MP wants action on council development
FEDERAL minister Paul Fletcher has used a parliamentary speech to crack the whip over Ku-ring-gai Council’s giant Lindfield village hub project — saying that after more than six years of “deliberation and delay, there is a strong desire among the community for action”.
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FEDERAL minister Paul Fletcher has used a parliamentary speech to crack the whip over Ku-ring-gai Council’s giant Lindfield village hub project.
He also praised Support Lindfield, which has been agitating for a hurry-up, and gave encouragement to the community group’s support for an unsolicited proposal from Woolworths to build the $250 million venture.
“After more than six years of deliberation and delay, there is a strong desire among the community for action,” Mr Fletcher told the House of Representatives.
“I do strongly encourage Ku-ring-gai Council to progress this matter in a timely fashion.
“I would certainly be pleased to see council deliver on its commitment that there will be a clear and certain outcome from the expression of interest process, due by the end of the year.”
The Bradfield MP, who is Malcolm Turnbull’s Infrastructure and Cities Minister, acknowledged the “tireless work” of Support Lindfield president Linda McDonald, vice-president Stephen McKenzie and all committee members.
They have urged the council to adopt the Woolies bid, saying it “ticks all the boxes and more” by providing a new library and community facilities, large urban park, speciality retail, cafes and restaurants, two supermarkets, 850 car spaces and a pedestrian bridge link to the train station and East Lindfield — all without costing the ratepayer a dollar.
Instead the council has gone to the market to call for proposals from any interested private sector proponent.
“I hope that secures a good response,” Mr Fletcher told parliament.
“Of course, Woolworths is free to resubmit its proposal through this process, and I certainly hope they do that.”
Meanwhile, confusion remains over the size of the project, the biggest in Ku-ring-gai’s history.
Support Lindfield has warned the suburb could be transformed into a “residential jungle” like Chatswood, St Leonards or North Sydney if the planned hub is allowed to grow from seven storeys to a precedent-setting 17 or more.
Council passed a motion in June stressing it had yet to agree on any updated floor space ratio (FSR) or height requirement for the 1.3ha site. But it acknowledged it was “not feasible” to proceed with its previously adopted masterplan and an executive summary of the motion said the FSR may have to be increased from 1.3 to one to “something approaching” 2.5 to one.
This could change the height from the current seven storeys to 17 or more, at least double the current highest building in Ku-ring-gai of eight storeys, residents warned after consulting a number of developers about the figures.
Mr Fletcher has also expressed concern over the unspecified but “markedly higher” building that could now be proposed for the Hub.
But Mayor Jennifer Anderson has accused Support Lindfield of distributing misinformation.
“While some in the group might think it’s tempting to accept a proposal that says it will deliver the Hub for free, this is not true,” she has said.
“Woolworths does not yet know what council’s financial and development objectives are for the project, which will be released as part of the expression of interest process.”