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 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).

23 Oct 2017 Council votes to exhibit SLS Plan to give community insight. Council notifies 4,000 interested parties already on its subscription list plus those within and adjacent to SLS boundaries. Wider Greenwich residents are notified of exhibition on Dec 2.

2 Dec 2017- Jan 2018 Despite timing, 339 submissions are lodged - 96% object to SLS plan. Council refused to put submissions on its website; Greenwich Community Association lodged a GIPA (freedom of information) request for these on 23 Jan 2018. Months later, GCA received copies of most submissions with identifiers redacted. GCA analysis shows top 5 objections as

● Traffic and parking problems 72% ● Lack of infrastructure to support 2400 units and adverse impact on amenities 64% ● Lack of and severe adverse impact on open space 59% ● Lack of school, childcare and playgrounds 53% ● Overcrowding and unsustainable density 51%

Oct 2018 Dept Planning releases draft 2036 Plan for St Leonards-Crows Nest area where St Leonards South sits. It acknowledges many locals’ concerns about SLS plan and calls for review by an independent IPC panel meeting to then advise minister if SLS plan is consistent with 2036 Plan which alone has more than 40 criteria. 2036 Plan goals include:

● Bringing businesses and jobs to the area ● Keeping most highrise near the highway ● Blending a mix of housing styles ● Maintaining a ratio of open space to dwellings/people

20 May 2019 Independent IPC meeting with more than 100 interested parties. Developers told of frustration over delays in approving rezoning and their inability to pay extra levies to fund park, community meeting space and childcare centre, required by the Council’s SLS Plan itself. Residents told concerns about impacts, action groups spelt out contradictions between rezoning SLS for development and Dept Planning’s 2036 Plan.

20 May Council meeting votes to reject two developers’ proposals to rezone their holdings alone. A piecemeal approach would threaten control of any development

And now? Re-zoning proposals can be lodged while the 2036 Plan is finalised. IPC to advise Minister if SLS proposals fit with Dept Planning’s 2036 Plan for the area.

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