The Total Environment Centre is coordinating input to the Greater Sydney Commission from community groups, including Hunters Hill Trust.   6 areas of common interest and major concern about the rampant development in Sydney have been defined:

  1. Loss of local character
  2. Heritage protection
  3. Loss of biodiversity
  4. Urban tree cover
  5. Waterway health
  6. Loss of open space.

Experts, community groups and advocates are spelling out what action is needed now for each of these issues.  Draft strategies to protect heritage include:

  • Across Greater Sydney, heritage listed items and Heritage Conservation Areas should be protected from demolition and inappropriate development
  • District Plans should actively seek to identify, recognize and protect heritage items and Heritage Conservation Areas from demolition and/or inappropriate development
  • Development objectives should strive to protect and enhance the individual heritage values of localities within the overall area
  • Development objectives should aim to create and maintain locally distinctive urban characters in new development zones.

The issues and suggested strategies for all 6 concerns are set out in the Summary of the Environment Panel’s Draft Report to GSC.