Holdmark and Ryde Council strike housing deal at Macquarie Park
RYDE Council plans to dedicate about 70 new homes to key workers such as police and nurses as part of a major housing deal with developer Holdmark.
Northern District Times
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RYDE Council plans to dedicate about 70 new homes to key workers such as police and nurses as part of a major housing deal with developer Holdmark.
The Macquarie Park-based property group has gained approval for its planning proposal of up to 1400 units at Talavera Rd, Macquarie Park.
The tallest towers on the 3.8ha site next to Macquarie Centre will be 49 storeys.
To complement the proposal, Holdmark has made a voluntary planning agreement which will hand the council $143 million in benefits.
This will give the council ownership of about 70 units ($63 million), an indoor centre ($45 million), a playing field ($5 million), pedestrian bridge ($10 million) and more.
A majority of councillors approved the plans at a meeting last week.
Mayor Bill Pickering was keen to highlight the positives. He said the council would provide the homes for key workers at an affordable rate, through a housing provider.
“Key workers” are typically nurses, teachers and emergency services workers who provide essential services. Some are often unable to afford living in some areas.
Cr Pickering said the council had negotiated a significant deal.
“The main thing is we receive a massive community benefit,” he said.
This was in contrast to some state government-approved projects, which had not provided fair community benefit, according to Cr Pickering.
“This deal shows we can negotiate and achieve a lot for our community.”
Holdmark development head Gavin Carrier was confident the project would come to fruition.
“Whilst the realisation of this vision is still subject to the successful completion of several more stages in the approval process, the positive support from Ryde Council at its recent meeting is an important milestone,” he said.
Not all councillors were as positive.
Cr Denise Pendleton and Cr Justin Li voted not to approve the voluntary planning agreement (VPA).
Cr Pendleton said most of her peers dismissed legal advice about independently validating the value of the VPA, establishing binding guarantees and the scheduling of public benefit delivery.
“These requirements were repeatedly raised by staff as essential,” she said.
“It was an extraordinary process.”
Councillors Terry Perram and George Simon were not present.
The council approved the planning proposal last year but Holdmark submitted changes to its balcony design.
The Department of Planning must still assess the agreement before Holdmark lodges an application to gain building approval.
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