28 August 2014
The announcement of a new Committee to develop a vision for Sydney Harbour Foreshore must be outcome focussed, says the Urban Taskforce.
“The Minister for Planning has stated that no government body currently has responsibility for managing the harbour foreshores but the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority would sound like the body tasked to do this.
The Urban Taskforce supports a review of the management of the foreshore but we are most concerned that some organisations have suggested that all land must remain in public use.
The inner harbour needs to have significant development and must recognise Sydney as an urban centre. Like Singapore, Shanghai and New York, a global city next to a water body can be a very exciting juxtaposition of built form and natural features.
The Urban Taskforce urges the government to ensure development opportunities are fully explored including the Bays Precinct.
The timing of the reporting of the new Committee in 2015 would appear to leave the Bays Precinct summit to be held this November in a difficult position to make decisions.
The review of Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority needs to look at the roles of event management, landlord & strategic planning. It would appear that strategic planning is moving over to UrbanGrowth NSW and there are other government agencies who could take the landlord role. The government should also consider selling the buildings within the Rocks as long as there is sufficient heritage control. SHFA has been doing a good job as an event manager; it would appear that there are other parts of the government or the private sector who can undertake this role.
The Urban Taskforce is keen to contribute to the review by Les Wielinga of a vision for the foreshore, it would appear that this is only related to the urban parts of the foreshore and this needs clarification.”
– Said Chris Johnson from the Urban Taskforce.
