Enfield Flower Power announces relocation to new location

A NURSERY in Enfield will be rebuilt nearby, but residents fear an apartment block could go up on the old garden centre site.

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AFTER three years, Enfield residents fighting against the redevelopment of the Flower Power site have received news that can only be described as a half-win.

There’s still no word on what might happen to the old nursery at Mitchell St — residents fear apartment towers will be built — but Flower Power has said that they have drawn up plans to reopen a new garden centre nearby.

It is slated for the corner of Cosgrove Rd and Punchbowl Rd in South Strathfield.

Flower Power Chief Executive Officer John Sammut said the plans were part of a broader proposal that involves an application to rezone the existing Enfield garden centre at Mitchell St.

“We are in the early phases of the planning process but as part of our proposal to rezone our existing site (to give it the same zoning that was applied to the adjoining parcel of council-owned land in 2012) we have developed plans for a new garden centre less than 3km away from our current premises,” Mr Sammut said.

Lina De Marco, from Flower Power resident Action Group

Lina De Marco, who heads up a local lobby group against the redevelopment of the Mitchell St site, said that on the one hand it was great news the community would not be losing Flower Power altogether, but residents still held grave concerns for “unwanted development” on Mitchell St.

“This has all been going on for about three years, and the biggest concern all along has been that what was so much more than just a shopping amenity will be replaced by 247 units,” she said.

“If the site gets rezoned and turned into units, then we lose the local shopping amenity, a cafe (which is widely used by elderly and families), an employment hub, and just an amazing community meeting place.

“And we’d be losing it for units that would be out of character with the area, unwanted, and that would set a terrible precedent.”

The Flower Power site at Enfield. Picture: Damian Shaw

Strathfield Labor MP Jodi McKay said she thought the local residents felt cheated by the news.

“The owners of Flower Power told residents they had no intention of leaving the Enfield site, but at the same time they have been negotiating with NSW Ports to use land at Belfield for a nursery,” she said.

“There has been a lack of transparency around this project from day one and the owners of Flower Power must come clean on their plans for both site”

Ms De Marco said that she was worried about what may get approved for the Mitchell St site, with planning department issuing a Gateway determination which says the planning proposal should proceed subject to conditions.

Burwood Mayor John Faker said the issues around Flower Power had been an ongoing saga, and that as things develop he would be looking to fight to protect the residential character of the area.

Labor candidate for strathfield Jodi McKay and Burwood mayor John Faker talk to residents across the road from Flower Power. Picture: Damian Shaw

Flower Power Enfield. Picture: Phil Blatch

“Council will then undertake consultation and seek public feedback on the proposal before making a final recommendation to the department,” he said.

“Council is able to make a request to the minister that the proposal does not proceed however the minister for planning will make the final decision.

“Council has previously refused this planning proposal and presented our community’s case against the proposed development to the Joint Regional Planning Panel in 2015.

“Unfortunately, the Panel voted in favour of allowing the proposal to proceed despite community opposition.”

A flyer circulated by Flower Power, answering frequently asked questions, was quick to point out that “the rezoning proposal for Flower Power’s exiting centre is not an application for the construction of any buildings or any physical works.”

“The proposal seeks to change the zoning to allow the land to be used for residential development in the future, and any plan for actual development will depend on the outcome of the rezoning proposal,” it read.