With the state government looking to undertake a range of development projects, such as Central to Eveleigh, Parramatta Road and the Bays Precinct, councils are being given an ultimatum to accept the plans, with UrbanGrowth seemingly having the final say on development.
“UrbanGrowth NSW had backed the City, and other councils, into a corner. If we didn’t sign the MOU we were cut out of the consultation,” explained the Green’s City of Sydney Councillor Irene Doutney. “This government has a poor record of promoting community needs, access to open space and ecologically sustainable development principles ahead of private interests.”
Cr Doutney has thrown her support behind Labor Councillor Linda Scott who has raised concern that UrbanGrowth’s priorities lie in making profit rather than paying attention to the needs of the community.
Neither councillor denies the importance and necessity of development in Sydney “but it should not be decided by the profit motive with a few token green bits. It should be decided,” Cr Doutney said, “by aesthetics, ingenuity, true design excellence and community support. When we look at who’s on the board, which contains two ex-developers and an ex-leader of the Liberal party, they will be more inclined to listen to the likes of the Urban Taskforce than community feedback.”
Cr John Mant shares the above concerns but was in support of the City of Sydney signing the MOU. “I’m in support of signing the MOU [but] I’m sure I won’t find myself to be in support of what the state government wants to do,” he said. He sees it as an “opportunity to influence in an effective way some of what the state government is trying to do … given what we’ve seen in Barangaroo there’s got to be a better way.”
While Cr Scott opposed the MOU signing in July, she was able to pass a motion that future MOUs would only be signed on the provision that 15 per cent of development was allocated to affordable and public housing.
