Wentworth Point: Public feedback open for Block H while community fights for public park
As a major developer showcases the next stage for its high-rise apartment towers, desperate residents from one of the nation’s most crowded suburbs continue to fight for a public park.
NSW
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Developer Billbergia has unveiled updated plans for the final stage of its glossy waterfront towers at Wentworth Point but deprived residents of the high-density suburb continue to fight for a public park which is under threat from a separate, government-proposed development.
Billbergia’s Bennelong Cove development, also known as Block H, is expected to be the final stage of the 11-hectare masterplanned community and will feature two 40-storey towers with 900 apartments.
The Planning Department has submitted the plans – which also include an amphitheatre, restaurants, cafes and a registered club and pub along the foreshore at Burroway Rd and Footbridge Blvd – for public feedback.
Subject to approval, the towers would draw thousands more residents – which has prompted the 14,500-strong community to urge the government to stop ignoring their long-held requests for a public park.
Wentworth Point resident Mark Green addressed Parramatta Council meeting this week when he reminded the chamber a park was promised in 2013.
Landcom was supposed to deliver the peninsula park, on land which Transport for NSW owns, by December 2016.
But a string of setbacks have blocked tens of thousands of apartment dwellers in one of Australia’s most densely-populated suburbs from enjoying some green space.
When plans for Sydney Olympic Park High were shifted to Wentworth Point, where the school will open next year, it meant the Landcom towers would be built on the parcel of land where the park was planned.
A frustrated Mr Green said a park was first planned when Barry O’Farrell was the Liberal premier in 2013.
“A decade on and four premiers later Wentworth Point has 7000 apartments and thousands more on the way,’’ he said.
“Residents all live in apartments and Wentworth Point has one of the highest urban densities of any suburb in Australia.
“There are no ovals, parks or playgrounds – no single blade of grass for the thousands of kids to play.’’
He urged Transport for NSW not to sell “the last part of public land” for more residential towers.
“These towers would end any chance for the social infrastructure promised long ago by Premier O’Farrell,’’ he said.
Most recently, the council’s request for the new Labor state government to address the issue has failed to deliver the park.
Labor councillor and Wentworth Point resident Paul Noack said the suburb already delivered on his party’s housing policy.
“What we need in Wentworth Point is space, we need to actually breathe,’’ he said.
“Kids need to go and place to kick a footy. The parents and community need a place to walk around and we were promised 3.9 hectares.’’
A Landcom spokesman said it was working with Transport for NSW and the council to amend planning controls for the delivery of open space, infrastructure and development at Wentworth Point.
“Wentworth Point was a former industrial site, and this presented complex challenges, including the remediation, and capping of around two hectares of contaminated land, rebuilding of the sea wall, and major underground electrical cabling,’’ he said.
“These issues, in addition to not receiving approval for the plans have resulted in delays in delivering the park and development on site.”
Existing planning controls allow buildings up to 27 storeys on the site.
A Transport for NSW spokesman said it was also liaising with Landcom and the council to ament planning controls to support new and public infrastructure at Wentworth Point.
Private investment has funded much of the suburb’s infrastructure including Billbergia’s library and Marina Square shopping centre.
It also has plans for a $36m indoor sports centre, a 16,000sq m park. Feedback on Block H can be submitted by February 2.
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