Report from Mirvac's open day 

If you were unable to attend Mirvac's information session on Saturday 22 September at Carrington Road, listen to our spokesperson, Kelsie Dadd discuss the experience here.

Kelsie was interviewed on Radio Skid Row by Colin Hesse, Greens councillor Marrickville Ward.

At the open day, Save Marrickville member Paul Mortimer handed Dominic Hunt from Mirvac a copy of our community survey summary on the Carrington Road Development. Check it out yourself here.

The is an email that that was sent on 4 September 2018 to supporters that signed on via our website. Please share your email address if you want to know what we know. We only email with real news and not very often. 

After our email Mirvac announced they are holding at public drop-in information session on Saturday 22 September 2018 from 10am to 2pm. This is to be held at 16 Carrington Rd, Marrickville. It should be noted that Mirvac does not have a new proposal, so no new plans will be displayed at this info session.

Anthony Albanese MP and ‘Save Marrickville’ spokesperson Kelsie Dadd launch the Marrickville Character Study

Federal MP, Anthony Albanese MP helped launched a new study of the character and heritage of Marrickville at a well attended meeting held at the Atlas Community Centre on 6 July 2018. Read it here.

The document was produced by resident group Save Marrickville in its campaign to protect the character of Marrickville from massive overdevelopment. More photos on our Facebook page.

Check out Kelsie's presentation slides from the event.

A great read about elements of the campaign so far, published by NEIGHBOURHOOD.

Text by Drew Rooke with images by Daniel Mulheran.

Over 500 residents and friends attended the Save Marrickville rally on 24 February and we thank every one of you. Our work is just beginning and we are grateful for your support. We set off from Marrickville Town Hall and with guidance from Marrickville police, walked up the pavement to the Mirvac office where we delivered a copy of the Save Marrickville's group submission to the rezoning plan. Their shop/office was closed for the day.

Onward to Alex Trevallion Plaza for speeches from Save Marrickville spokeswoman Kelsie Dadd, Federal MP Linda Burney, Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne and Greens Councillor Colin Hesse.

This rally follows on from an earlier Inner West Council meeting of 500 people at Marrickville Town Hall, opposing development plans for Marrickville and the Carrington precinct.

Kelsie's speech:

Save Marrickville meetings with Planning Minister and key decision makers

Save Marrickville have been working hard to ensure that the matters that are important to the Marrickville community are being heard by the NSW government, opposition and Planning NSW.

22 Jan 2018 – We met with the Greater Sydney Commission

Save Marrickville outlined our concerns to a senior manager at the Commission, regarding proposed overdevelopment, and poor planning and infrastructure. The manager undertook to report our concerns to the Commissioners, in particular regarding loss of industrial land. The Commission, which is an advisory body only, appears to genuinely support retention of industrial zoning in our area.

8 Feb 2018 – We met with Anthony Roberts MP, NSW Minister for Planning

We explained our concerns about the proposal for 35 storeys in Carrington Rd and the Priority (Planned) Precinct rezoning of large areas around Marrickville station for high density and high rise. Planning NSW senior managers were present at the meeting.

The Minister expressed some understanding regarding excessive heights proposed, and proposals for 8 storeys zoned next to single storey buildings.

We discussed the potential loss of industrial land and 1800 jobs near Carrington Rd, how this would affect Marrickville and Sydney as a whole, and that losing this industrial land is against the advice of the Greater Sydney Planning Commission’s report. We discussed the industries in the Carrington Rd Precinct – such as car repair workshops, bakers, manufacturing, service industries and artists.

The Minister seemed to understand our concerns about the loss of character of Marrickville if overdeveloped. We explained the history of Marrickville as a gateway to new migrants and how this history is reflected in the character and houses in the area, and that the heritage in Marrickville is more than just Victorian era houses. We explained that Mirvac and other developers are using Marrickville’s character to sell their developments – the exact same developments that will destroy this character. We also covered the impact that high density would have on the narrow roads, traffic and the little active green space we have in the area.

The Minister asked NSW Planning to work with us and look more at our concerns, particularly around preserving the character of Marrickville. Save Marrickville are now working on a report to NSW Planning on what makes Marrickville unique and preserving the character of our area.

8 Feb 2018 – We met with Michael Daley, NSW Shadow Minister for Planning

Save Marrickville outlined our concerns for both Mirvac’s proposal for 35 storeys in Carrington Rd, the planned high density rezoning around Marrickville station, and loss of industrial land.

