Council consults residents over Mirvac’s new suburb proposal
Image: The current Harold Park development site
The residents of the City of Sydney local government area are currently being surveyed regarding a proposal by Harold Park developer Mirvac to create a new suburb for the Harold Park development.
Mirvac has recommended that a new suburb be created, with boundaries bordering the development and also including the existing residential block of 71-90 Ross Street, and named after the development.
Mirvac’s alternative proposal is to shuffle the surrounding suburb boundaries so that the Harold Park development will be included in the suburb of Glebe, rather than its current position within Forest Lodge.
Harold Park project director Adrian Checcin said that the new suburb proposal intends to help preserve the area’s historical links.
“Mirvac proposed changing the name of the suburb the development sits within from Forest Lodge to Harold Park to maintain a connection with its rich history as the home of harness racing in NSW,” he said.
While considering Mirvac’s requests, council has added two alternatives for the opening of the Harold Park development. The first of these involves the Harold Park site being listed as an ‘urban place’ within the suburb of Forest Lodge. This ‘urban place’ categorisation has previously been used in the naming of Chinatown, Kings Cross and Strawberry Hills.
The final option being considered by the council at this stage is for no change to accompany the opening of the Harold Park site.
“The City of Sydney will seek the community’s view on the proposal and three other options for the site,” A City of Sydney spokeswoman told City News.
Robert Armstrong, resident of Glebe and member of the Glebe Society, is opposed to Mirvac’s proposal.
“My belief is that it should be retained within the suburb category of Forest Lodge,” he said.
Susie Cleary, another Glebe resident, is similarly opposed to the creation of a new suburb but feels that the determination of Harold Park as an ‘urban place’ is an appropriate compromise.
“I believe that option three – creating an urban place out of Harold Park, similar to Chinatown – is the most sensible way to go.”
“It cannot be taken out of Forest Lodge; that would be ridiculous,” she said.
Should council decide to go forward with the proposal to create a new suburb for Harold Park, it will have to then present this proposal to the Geographical Names Board of NSW for consideration.
