Community voice lost in Bays Precinct

The long-awaited release of the Bays Precinct Taskforce report has led to further calls for greater community and council consultation.

Released by the NSW Minister of Planning last week, the report outlines 30 land use recommendations and five priority tasks for the Rozelle-based region. The report has increased calls for a long-term plan for development in the precinct zone.

President of the Glebe Society John Gray said the report had some positive recommendations but left him with more questions than answers.

“I think there are some good things in the report, its detail about road use … and they’ve said they’ll stop granting 99-year leases,” he said.

“But I’d love to see a long-term master plan before development starts occurring and that’s not going to happen.

“I received a letter from the premier’s office when we suggested such a thing, saying that it never was the intention that the Bays Precinct Taskforce report would stop development.”

Mr Gray criticised the lack of community representation on the taskforce, with only one representative. He said the implementation committee for the Bays Precinct – headed by State Government architect Peter Poulet and expected to report to the NSW Minister of Planning later this month – needed to make sure it actively reached out to locals.

“I’ve heard of no appointment of community representation from this area that I’m aware of. If this implementation committee is going to go ahead without community representation, that’s an enormous worry,” said Mr Gray.

A spokesperson for the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority said the committee will drive the implementation of the five priority tasks outlined in the taskforce report and make recommendations on other issues raised.

According to the spokesperson they will also “engage extensively with community groups in preparing a sub-regional delivery plan”.

Balmain MP Jamie Parker said the State Government had made too many ad hoc approvals of development applications in the precinct without sufficient local council and community consultation, and no long-term plan.

“It’s disgraceful what’s been happening with White Bay [and] with the precinct.” he said.

“We saw the [White Bay] Cruise Ship Terminal approved, we saw Baileys Marina approved [and] we saw the approvals over in Rozelle Bay with the Superyacht Marina. We saw so many ad hoc approvals, which undermined not only people’s confidence in the planning system, but any kind of integrated, strategic approach to such an important site.

“If you don’t have the community at the heart of decision-making, then we see opportunities for corruption, we see poor decision-making and we see ad hoc decisions that undermine a strategic approach towards such important sites.”

Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne said the report was simply lacking in its consideration of detailed future planning and called for a moratorium on new developments until a long-term plan for the precinct is adopted.

“A real master plan would provide a cost-benefit analysis, funding options and timelines – none of which are contained in this document,” he said.

President of the Pyrmont Community Group, Jean Stuart said a list of principles was submitted to the taskforce on behalf of various local community groups, but were watered down in the final report.

“The strategic plan is what we’re waiting for, so that all the sites are considered with an overall picture, so that proper infrastructure can be put in place for the uses of the sites and so we don’t have ad hoc planning as we have had in the past,” she said.

The Bays Precinct comprises Glebe Island, White Bay, White Bay Power Station, Rozelle Bay, Rozelle Rail Yards and Blackwattle Bay.