Carlingford, Swane’s Nursery site: 48 townhouses planned for Marsden Rd
A plan to replace a Swane’s nursery in northwestern Sydney for almost 50 townhouses is not exactly thriving after it hit a hurdle with a council.
Parramatta
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A plan to replace Swane’s Nursery at Carlingford for almost 50 townhouses is not exactly thriving after it hit a hurdle with Parramatta Council.
The council has deferred putting the plans for 235 and 237 Marsden Rd on public exhibition until the developers can improve its application and not just build townhouses the “fastest, quickest, cheapest way possible’’.
The nursery, which Swane’s has occupied since the 1960s, is surrounded by single dwellings under R2 “low density” classification and plans are under way to change it to R3 “medium density”.
The change means instead of allowing 15 houses or up to 30 dual-occupancy dwellings to be built, 48 three-storey townhouses would get the green light.
Councillor Lorraine Wearne rejected advancing the plans because they are incompatible with the neighbourhood.
“I’m not trying to undo the increased density in many ways but what I want to do is to ensure that we get an outcome that is … is suitable for the whole area,’’ she said.
“This whole area is R2, it’s low density residential.
“Even years ago when they developed the Dalmar site next door, it was still single dwellings on small blocks of land. It was not medium density development.”
The council adopted Cr Wearne’s motion to defer the plans so it could “get the conditions right’’ in its draft development control plan.
“There are better ways to do 11m than leaving it in the hands of the developer because we all know what they’ll do — the fastest, quickest, cheapest way possible,’’ she said.
“I think it’s really important that we get it right.
“If you do it right and fits in with the surrounding area then that’s a better outcome not only for the community … but I think it’s a better outcome for the developer.’’
Sydney Central City Planning Panel has endorsed the plans, which were first lodged in 2016.
The panel will determine the application, submitted by Harris Park firm Architex.
According to CoreLogic RP Data the land is owned by company Gaiset, which purchased the site in June 1986.