Save Marrickville public meeting launches campaign to stop high rise

Over 100 Marrickville residents have launched the Save Marrickville group’s campaign to stop high rise and over-development, at a vocal meeting at Ferncourt Public School on 30 November 2017.

This campaign launch follows on from an earlier Inner West Council meeting at Marrickville Town Hall where 500 people heard about plans by Mirvac for 35 storey high rise in the Carrington precinct, and NSW government plans for high density apartments across Marrickville.

“Save Marrickville residents will campaign throughout 2018, by talking to the government and politicians, and through the media, our website, placards on houses, public events, the 500 local people on our email list, and by publicising the importance of industrial land for making things in Marrickville,” said spokesperson Paul Mortimer.

“The residents want local Council to have control of planning, not the NSW Berejiklian government and its ‘planned precincts’, which impose massive development without parks, schools or parking.”

Local Councillors Mark Drury (Labor) and Colin Hesse and Louise Steer (Greens) were at the meeting. Councillor Drury was representing Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne and local MPs Anthony Albanese and Jo Haylen, who have condemned government plans for Marrickville. Liberal MPs have recently spoken out against developments in areas such as Drummoyne and Ryde, and the Greater Sydney Commission has said industrial lands in the area should be preserved.

“The residents agreed to campaign for a good built environment for the Marrickville community, and to preserve local heritage, industrial land and employment,” said Paul Mortimer.

“The Planning Minister Anthony Roberts is expected to announce the amended precinct plans for Sydenham to Bankstown in the new year. Marrickville residents put in the highest number of submissions on precinct plans, but the Minister has not yet agreed to meet with Save Marrickville.”

Media contacts:

Paul Mortimer 0435 240 844 [email protected] 

Kelsie Dadd 0428 406 929 [email protected]

www.savemarrickville.com.au 

[email protected]

We'd like to hear from you. Please email [email protected]

Media please contact Paul Mortimer on 0435 240 844

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A vote on the Victoria Road development was deferred at the Inner West Council meeting on 21 November 2017.

The defer motion was proposed by Clr Victor Macri of Marrickville Ward and seconded by Clr Julie Passas of Ashfield Ward who believe that only the old Marrickville Council fully understand the issue. There has been no briefing of the newly elected members of the Inner West Council.

The issue is considered urgent because the Dept of Planning could approve the development without any input from council and that could happen in the next week.

It seems that Victor Macri and Sam Iskandar are not opposed to the development.

Mirvac’s planning proposal is for 7.8 hectares of land on the east side of Carrington Rd. As the planning proposal is commercial in confidence we have not seen the proposal, however the Inner West Councils’s response to Mirvac’s proposal is public.

The planning proposal is a request to rezone the land. It is currently IN1 which does not allow residential development. If the rezoning is approved the development moves into the development application stage.

The proposal is for towers of residential apartments reaching heights of 105m. The council notes that this could mean buildings up to 35 storeys. This flood prone land is currently home to manufacturing, creative and auto businesses employing  approximately 1800 people.

What can you do? First, attend the community meeting on 30 November at 7pm.

According to Planning NSW the Sydenham to Bankstown Strategy (SBCS) is an ‘urban renewal strategy that provides approaches to growth with infrastructure delivery and development coordinated along the corridor’.

The PR around the strategy talks about retaining heritage and character, adding open spaces and providing community centres.

When we looked at the strategy we did not see any infrastructure delivery or respect for heritage.

The SBCS is a plan for mass rezoning for high rise residential apartments with no new schools or roads. There are dubiously named open spaces... a drainage canal was described as a linear park!

We see crowded schools, congested roads, a loss of our heritage architecture and a loss of local jobs as industrial land makes way for high rise apartments.

Save Marrickville are not alone, we talk to and coordinate with a number of other residents groups such as:

• Sydenham to Bankstown Alliance
  
  
• The newly formed Tempe group from Tempe 2020
  
  
• Save Dully in Dulwich Hill
  
  
• Save Our Valley -  Bardwell, Earlwood, Turrella

What Marrickville could look like in 15-20 years under the NSW govt rezoning plan.

White: Single dwellings 1-2 storeys (where we are now mostly)

Yellow: Low rise housing 2-4 storeys

Blue: Shop top housing 3-5 storeys (Revolution - old RSL)

Orange: Medium rise housing 5-7 storeys

Red: Medium/high rise housing 8 storeys

Black: High rise housing. Three height categories: 9-12 storeys, 13-18 storeys, 19-35 storeys.

What can you do? First, read the Save Marrickville group's submission in regards to the plan. 

History under threat at Carrington Rd. This podcast tells the history of Holden and Australia's love affair with the sturdy, economical car. The GMH plant in Carrington Road was designed by established Sydney architects Ross and Rowe who also designed the Downing Centre and Commonwealth Bank building in Martin Place.

We'll be watching the proposed Mirvac development of the GMH plant to ensure our cultural heritage is preserved.

What can you do? First, attend the community meeting on 30 November at 7pm.

Have you noticed a lot of cranes on the horizon lately? Real estate and rent skyrocketing?

We are bringing information together on this website for discussion.

• Rezoning around Marrickville
  
  
• Carrington Road precinct
  
  
• Sydenham-Bankstown strategy and Metro railway line
  
  
• Victoria Road precinct
  
  
• WestConnex
  
  
• Other developments in Sydney