from Council’s site. Public not invited to be involved were unaware of DLA’s work
Sept 2014 Stage 2 Master Plan development by Annand Associates Urban Design - Residents hoped this second stage of consultation would be wider and better handled after consultant managing Stage 1 said Council should have listened more closely to community and public needed to be informed well in advance about new housing. Stage 2 consultation was still largely confined to residents likely to benefit from property sales.
Dec 2014 Annand Master Plan released Feb 2015 Much of the Greenwich community hears for the first time about SLS plans at Greenwich Community Association meeting 12 TVO JUNE 2019
April 2015 Council information evening on SLS development
13 July 2015 Council holds extraordinary meeting to vote on SLS Plan. Council’s consultant and officers recommended rezoning to Berry Road East but on the night community was surprised when Council voted to extend the boundary to Park Rd East
From 20 July 2015 Properties start selling although site not re-zoned for high-rise. Corelogic data shows sales at approx triple market value of low-density residential land
May 2016 Council lodged proposal for re-zoning with the Dept Planning Sept 2016 Dept of Planning gives Council permission to proceed towards re-zoning
Sept to 2016-Oct 2017 Council prepares detail of SLS master plan for exhibition. Developers continue buying properties. In time, about 90 of the area’s 138 suburban lots sell. Greaton St Leonards pays $134m for 24 homes; Silver Pond pays $140m for19 homes (Corelogic data).
