Preserving Our Heritage since 1968

The Hunters Hill Trust

The Hunters Hill Trust

Preserving Our Heritage since 1968

North District Plan: what is the real story?

or get this?

do we keep this?

The Greater Sydney Commission has released the Revised Draft North District-Plan. It predicts there will be 200,000 more people living in 92,000 more dwellings in the North District by 2036.

It sets out priorities raised by all of us who commented on the 2016 draft, including:

  • Protection of neighbourhood character
  • Medium density rather than high density housing
  • Enhanced walking and cycling connections
  • Improved transport and infrastructure to support housing
  • Measures to protect biodiversity
  • Protection of natural landscape including foreshore and bushland
  • Protection of open space, including Green Grid and urban tree canopy
  • Protection of metropolitan rural areas, particularly South Dural.

Why is this so very different from the reality of what is happening around us right now?

Comment on this latest draft before December 15th.

2017-11-03T15:48:21+11:00October 27, 2017|

SOS green space: signs of hope

Community pressure and the SOS Green Spaces campaign is having an impact:

  • NSW Minister for Planning is appointing a Parks and Open Space Coordinator to provide leadership and direction
  • NSW Government Architect’s Office is preparing a best practice policy for Sydney’s green spaces
  • Greater Sydney Commission plans to significantly expand Sydney’s tree cover.

Image:RicardoCarloLonza

The habitat of koalas and other wildlife is threatened by plans to house hundreds of thousands more people in Western Sydney. Total Environment Centre’s forum on November 16th will unpack the issues and strategies to manage risks.

Register to attend: Last Chance for Western Sydney Bushland.

2017-10-28T12:32:47+11:00October 26, 2017|

Australia’s oldest public square faces the bulldozers

For the past 5 years, community members have been protesting at Thompson Square in Windsor:  every single day, 24 hours a day, Christmas Day included.

The aim of this extraordinary vigil is to stop the NSW government from constructing a massive bridge and road right through the nationally significant heritage square – Australia’s oldest public square. Despite their efforts, the NSW government is pushing ahead with their plan. See the recent media coverage shown on Current Affair recently.

https://www.facebook.com/ACurrentAffair9/videos/1326927937413580/

Sign the petition here: community-action-for-windsor-bridge-save-the-birthplace-of-the-fair-go-and-australia-s-oldest-town-square.  There is a rally there on Sunday 29th from noon.

It is just incomprehensible that this precinct is going to be destroyed. Why not find another route?

2017-10-23T18:23:45+11:00October 22, 2017|

what about green space in the Domain?

Sydney Modern NE perspective

We are very concerned about the location of the Art Gallery of NSW’s controversial Sydney Modern Project.  The proposed design involves a series of pavilions on the open space Domain lands at the entrance of Mrs Macquarie’s Point with the Entrance Plaza and part of the main buildings over the landbridge.

Read about the issues at stake set out in the Briefing Paper prepared by concerned citizens Roslyn Andrews, Gillian Appleton and Bruce Donald who highlight:

  • loss of public open green space at the same time as Sydney population is soaring
  • adverse impacts on district views, pedestrian and vehicular access and parking
  • lack of informed consultation with all stakeholders and the public.

The design concept: (more…)

2017-12-14T14:43:16+11:00October 13, 2017|

Christmas party: for your diary

.

,

Hunters Hill Trust members and their guests are invited to join us for the 2017 Christmas party.  Elizabeth and David Dossetor have kindly agreed to host our annual event at their historic Jeanneret house.  This stone house is said to have been a wedding present for CE Jeanneret’s youngest daughter Florence Hull.  It shows the transition towards the Federation style with geometric woodwork trims and shingles.  It is set in a beautiful garden.

When:  6:30pm Thursday 30th November

Where: 2 Futuna Street, Hunters Hill

Cost:  $55 per person    RSVP:   members@huntershilltrust.org.au

2017-10-15T16:22:04+11:00October 13, 2017|

what lies ahead for Crown Lands in NSW?

Crown Lands are precious and irreplaceable.

The draft Crown Lands Regulation 2017 and the Crown Lands Management Act 2016 will affect the use, management and potential transfer or sale of publicly owned lands across NSW.

