Sydney icon Luna Park reeling after planning decision threatens existence
ICONIC Luna Park will now have to seek lengthy planning approvals for every new and moved ride and attraction following a Land and Environment Court ruling, allowing local residents to gain a greater say in the process.
Mosman
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AN ICONIC Sydney landmark known for its big smiling face is wearing a frown after a court ruling put its existence — including up to 1000 jobs — under “serious threat”.
Luna Park, a harbourside institution since 1935 which attracts a million thrillseekers each year, will now have to seek lengthy planning approvals for every new and moved ride and attraction as local residents gain a greater say in the process.
The recent Land and Environment Court ruling has “disappointed” the amusement park’s operators who are seeking urgent talks with the State Government as they consider appealing against the Judgement.
“Putting in a development application every time we want to bring in a new ride or attraction, it just becomes totally unworkable and puts us under serious threat because we’ll be planning 12-18 months out, without any certainty that we’ll get the DA approved,” Luna Park managing director Peter Hearne said.
“To give our customers refreshed experiences we bring in new rides and attractions, such as the ice-skating rink last July. Those things are planned at the most a month or two out.
“So before this decision was made we were determining what rides or attractions we’d bring in for October. We’ve now had to cancel that.”
Since reopening in 2004 the heritage-listed theme park has introduced nearly 200 new rides and attractions without any issues. In March last year, Luna Park announced it would pump $20 million into improvements over the next four years. A permanent new ride costs between $2 million and $8 million, Mr Hearne said.
“People aren’t aware of what the process was for the past 14 years when all valid environmental issues in relation to an amusement park had been dealt with extensively,” he told Mosman Daily.
“The people of Sydney need to decide if they want Luna Park here and put in place a mechanism for the park to survive … or come clean and say, ‘let’s build some units’.”
Planning Minister Anthony Roberts said the government wanted Luna Park to be successful, but he added it must engage with the local community before opening new rides.
“The Land and Environment Court’s decision reaffirms the planning department’s requirement that Luna Park needs to have a development consent for major new rides,” he told News Corp. “This is so the community also gets to have a say about their local area. That is only fair.”
Lavender Bay Precinct spokesman Bernard Smith said residents held concerns about the park’s potential excessive noise and light spill into homes.
“The DA process calls out the potential impacts of these,” he said. “It’s about due process and giving local residents the opportunity to give feedback on any DA.”
North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson urged “all stakeholders to work together to get a positive outcome”.
“We must preserve a Sydney icon and allow it to survive and thrive,” she said.