View public feedback on Ivanhoe Estate at Macquarie Park
Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale hit out at the Planning Department for flouting environmental advice by its own government to retain trees as part of the $1.8 billion Ivanhoe Estate redevelopment at Macquarie Park.
Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale hit out at the Planning Department for flouting environmental advice by its own government to retain trees as part of the $1.8 billion Ivanhoe Estate redevelopment at Macquarie Park.
The response comes amid the start of the public submissions exhibition period into Australia’s largest social housing project.
In February, Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale labelled the plan an ecological disaster when the council called for a bank of turpentine trees at Epping Rd, on the eastern part of the project, to gain environmental protection.
Under revised plans, the Planning Department said it had increased the setback from 10m to 18m on Epping Rd to allow more trees to be retained but the new access road into the estate from Epping Rd remained part of the proposal.
Cr Laxale said it was “telling” the department was ignoring advice from its own government following the Environment and Heritage Office’s support of the council’s calls to protect the flora.
“They’re ignoring their own advice and that’s unacceptable,’’ he said.
The Planning and Environment Department has received 34 objections to plans for the project, which will provide more than 3000 mixed-housing dwellings over the next 12 years.
It will include 950 public housing dwellings and 128 affordable rental units for low to middle income earners.
Land and Housing Corporation plans to redevelop the estate on Epping Rd between Herring Rd and Shrimptons Creek.
The first stage of the 8.2ha site will comprise 740 total dwellings including 259 public housing and two 75-place childcare centres.
A 950-student high school and 120-bed aged care centre is also planned.
But despite the influx of people, supermarket plans have been shelved and the concept only includes a small retail project of 920sq m for smaller shops and grocers.
Public submissions included the loss of the “endangered ecological community”, failure to serious assessment of impacts on the Shrimptons Creek bush corridor and traffic congestion.
One resident said: “ … It can be evident that the properties at Peach Tree Rd (at Macquarie Park) has not been taken into considerations at all.”
Another submission opposed the impact it would have on private homeowners.
“How can the government increase the benefit of people who take money from
government without any contribution to the society so much benefit
and disregard tax payers benefit!
“This is unacceptable and unreasonable!”
A North Ryde resident said 3000 homes was excessive “for the area and create(s) heavy traffic to the local areas, impact on the further congestion and traffic delays.
“(There is) overdevelopment of the local areas and insufficient infrastructure and facilities provided.’’
Ryde state Liberal MP Victor Dominello, who has been vocal about overdevelopment in the area, defended Ivanhoe project “because it is a development with a conscience” and mixed public and private housing.
“This integration is nation leading and gives us an opportunity to break intergenerational disadvantage — this is why Mission Australia is backing it and I am backing it,’’ he said.
The department’s key sites director Anthea Sargeant encouraged the community to view the feedback.
“Community input is essential to help us make a thorough and rigorous assessment and ensure
potential impacts are fully considered,’’ she said.
She said the department would consider all submissions from the public, government agencies and councils once the exhibition closed.
“Once the exhibition closes, the department will consider all community submissions received, along with feedback from other government agencies and councils,’’ Ms Sargeant said.
● Respond to submissions before June 19 at planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/10141
The Environmental Impact Statement submissions can be viewed at planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/10146
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