Planning Proposal for Gladesville Shopping Village
At Council’s meeting on 28 April, a resolution was passed to escalate the Council-initiated Planning Proposal for the Gladesville Shopping Village through to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) for a Gateway Determination BEFORE a public exhibition period is held for community comment.
The two Independent Councillors argued that, as this was a new Planning Proposal for building heights that have already been rejected by the community, as well as by Council when a 16 storey tower was proposed, the Proposal should not proceed to Gateway but be put on public exhibition for community comment. This argument was disappointingly rejected.
Council has now pushed through a Planning Proposal which will increase the density, population and building heights in Gladesville, a total change of character that will be detrimental to the surrounding mainly low-rise neighbourhood and the amenity of people living in and around the area. We are very disappointed that residents have not been given the opportunity to comment until after the Gateway approval process, by which time any suggested modifications could prove difficult to implement.
The following issues remain unresolved:
1. The proposal enables overdevelopment of the site
Council’s Planning Proposal does not provide the promised improvements to Victoria Road and the shopping strip, nor address the site as a whole, as anticipated in the Gladesville Masterplan and as specifically requested by the Local Planning Panel.
The Proposal only addresses one area of the site (Block 4) adding two 19 storey towers above a 2 storey retail podium. The proposed layout could even allow up to 23 storeys, completely out of context with the surrounding mainly low-rise established neighbourhood.
2. Amendment of our Local Environmental Plan
Council proposes to amend our Local Environmental Plan via “additional site-specific provisions” to incentivise development and allow increases to height and floorspace ratios in order to facilitate favourable developer financial returns. This sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of our LGA.
3. Population density for this site has approximately doubled
Even with this density there is no provision for affordable housing. In addition there is no information as to how new residents from the 522 apartments will be absorbed into the local infrastructure and already congested peak hour traffic on Victoria Road and surrounding streets.
Council’s own Transport impact Assessment states: “It is anticipated that the future Gladesville Development would generate a total of 565 [car] trips in the AM peak and 829 trips in the PM peak”. The Mayor’s assertion that if the State Government approves the development, it is up to the State to invest in additional public transport is at best optimistic, when Transport for NSW have previously confirmed that this is not possible.
4. Parking issues have not been fully resolved
Only “a review of on-street parking patterns” will be undertaken by Hunters Hill Council.
5. Overshadowing of Gladesville Public School
There has been no thought given to the right to sunlight for primary school children. In addition, the potential reduction of green space is concerning when this proposal could allow the 3400sqm open space to be reduced to 1800sqm.
6. Demolition of a protected heritage building
The cottage at 10 Cowell Street is a loss to the community and its demolition is of great concern to the Trust.
Council seems to believe it can outsource all risks associated with this project to developers, but the community has a long memory and will continue to hold Council accountable for the outcomes on this site.
If you would like to express your own views, please contact Paul Scully, Minister for Planning & Public Spaces at
https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/ministers/minister-for-planning-and-public-spaces
Contact the Mayor and Councillors at:
Mayor@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
JuliaPrieston@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
MarcLane@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
TatyanaVirgara@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
CarlaKassab@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
CarolTannous-Sleiman@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
RossWilliams@huntershill.nsw.gov.au