The Land and Environment Court decision against the proposed development of two mid-rise towers on the site of the Balmain Tigers has been misused by the Greens Party to condemn urban development in inner city sites in Sydney says the Urban Taskforce.
“The Land and Environment Court Commissioner agreed that the proposed redevelopment of the Balmain Tigers Leagues Club in Rozelle complied with height and massing requirements of the Leichhardt Local Environmental Plan 2000, but there were some design issues that could be improved.” Says Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson “Despite the building height complying with the development controls of 12 and 8 storeys, Greens local member of Parliament, Jaime Parker stated ‘The decision sends a strong message to the developer that Rozelle doesn’t need skyscrapers“.
It is important that projects of medium height at transport nodes and town centres are supported particularly if they comply with the relevant development controls. For the Greens Party to claim that the decision sends a message against skyscrapers is just scaremongering.”
“The Greens often raise concerns about housing affordability in Sydney but do not seem to understand that stopping new housing developments will only increase the cost of housing in Sydney. It also seems ironic that the Greens are out campaigning to keep the 12 storey Sirius building in the Rocks but do not want buildings of this height in their own backyard.”
“Sydney is a city in transition. Well designed, medium and high rise residential development in well serviced locations, such as Rozelle, should be encouraged. Political leadership is needed to manage Sydney’s future growth particularly following the recent release of population projections showing stronger growth that earlier forecasts.”
“The sad storey of the Balmain Tigers Leagues Club siteand the potential for an integrated, mixed use development that provided much needed housing, new club facilities and new retail outlets is a sign of a dysfunctional planning system. Everyone loses, including the community, in the failure to achieve an acceptable solution for this site. Surely if height and massing fitted the planning rules then the various parties could have negotiated suitable design outcomes to resolve years of indecision.”