The new regulations will govern the proposed transference of Crown Lands to local government.  Better Planning Network points out serious risks and problems in the current draft.  Read BPN’s submission here.

Image: NSW Dept of Industry

About half of NSW is Crown Land. Some of this land is for public use such as national parks, state forests, schools, hospitals, sporting, camping and recreation areas.  There are also significant portions of Crown land that can be leased for commercial or agricultural purposes or developed and sold.

Read the submission sent by Hunters Hill Trust here.

Send your own message (large or small) to the Department of Planning before October 15th:  here is the link.

2017-10-15T10:03:51+11:00October 6, 2017|

Election results: Hunters Hill Council 2017

MAYOR:    Mark Bennett (IND)

NORTH WARD:   Ben Collins (LIB), Elizabeth Krassoi (IND), Ross Williams (IND)

SOUTH WARD:  Justine McLaughlin, (IND) Zac Miles (LIB), Jim Sanderson (IND)

Hunters Hill Trust asked the candidates a series of questions before the election.  We applaud the new Mayor’s commitment to preserving our heritage, character and mature tree canopies. He said:

‘diligent and professional review of development proposals within the municipality needs to remain rigorous to ensure our streetscapes, environment and liveability is not compromised. The removal of trees in the name of progress simply must stop and we need to work harder to find better solutions.’

Here is the full response that Mark Bennett provided:

(more…)

2017-09-18T14:02:19+10:00September 15, 2017|

Save Sydney’s koalas

The koala colony’s matriarchs and cubs in Sydney’s South West have so far managed to survive major assaults on their population caused by dog attacks, increased traffic congestion, and subdivision of bushland. This is one of the last disease free koala colonies in Australia.

But with more than 30,000 new homes and major highway upgrades proposed for Sydney’s South West, ecologists and carers agree that this koala colony will not prove resilient in the face of escalating threats.

The Total Environment Centre, National Parks Association and other groups are calling for the government to DELAY MAJOR REZONING and DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS until evidenced-based Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management is in place.     Help the campaign:

2017-09-29T21:11:53+10:00September 6, 2017|

threats posed by ‘State Significant Infrastructure’

HHT recently met with Anthony Roberts, Minister for Planning and Carolyn McNally, Secretary of NSW Planning and Environment to discuss concerns about unsympathetic development across Sydney, the draft Medium Density Housing Code as well as concerns about Gladesville Shopping Village and Windsor Bridge.  Detailed correspondence has followed that meeting (see below).

We now seek assurance that a declaration of ‘State Significant lnfrastructure’ will not be used to bulldoze inappropriate development through the Hunters Hill Municipality.  ‘Priority Growth Areas’, ‘Priority Precincts’ and ‘Urban Renewal Corridors’ now located all over Sydney are causing significant destruction of heritage, tree cover, amenity and consequent community stress.

We applaud the recently announced ‘Better Placed’ state-wide design policy to ‘ensure the delivery of high quality urban design and better places for people across NSW’ but design guides will not turn the tide of poor design, and development driven by profit that is rampaging across Sydney, unless there is a mandatory compliance requirement to a set of standards with community and civic outcomes at their core.

Image: Advertiser, SA National Trust

Sense of place is being obliterated through lack of protections for character, mature tree coverage and consideration of resources captured in existing buildings.

View the Trust’s powerpoint presentation to the Minister and Secretary in July.  Read the Trust’s follow up letter to Minister Roberts.  Read Ms McNally’s detailed response to HHT.   You can also see the Trust’s most recent letters to Ms McNally and to Minister Roberts.

2017-10-14T16:36:32+11:00September 4, 2017|

We are a volunteer community organisation with over 50 years’ proud representation on behalf of the residents of Hunters Hill, advocating for our suburb’s unique heritage and environment.

If you would like to donate to our cause, your contributions will be greatly appreciated and very carefully used.

Donations can be via bank transfer to: CBA Bank; BSB 062000; Acct 16211909, or by cheque payable to Hunters Hill Trust sent to PO Box 85, Hunters Hill 2110.

Please email us at huntershilltrust@gmail.com so we can acknowledge your kind contribution.

Go to Top