At Council’s meeting on 28 April, a resolution was passed to escalate the 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 already rejected by the community, and 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 and 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.

Council has now pushed through a Planning Proposal, with no provision for affordable housing, which will increase the density, population and building heights in Gladesville, a total change of character with the surrounding mainly low-rise neighbourhood. The increased population density without adequate increases in infrastructure will be detrimental to the amenity of all current and future residents.

The following issues remain unresolved:

1. The proposal enables overdevelopment of the site but with no provision for affordable housing

Council’s Planning Proposal does not address the pressing issue of affordable housing or provide the promised improvements to Victoria Road and the shopping strip. Neither does it 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. The population density for this site will approximately double

Even with this density 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 recent announcement of the reinstated bus route to and from Parramatta, Ryde and the City will provide more public transport, but once buses reach Gladesville with many more residents needing to board, this may not be sufficient.
 

3. 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.
 

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 The Hon Paul Scully, Minister for Planning & Public Spaces at
https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/ministers/minister-for-planning-and-public-spaces 
 
You can 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