Fail to prepare, prepare for Bays Precinct failure, community groups warn
Image: Jamie Parker MP said planning needs good public transport planning. Source: Wikicommons
BY LEXY AKILLAS
Local residents have said the Bays Precinct Urban Transformation Program will fail, unless public transport and infrastructure issues are fixed.
The NSW Government aims to redevelop over 80 hectares of mainly government owned land, from Blackwattle Bay to White Bay Power station, in cooperation with UrbanGrowth NSW and the WestConnex Delivery Authority.
However, community groups are worried these infrastructure developments like WestConnex will result in traffic congestion and the loss of open space in waterfront areas.
Mary Mortimer, Convenor of the Council of Ultimo Pyrmont Association (CUPA) said the group was concerned about the lack of plans for alternative transport options, such as light rail and ferries.
“There is great potential for the Bays Precinct development to be exciting and valuable but there are a lot of ways that it could fall flat on its face,” Ms Mortimer said.
“My position, and the position of the community, in fact, the position of everyone other than the government, is that Westconnex within Bays Precinct should be abandoned, as it will funnel more cars into the city without any absorbable benefit,” she said.
Maintaining open space while still providing adequate services for the expected increase in population is also a primary concern for community groups.
Christina Anthony, Chairperson for the Coalition of Glebe Groups (COG), said that the community did not want to see any public space removed.
“We need to stay vigilant with watching the rates of the building ratios, apartment numbers and the density of the developments,” Ms Anthony said.
Ms Mortimer also pointed out that despite the government having plans to utilise housing in the area, they had not expressed any plans for affordable housing or social infrastructure, including schools, medical clinics or aged care facilities.
“If all housing around here is going to be expensive, million dollar high-rise units, then all of the people who operate the essential services in Bays Precinct are going to be living at Campbelltown and commuting for several hours per day,” Ms Mortimer told City Hub.
“They have plans to demolish the existing Ultimo school and rebuild. However, the new school will not have the capacity to accommodate all the children who will be moving into the area,” she said.
Balmain Greens MP Jamie Parker put forward a motion in the Legislative Assembly calling for community consultation to be a priority of the development. He said that as “the largest urban renewal project in the world”, there needed to be sufficiently more community involvement.
Sydney Independent MP Alex Greenwich supported Mr Parker in his motion on August 27.
“His motion goes to the heart of what the local community has been calling for: the prioritisation of social and affordable housing, active and passive open space, environmental sustainability, community facilities and public transport links,” Mr Greenwich said.
Despite this reassurance, however, community group leaders, such as Ms Anthony, are still skeptical.
“We are waiting to see what will happen, and at the moment, we are just trying to remain a part of the process,” Ms Anthony said.
