Auburn RSL Club site to make way for 427 units at Northumberland Rd
Six 10-storey apartment blocks have been approved to be built at the old Auburn RSL site — four years after the club closed.
Parramatta
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Four years after the last beer was poured at Auburn RSL Club, the Land and Environment Court has allowed a mammoth 427-apartment complex to be built at Northumberland Rd.
The case was in court after Linfield Developments appealed against Cumberland Council’s refusal to grant the 12,000sq m shop-top housing development.
The court heard the council’s concerns about overdevelopment, overshadowing, design quality, parking, open space, public interest and streetscape were addressed and upheld the appeal on September 20.
Six 10-storey blocks will rise over the lots at 35, and 26-36 Northumberland Rd.
There will be 126 one-bedroom, 276 two-bedroom and 25 three-bedroom apartments above almost 4000sq m of commercial space.
Justice John Robson said he had considered experts’ town planning reports.
“Given my consideration of the evidence, my understanding of the not insignificant amendments made to the plans in response to the expert evidence, and considering the agreed conditions, I accept that the evidence now before the court appropriately addresses the issues raised in council’s contentions,’’ he said.
Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou said the council accepted the changes Linfield made.
“The council’s satisfied with the amended proposals,’’ he said.
“This development is assessed on its merit. When this development was proposed council gave a list of requirements and those have been met.’’
Cr Christou did not agree Auburn had become overdeveloped.
“No, as long as the right infrastructure’s going into it, I don’t think it’s becoming too overdeveloped,’’ he said.
Pro-development councillor and Auburn resident Ned Attie welcomed the complex but favours taller buildings.
“The number of units is irrelevant,’’ he said.
“They should be taller, which allows more light.”
He dismissed residents’ complaints about insufficient infrastructure, such as the need for wider roads, when he said traffic into Auburn came from the south the northwest, or east to west.
“People that live in Auburn do not use to roads to travel to Auburn,’’ he said, adding that many households had seven cars clogging the streets.
However, residents such as Paul Francis, who has lived in Auburn for 39 years, disagree infrastructure is adequate.
“A disaster,’’ he said of the development.
“It’s always blocked, it’s too congested.”
He said residents had lobbied against overdevelopment but were unsuccessful, including when a three-storey unit block was built next to his Hall St home 10 years ago.
“It did affect us because we lost all our privacy but we couldn’t do much,’’ he said.
“The residents’ action group fought for us but it didn’t go too far.”
He still misses going to the club.
“We lose all our facilities,’’ he said.
“No more community get-togethers, no socialising. The bowling club closed down. We don’t know where to meet now.”
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