Residents oppose Lidcombe’s Betty Cuthbert Drive development

A western Sydney community is demanding a firm commitment for a school to be built amid growing frustrations they have been treated with ‘contempt’ over a housing development.

Artist impressions for development at Betty Cuthbert Drive, MS headquarters at Lidcombe.

The Lidcombe community is demanding a firm commitment for a school to be built on Betty Cuthbert Drive amid growing frustrations the state government has treated them with “contempt”.

Last month, Planning Minister Anthony Roberts approved 85 homes to be built alongside a revamped $16m Multiple Sclerosis Centre, which will have health, wellbeing and accommodation on the 5.9 hectare site.

There are plans for a school to serve up to 1000 students, but residents want more details that the education facility will be delivered.

Caroline Staples, who has lived in the area for 38 years, called out the proposal for being vague.

“It constantly says there is no guarantee, there is no time frame, there is no plan,’’ she said.

“There’s nothing. So there’s going to be this bare area surrounded by three sides by housing and no school. Yet just down the road, here we have Sydney University Cumberland campus sitting empty, lecture halls, classrooms, playing fields, all this kind of stuff.

“They have treated us with contempt.’’

“Ask the people of Wentworth Point how the public school went.’’

Residents have welcomed the MS headquarters revamp but demand a school.

Ms Staples slammed the other plans which would see the removal of 483 trees and only private housing.

“The audacity of this work of fiction is that they claim to be increasing the urban canopy,’’ she said.

“Why are we handing this precious public land to a private provider with no provision for affordable or public housing?

“Sadly at the end of the day we’ve come up with a proposal that remains deeply flawed and, quite frankly, is dishonest in its intent.’’

“These people are having a lend of us. They think we’re stupid and they think when they take public land, shove private housing on us and give us nothing in return, we’re going to say yes.’’

Resident Tony Oldfield said the rest of the proposal besides the housing “appears as window dressing”.

“The other issues like the proposed education facilities are given no solid commitments,’’ he said.

“There are no new health facilities, just a revamped MS Centre. We deserve proper infrastructure, good schools and health facilities.’’

Labor councillor Sabrin Farooqui’s resolution to write to the government and seek a firm commitment for a school was successful by one vote at the council meeting.

Several submissions following public feedback expressed concerns about the school, she said.

“The need is pretty clear and loud, we need schools in this area because schools in surrounding areas have reached maximum capacity,’’ she said.

She said the government would still make the final decision if the council rejected the plans.

But independent councillor Joseph Rahme said the chamber should have rejected the development, despite the government giving it the green light recently.

“I believe if you’re really concerned about residents, if you’re really representing your constituents, if you really want to stand up against an initiative, you flatly reject it,’’ he said.

An Education Department spokeswoman said the plans included allocating a portion of the site at 80 Betty Cuthbert Drive for educational purposes.

“The NSW Government has lodged a planning proposal with Cumberland City Council to rezone the site at Betty Cuthbert Drive, Lidcombe, to deliver more housing and provide new headquarters for MS Plus,’’ she said.

“The plans include allocating a portion of the site for future education purposes.’’

The government will also provide a land grant at the site to MS Plus.