Ryde Council spent $7m on failed plans for Civic Centre site upgrade

The massive cost to Ryde ratepayers of a decade-long trail of failed plans for an upgrade of the ageing Civic Centre site can finally be laid bare.

The binned 2012 plan for a Ryde civic centre precinct included a 1200sq m public square.

• Blueprint for Sydney's future
• Where Bennelong candidates live

Ryde Council has blown a whopping $7 million on failed plans for a Civic Centre upgrade over the past decade, ahead of the release of its latest $30 million “community-focused” proposal.

The Times can exclusively reveal the “monumental waste of money” came mostly between 2008 and 2013 when $5,380,523 was spent on various mixed-use development plans, which included council offices, community facilities and hundreds of apartments.

The 2016 Ryde Civic Centre upgrade plan.

One of the scrapped Civic Centre plans on the NDT’s front page on May 18, 2016.

Figures obtained this week show the council then forked out $1,197,997 between 2015 and 2017 on proposals which have since been shredded.

The costs of the latest plan, which will be unveiled later this month, have been kept to a comparatively low $361,573 over the past 18 months.

Labor Mayor Jerome Laxale blamed the previous ruling bloc of conservative councillors for the planning shambles, which has seen strong community protests.

In 2013, protesters lodged the 2000th submission against development of the Civic Centre.

“They went down the yellow-brick road of a residential monstrosity with hundreds of units at the Civic Centre site, and it was ratepayers who lost out,” Cr Laxale said.

“It’s been a monumental waste of ratepayers’ money, but there was eight years of inaction (before 2017) when there was a clear conservative majority.

“We need to put politics aside on this issue, and I’m hoping this new plan — which will have 100 per cent community ownership and no residential — will be supported by councillors at the next meeting.”

Long-serving Ryde councillor Roy Maggio.

Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale.

Independent councillor Roy Maggio, a former Liberal mayor who has been on council since 2008, tried to play down his role in the huge blow to ratepayers.

“I voted for the vision of the Civic Centre site, with residential, council offices and an amphitheatre,” he said.

“But it was the previous councillors who made the decision to develop the site.

“That time has come and gone and the goalposts have changed. The fact is, we are still wasting money on things that would be better spent on upgrading parks, playgrounds and supporting local community groups.”

About 250 Ryde Council staff were moved out of the Civic Centre, on the western side of Devlin St, in 2016.

First-term Liberal councillor Jordan Lane said he was “not surprised that Labor would try and play politics with council’s biggest ever project”.

“My focus is on delivering a thoroughly consultative process, and ensuring any proposals protect our ratepayers from excessive ongoing debt,” Cr Lane said.

The Civic Centre building — which opened on August 15, 1964 — is no longer used after staff moved to the Binary Centre at North Ryde in 2016.

Council has spent more than $4 million on relocation costs and rent since then.

Ryde Civic Centre on official opening day, August 15. 1964. Picture: Ryde Library

LEGAL WHACK TO RATEPAYERS

Ratepayers will be left nearly $500,000 out of pocket as a result of Ryde Council’s failed legal challenge against the State Government’s medium-density housing code.

Leaked figures show council spent $149,000 in claiming the code was unlawful.

Justice Brian Preston dismissed the matter in the Land and Environment Court last month and ordered the council to pay the government’s costs of $300,000.

Labor Mayor Jerome Laxale said the council “didn’t take this legal action lightly”.

Ryde councillor Jordan Lane.

“We did it to stop the bulldozers coming into our community because of residents’ concerns about overdevelopment,” Cr Laxale, who was beaten by Liberal Minister Victor Dominello in the seat of Ryde at the recent state election, said.

“We gave it our best shot and unfortunately the judge didn’t agree with our case. But I accept the decision and I’ll now be lobbying the new Planning Minister (Rob Stokes) on this issue.”

Liberal councillor Jordan Lane hit out at Cr Laxale, saying the Labor Party should now reimburse ratepayers for the “eye-watering cost”.

“It was a shameless election stunt by the failed Labor candidate, and for the case to be dismissed is an utter embarrassment,” Cr Lane said.

“That money should have been spent fixing our broken planning laws, or investing in improved open spaces, roads and footpaths.”

Independent councillor Roy Maggio said councillors did not vote on taking the action, only for council to “explore” its legal options.

“We need to be better briefed before any legal action is started,” he said.

“This has been another complete waste of ratepayers’ money.”