Developers win hook, line and sinker at the Fish Market

Developers win hook, line and sinker at the Fish Market

BY JORDAN FERMANIS
On Monday November 7 the NSW government announced a $250 million plan to relocate the Sydney Fish Market from the current site in Pyrmont to new site near Wentworth Park.
The Pyrmont site is scheduled to be replaced by almost 2700 new residential dwellings.
Last month City Hub reported on the ongoing dispute between Robert Deans, RMS, the Sydney Fish Market and developers Brookfield Multiplex.
In the new plan announced by UrbanGrowth, it states that a registration of interest process is underway which indicates that a developer has not been decided.
Local resident and former member of the Blackwattle Cove Coalition Robert Gavagna told City Hub that he is still perplexed as to why the Robert Deans plan for the redevelopment of the fish market was not considered.
“The State government has announced an alternate plan for the much needed re-development of Sydney Fish Market Pty Ltd. Although our community lacks knowledge of detail as to this plan, it obviously has the approval of the Sydney Fish Market and appears to also have the approval of the ‘supra’ state body UrbanGrowth. Unfortunately, the plan falls well short of the benefits that would flow from the Destination Blackwattle Bay plan,” Mr Gavagna said.
Mr Gavagna also raised concerns that new plan for the Fish Market would increase traffic congestion.
“As I understand it, the Sydney Fish Market would be relocated and a new building will be placed on piers into the Bay. This approach would remove the Destination Blackwattle Bay feature of extending the green of Wentworth Park to water’s edge. Instead, Bridge Road would continue to build on its presently heavy traffic congestion,” Mr Gavagna said.
The new Fish Market site upgrade hinges on the NSW government brokering a deal to purchase land owned by Joe Elias at the Blackwattle Bay Marina.
RMS and Joe Elias are currently negotiating the transfer of the lease option to Blackwattle Bay Marina, Elias was awarded the option to the site in 2009. which is the missing piece of the puzzle for the government to connect the land around the site for the proposed upgrade.
In 2014, Fairfax reported that Mr Elias had been introduced to the site by the son of disgraced former politician Eddie Obeid.
The new integrated proposal is the now accepted solution which Robert Deans from Deans Property Group had introduced as his Destination Blackwattle Bay solution.
Elizabeth Elenius from the Pyrmont Action Group says that the community did not receive any information on the development before Mike Baird’s announcement.
“It appears to be just one more piecemeal development.
“There has been no presentation of the Bays Precinct congestion or traffic plans. We are in information absence,” Ms Elenius said.
Robert Gavagna also expresses these views and said that the new proposal is “far too huge on residential development and far too limited on SFM development.”
Mike Baird announced that the new upgrade would see annual visitation double from three million per year to six million visitors annually.
Construction for the upgrade is due to start in 2018, to be completed by 2020.

 

 

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