Dundas Valley, Simpson St: Units, childcare centre planned
Residents of a northwest Sydney neighbourhood objecting to a six-storey apartment block and childcare centre are lobbying for the proposal to be downsized.
Parramatta
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Dundas Valley residents objecting to a six-storey unit complex on Simpson St are lobbying for the proposal to be downsized so their street can cope with development generated by Parramatta Light Rail.
Citilink has lodged a development application with Parramatta Council for 1-7 Simpson St, where 62 apartments and a ground floor 90-place childcare centre over a two-level basement carpark are planned over a 19m block.
The development is a mix of private and government housing.
It would require the demolition of four single homes in a neighbourhood filled with post-war fibro houses and is being proposed under the State Government’s Telopea masterplan.
But residents such as John and Naji Bottos have called for the height to be lowered to 11m like the other developments slated for the street.
“We believe it’s an error and we believe Parramatta Council or the Planning Department has a chance to rectify the error,’’ Mrs Bottos said.
“People before profits, community needs before developer greed.
“They make this error of 19m but there’s a chance to change it so we can keep the quiet, suburban street with charm and character that we already have.”
Parramatta Labor councillor Pierre Esber presented petitions with 109 signatures to the council recently and deemed the proposal inappropriate for the 7m narrow street, which was rezoned from R2 to R4 (high density) under the Telopea masterplan.
The masterplan was finalised in 2018 and is centred around the $2.4 billion Parramatta light rail linking Westmead to Carlingford.
“That zoning was done by the State Government and not the council and it’s going to set a precedent,’’ Cr Esber said.
“I don’t believe the light rail would have the capacity (to cope with extra residents).
“They’ll have to reconsider their position on this. God help the Valley. In five to 10 years they’ll be swamped with developments like this.”
A Planning Department spokeswoman said the Telopea masterplan would include homes and public space, and was finalised following extensive community consultation, including consideration of the area’s character and current and future capacity.
She said the light rail would include services every 7.5 minutes during peak periods and would transport 28,000 people each day.
Plans for Simpson St are on public exhibition at parramattacounci.nsw.gov.au until August 12.
● cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/business-development/submissions