The
original Notice of Motion was moved by Councillor Ellsmore, seconded by
Councillor Jarrett.
It is
resolved that:
(A) Council note that Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has announced a rezoning proposal for the ‘Redfern
North Eveleigh Precinct Renewal’, for public land adjoining Redfern Train
Station and Carriageworks on Wilson Street in
Darlington;
(B)
Council
note that the plans for the site include: public space; new buildings ranging
from three to 28 storeys; shops and retail; significant development of
industrial heritage including the ‘Paint Shop’; commercial buildings; and 15
per cent affordable housing (estimated 67 of a proposed new 450 homes);
(C)
Council
note that more than 100 local residents attended a public meeting organised by
residents’ action group Redfern Everleigh Darlington Waterloo Watch (REDWatch), at the Redfern Community Centre on Saturday 13
August 2022, about the proposal;
(D)
Council
note that due to the short time frame for making submissions, the Lord Mayor
wrote to the community detailing the City’s concerns to assist them to make
their own submission;
(E)
Council
note the high level of community concern about the proposal, including but not
limited to:
(i)
the
short time frame for public comment on the proposal (submissions close 25
August 2022);
(ii)
the
lack of community input into development of the plans for the site, and lack of
community input to the vision for the precinct generally;
(iii)
loss or
sell off of inner-city public land;
(iv)
lack of
protection for the unique industrial heritage in and around Redfern Station;
(v)
insufficient
affordable and public housing;
(vi)
traffic
impacts and pedestrian safety;
(vii)
lack of
commitment for a connecting bridge across the railway tracks; and
(viii)
the
quality and location of public open space;
(F)
Council
note that the City’s draft submission objects to the proposal on the following
grounds:
(i)
planning
decisions on the site should be made through local Council mechanisms, rather
than determined by the NSW Minister or NSW Government as a ‘State Significant’
site;
(ii)
the
significant increase in residential and overall Gross Floor Area (GFA) is
inappropriate;
(iii) the local infrastructure schedule is
inadequate and doesn’t consider impacts on assets owned, or proposed to be
owned, by the City of Sydney, both inside and outside the precinct boundaries;
(iv) the proposal doesn’t respect the heritage
significance of the site and its individual components. The submission
recommends that buildings and spaces of high heritage value be free from
development;
(v)
the
proposed location of residential towers adjacent to the railway corridor, which
is a source of noise and vibration, will affect the amenity of future
residents;
(vi) the proposed inclusion of 18 to 28 storey,
high grade commercial towers will not deliver the affordable employment space
previously identified as needed in the ‘innovation precinct’;
(vii) the affordable housing proposed is
inadequate. The proposal doesn’t meet the City’s existing target for a minimum
of 25 per cent affordable rental housing, which should apply in addition to any
commitments to ‘diverse housing’;
(viii) the proposal doesn’t include a commitment to
provide for a minimum of 10 per cent of the total residential Gross Floor Area
for culturally appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affordable
housing to prevent their displacement from the area;
(ix) the proposal doesn’t prioritise connections
to Carriageworks; and
(x)
the
proposal doesn’t include a commitment to provide an active transport bridge
over the Redfern tracks to connect North and South Eveleigh;
(G)
Council
note that the City’s draft submission:
(i)
requests
a four-week extension to the exhibition period;
(ii)
asks
Transport for NSW to support an alternative development approach which has been
developed by the City; and
(iii) asks Transport for NSW to use the City’s
alternative development approach to review and amend the proposal;
(H) Council note that the City’s alternative
development approach as outlined in the draft submission includes:
(i)
commercial
buildings located close to the rail corridor;
(ii)
residential
buildings located away from the rail corridor, with better amenity and in lower
buildings (maximum nine storeys), with 25 per cent for affordable and social
housing; and
(iii) balancing heritage significance, high
quality public domain and residential amenity, with a significant contribution
towards commercial, in a range of more suitable spaces, and residential floor
space in the innovation precinct;
(I)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to update the City’s draft submission to:
(i)
include
a request that the extension to public exhibition is used to receive further
submissions and facilitate Transport for NSW-led community workshops; and
(ii)
re-enforce
the importance of existing public land in the precinct remaining in public
hands, for future generations; and
(J)
Council
commit to:
(i)
advocating
to Transport for NSW to work with the City in improving their proposal to align
with the City’s alternative development approach, which reflects the priorities
and needs of current and future communities; and
(ii)
supporting
residents in their efforts to advocate for more time and significant changes to
the plans for the site.
The
amended motion was carried on the following show of hands –
Ayes (6) The
Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Chan, Davis, Kok, Scott and Scully
Noes
(4) Councillors Ellsmore*,
Gannon*, Jarrett* and Weldon.
*Note
– Councillors Ellsmore, Gannon and Jarrett abstained from voting on this
matter. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 10.4 of the Code of Meeting
Practice, Councillors Ellsmore, Gannon and Jarrett are taken to have voted
against the motion.
Amended
motion carried.
X086659