Labor candidates Alan Mascarenhas, Ryan Tracey promise to dump Hills priority precinct plans

Labor has come out hard in the Hills with a promise to dump the State Government’s Cherrybrook Priority Precinct — as residents continue their plea for clarity over the finalisation of the plan.

New Labor Candidate for the Epping Alan Mascarenhas has hit out at the State Government over the Cherrybrook Priority Precinct. Picture: AAP/Adam Yip

• Cherrybrook residents call for clarity around Metro station precinct
• Hornsby Shire Council want residents to fight overdevelopment
• Action group reveals developers pull out of Cherrybrook
• plans for ‘micro lot housing’ at west pennant hills IBM site

Labor has come out hard in the Hills with a promise to dump the State Government’s Cherrybrook Priority Precinct — as residents continue their plea for clarity over the finalisation of the plan.

Labor’s Epping candidate Alan Mascarenhas, Baulkham Hills candidate Ryan Tracey and Shadow Planning Minister Tania Mihailuk aanounced a state Labor government would end plans for the Cherrybrook priority precinct, if elected in March 2019.

The candidates and shadow minister also called for council to finalise the plans for the priority precinct before the State Election.

A birds eye view of the Cherrybrook priority precinct.

Mr Mascarenhas, who was preselected as the Epping candidate last month, said his party would “abolish the priority precinct mechanism to prevent centralisation of large-scale rezoning decisions in the Planning Minister’s office”.

“The state government should stop taking the people of Cherrybrook for granted and come clean about its plans for high-rise,” he said.

“As someone who grew up in West Pennant Hills, my heart is with Cherrybrook and everyone fighting to keep the leafy and peaceful character of the area — we definitely don’t want to see another Showground Road or a monstrosity like Green Square.”

“It seems to me the North West Metro has become a Trojan Horse for an endless skyline of apartments.”

Baulkham Hills Labor Candidate Ryan Tracey.(AAP Image/Jordan Shields)

While Mr Tracey said Labor would provide a “community-first approach to planning in West Pennant Hills and Cherrybrook”.

“If the government has a secret plan for high rise, people need to see it immediately,” he said.

Residents have called for the government to reveal their intensions for hundreds of properties within the Cherrybrook priority precinct since announcing a string of high-density development zones across Sydney’s northwest.

MORE CHERRYBROOK NEWS:

BETTER DESIGN, OPEN SPACE IN HORNSBY, CHERRYBROOK MASTERPLAN

SHOPPING CENTRE PLANS FOR ALDI, GYM MAY BE SCRAPPED

WINNERS AND LOSERS IN METRO NORTHWEST PARKING

Despite setting their own timelines for the finalisation of plans, the government has failed to identify the size of the priority precinct, height limits and the mix of commercial and residential.

Artist impressions of the NSW Government’s Cherrybrook priority precinct.

Ms Mihailuk said priority precincts were “just code for mass rezoning of high-rise apartments”.

“The state government has concentrated large-scale rezoning decisions within the Planning Minister’s office, while sidelining councils and local communities,” she said.

“If Labor wins office in March 2019, we will dump the Priority Precinct mechanism and reinstitute a community-first approach to planning in Cherrybrook.”

Liberal party pre-selection candidate for Epping and NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said he has already had discussions with Planning Minister Anthony Roberts about the progress of the metro station precinct plans.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet speaks during Question Time in the Legislative Assembly at New South Wales Parliament House. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

“Our State is growing and we need to ensure it grows well, catering for growth while at the same time preserving the characteristics of local communities,” Mr Perrottet said.

“I understand the concerns about the delay in planning and development around the Cherrybrook Metro Station and want to reassure residents that these concerns are being heard.”

Concerned residents attended the Cherrybrook development forum where tensions ran high over the station precinct plans. Picture: Adam Yip / Manly Daily

Mr Perrottet would not disclose whether or not he would call for the plans for the precinct to be released before the State Election, instead revealing the Hornsby Shire and Hills Shire councils are “responsible for the broader Cherrybrook Precinct — formerly priority precinct”.

“The government is working with them to get the right outcomes,” he said.

“Proper planning is vital to deliver the best outcomes for the community and this process should not be rushed because of the political cycle.

“It’s no surprise Labor want to dump these plans - they are against any kind of progress for our state and our communities.”