The three reasons given for the closure were that the “proposed usage is not an appropriate use of council land, [the markets generate] an inappropriate level of intensity, and safety concerns raised by Fire and Rescue NSW are insurmountable”.
Newtown Neighbourhood Centre CEO Lisa Burns disagrees with the notion that the markets are not “an appropriate use of land” and says “these markets bring people to the area and the profits from the markets go straight back into the community”.
An indication of how important the markets are to the community was evinced on the first Saturday after the markets were notified of their termination when 1500 people turned up to protest. On social media the Facebook page “My Love Affair with Newtown” posted an online petition started by a community member, Jared Quinn, which has just over 1200 signatures.
Real estate agent Mary Antown believes the markets are important for surrounding businesses and represent the “true bohemian essence” of Newtown. She says: “When I read about the markets closing and the reasoning behind it, there is no reason the markets are interfering with other businesses – the businesses aren’t losing money due to the markets, it’s more likely high rent prices. So the markets aren’t taking away from local businesses, the truth is the markets attract people to the area and to surrounding businesses.”
Councillor Mark Gardiner says: “The plan for the markets’ termination is not anti-community, it was simply a proper appraisal of a planning application … Their application was improper, the application was to double the size of the markets and it was a bad application.”
When put to Cr Gardiner the possibility of Newtown Neighbourhood Centre submitting a section 82A with all the evidence of a new Fire and Rescue report and signatures of surrounding businesses in support of the markets he agreed there would be no reason for the markets not to continue.
Newtown Neighbourhood Centre has put in a section 82A to the Council to repeal the application and hope the evidence speaks for itself. The hearing will be at Marrickville Council on October 2.
