Crows Nest battles to keep its village atmosphere as Sydney Metro starts major development push
TOWN planner Mark Grayson has told a forum for businesses and landowners in Crows Nest that the Sydney Metro rail project will significantly change the suburb.
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Crows Nest is cherished for its village atmosphere and restaurant culture.
But with the planned arrival of the Sydney Metro there are concerns hanging in the air.
The State Government is snapping up a strip of properties along the Pacific Highway to build the station.
A forum was held in the suburb for businesses and landowners last week by a team of experts to brief them on the plans.
Town planner Mark Grayson from Knight Frank addressed the meeting and he believes the Metro will significantly transform Crows Nest.
He sees opportunities for higher density developments close to the station but that there needs to be balance.
“Obviously there’s an important character that people know and love about Crows Nest and that’s important to respect,” he said.
“Equally there’s an opportunity to have some limited form of higher density development close and adjacent to the station.
“You’ve got to get it right. It’s important to take time and do it properly.
“It needs a Crows Nest-specific solution really.”
This issue was echoed by businesswoman Zar Bingham, who owns the ZarBar cafe on the Pacific Highway side of the suburb.
She is worried about high-rise development within the village.
“I don’t think that they would be so foolish ... I think they know how crazy that would be,” she said.
“I trust there won’t be. I trust it will be kept to the highway and maybe this side but not go into (the village).”
Earlier this year the Government launched a strategic planning review of the Crows Nest area linked with the planned arrival of the Metro.
The investigation is looking into revitalising the area and the Government is working with councils including North Sydney.
The Department of Planning and Environment is hosting monthly meetings with the councils on the issue.
“This planning partnership will ensure there is one joint vision for the precinct, and the whole community will have an opportunity to shape this area,” a department spokeswoman said.
There are several planning proposals at various stages of rezoning on the table for Crows Nest and its surrounds.
North Sydney Council is supportive of the Metro coming to Crows Nest because of the economic benefits but it is also working to protect the area.
It has undertaken public consultation that shows people “love and value” the village atmosphere.
“We are currently developing policy based on the extensive community consultation undertaken earlier this year,” said director of city strategy Joseph Hill.
“We are also working towards positively influencing the State Government’s review process to ensure that the elements of Crows Nest most important to its residents and workers continue to be protected.”
Residents can expect construction over the station as the Government has confirmed this is in the pipeline.
Transport for NSW is working on options and any above-station development will be subject to a separate planning process.
“Transport for NSW needs to make sure the new metro railway and the new buildings above the stations can coexist as integrated world class developments,” a spokeswoman said.
“Over station development is an important part of Sydney Metro — a new 21st century railway needs to coexist with the global city that it’s being built for, and within.”
No stoppages to Australia Post services
Australia Post is searching for a new location for its Crows Nest branch.
The building on the corner of Hume St and Pacific Hwy will be flattened to make way for the Sydney Metro.
Despite the upheaval, Australia Post said it is committed to ensuring the continuity of postal services to the community.
“A search is under way to finalise a new location,” a spokesman said.
“We will continue to keep the community updated as we finalise our plans.”
For the meantime there is no change and customers can continue to access the office for postal, parcel and retail services.
The post office is one of 10 commercial buildings earmarked for demolition to make way for the Metro construction site.
The post office’s exact location will be used to dig an open shaft.
Other parts of the site will be used for water treatment, a site office and spoil handling.
Construction at Crows Nest is forecast by the State Government to start in the second quarter of next year.
It will continue until 2022 and there are several stages to the works.
Excavation is planned to start in 2018 and the tunnel boring machine will pass through the station in mid 2019.
It will take more than a year to fit out the station and testing will then begin in 2022.
The construction site will span over two sites along the Pacific Hwy either side of Hume St.
More than 200 construction jobs are expected to be created as a result of the work at Crows Nest.
Furniture precinct faces wipe out
The Sydney Metro is set to wipe out a strip of furniture shops in Crows Nest.
The Pacific Highway has been a destination for furniture shoppers for more than three decades.
Several retailers are being forced out to make way for the metro station, including Peter Chrystie who owns the Proud Furniture outlet.
“It won’t be a furniture destination for much longer,” he said. “Half it goes, you lose all your foot traffic.”
Mr Chrystie opened his business on the strip five years ago. He has a lease on the building and is in negotiations with the State Government. He is now in limbo as doesn’t know when he has to move out.
“The difficulty for us is finding somewhere else to go,” he said.
“We can’t negotiate with anyone because we don’t know when we’ll finish here.”
Transport for NSW says it has worked collaboratively with property owners to ensure the process has been as easy as possible.
Metro will boost business: cafe owner
Cafe owner Zar Bingham believes the Sydney Metro will be a good development for Crows Nest in the long term.
She has found that in the short term people are concerned about instability. And she hopes that any new high-rise development will be kept close to the highway.
“They are excited about the development side of it as long as the Crows Nest village stays the same,” she said.
“Everybody knows if the Metro is coming here they intend it to be a new centre of living quite different to how it is now in terms of housing.
“I reckon if you came here in ten years you wouldn’t recognise the place.”
Ms Bingham believes the Metro will open up the suburb to people who may not have visited before.
“I think it will bring a lot of new people to Crows Nest,” she said. “I think people are generally excited about it.”
Metro facts
● 31 stations planned, including new stops at North Sydney, Barangaroo and Martin Place
● Target of 40,000 customers per hour
● Due to open in 2024
● Capacity to run a metro train every two minutes each way in Sydney CBD
● Tunnel under Sydney Harbour
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