The Shadow Minister asked for more information about the industries in the Carrington Rd Precinct and Save Marrickville will be providing this information. The Shadow Minister confirmed that the Labor Party will tear up the Priority Precinct plans if elected.

"Affordable Housing should be automatically built into the planning process and should be at least 30% of any new development. The old hospital site in Marrickville has only designated 9 units out of 221 as ‘affordable’ (4%). This is not nearly high enough."

Read the Save Marrickville Resident Groups Submission to the Department of Planning’s SEPP 70 Affordable Housing 30/1/2018

Save Marrickville formed in July 2017 as Save Marrickville South. We didn't know each other at all, but started to meet up and discuss the proposed rezoning of our suburb.

• In October 2015 the then Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes, announced a plan to 'revitalise' the 11 stations on the Sydenham to Bankstown rail line so that the government could capitalise on the Sydney Metro SW rail line project.
  
  
• The Sydenham to Bankstown Corridor Strategy is actually a plan to rezone large swathes of Marrickville (and all the suburbs along the line) to significantly increase density, and add 6000 new dwellings to Marrickville, all without plans for critical infrastructure like schools, parks, roads and hospitals.
  
  
• We regularly meet people who are unaware of what is being proposed for Marrickville. Many people don’t know that the Marrickville population is proposed to increase by two thirds if this plan goes ahead. Please talk to your neighbours!

Save Marrickville's group submission in regards to the rezoning plan is comprehensive and documents our concerns. The first revision of the plan received 1440 submissions from the public.

• We built a Lego model  to show the scale of the highrise proposed and displayed it at information sessions held by Planning NSW, polling booths and at Marrickville Festival. You can check it out at Addison Road markets on Sundays.
  
  
• In July 2017, the revised Sydenham to Bankstown strategy was released by the Government. Not much had changed in the Marrickville plan - in fact densities had increased.
  
  
• In August 2017, the Made in Marrickville report was released by QUT, Monash and Wollongong University academics. It documents the number and diversity of businesses on both sides of Carrington Road, Myrtle Street and Renwick Street. They found 223 enterprises, supplying approx 1800 jobs. It highlights the importance of keeping the existing zoning for industrial uses.
  
  
• In September 2017, Inner West council elections were held and over development was a key election issue.
  
  
• In October 2017, Anthony Albanese MP blew the whistle on the Carrington Road precinct planning proposal when he expressed his shock in the media at Mirvac’s plans.
  
  
• Inner West council’s response to the planning proposal was made public and we discovered that Mirvac is requesting to rezone 7.8 hectares of land from the current industrial zoning to R4 high density residential and B2 local centre - this would make it impossible for many of the businesses to remain. If the zoning changes, certain types of activity will not be allowed and rents will rise, forcing people out. The buildings are 35 storeys high!
  
  
• 500 people attended a public meeting about Carrington Road at Marrickville Town Hall. The proposal is a request to change the zoning of the land and it is not yet a done deal. However, if the council refuses the zoning proposal, Mirvac can go directly to the state government for approval.
  
  
• NSW Labor and Greens have committed to scrap the Sydenham to Bankstown Corridor Strategy if they form government at the state election in 2019.
  
  

Save Marrickville members have attended public meetings about the rezoning held by Inner West Council and NSW Planning Department. We have been invited to present to these organisations in smaller meetings.

We convened a public meeting on 30 November 2017 where a motion was passed unanimously by over 120 people.

MOTION: Save Marrickville local residents will not accept the destruction of our neighbourhood through over development and high rise. Marrickville must be properly planned in the interests of the people who will live and work here, with 

• • • sympathetic development and density; 
    • local council and community control of planning; 
    • preserved heritage and local character; 
    • preserved industrial lands and employment; and 
    • planning of infrastructure first, including schools, parks, roads, affordable housing and parking.
      
      
• Our group have applied to the Office of Environment and Heritage for Carrington Road Industrial Precinct to be recognised by a State heritage listing. The precinct is an important site in the State's industrial past as well as for migrants settling in Australia after the second world war.
  
  
• We've printed two corflute posters for sale at $10 each to raise awareness and funds for our campaign. Purchase from our stall at Addison Road market on Sundays or email [email protected]

• We are preparing media releases and planning activities in preparation for the release of the final strategy and Marrickville plan. According to NSW Planning staff, that is likely to be between Christmas Eve 2017 and sometime in January 2018. 
  
  
• We will need to mobilise quickly when the new Marrickville Plan is released so please keep an eye out for Facebook posts and emails calling for people to rally. Be ready to act with us!