Pagewood Green development backlash
THE latest phase of one of the largest residential developments in Australia has been criticised for being too big and out of keeping with the area.
Southern Courier
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THE latest phase of one of the largest residential developments in Australia has been criticised for being too big and out of keeping with the area.
Developer Meriton wants to build 515 apartments in six towers which rise to 21 storeys as part of its Pagewood Green project in Eastgardens.
As well as critics complaining about the scale, there is also anger that Meriton, which is owned by Australia’s richest man Harry Triguboff, is proposing to build higher than the company initially said it would.
Meriton said sales have been positive so far and the project would ensure better public open space and infrastructure.
The development application is for an apartment complex called Orchid.
It is the fifth of six stages which make up Pagewood Green.
In 2015, Meriton was given concept permission for Pagewood’s masterplan but was told each stage would require separate approval.
Orchid will have 515 apartments in towers ranging from 13 to 21 storeys. There will also be 716 parking spaces, as well as shops, cafes and communal open spaces.
Meriton’s DA, submitted last month, is seeking to increase the height of Orchid by adding a floor to each of the towers.
The 12-storey towers will now have 13, the 15-storey towers will have 16 and the 20-storey towers 21.
Developers are limited to buildings of no more than 44m in the area.
Meriton bosses successfully argued to remove the restriction when presenting the masterplan. But now they will have to convince the planning panel again to increase the height to 68.3m — more than a third over the limit.
In the application, Meriton planners state that as some of the ground floor has changed from being commercial to residential there is “some available capacity to accommodate an additional storey”.
“The proposal generally seeks to maintain the maximum height of the overall development with a minor increase proposed to respond to flood management on the site,” the report states.
Among those critical of the development is Kingsford Smith federal Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite.
“I understand the need for new housing to accommodate new residents but this development is way over the top,” he said.
“Twenty one storeys is out of character with our community and local infrastructure, particularly public transport, roads and schools can’t cope with such a massive influx of residents.
“With these huge developments going up around the place, locals feel they are losing our sense of community, people are becoming strangers in their street. It’s poor planning.”
Residents are also opposing the development with campaigners sharing an open letter to sign and send to the planning panel.
“Mr Triguboff has already destroyed the environment of Eastgardens and Mascot with his monster ugly ghetto developments that block the sun and is just plain ugly,” resident Mary Richard said.
“This is a total overdevelopment of this site and must be declined,” she said.
The first three phases of Pagewood Green have already got DA approval with the fourth pending a decision.
The unnamed fourth stage is for 368 apartments in towers up to 16 storeys.
It too exceeds height restrictions, and like Orchid, Meriton bosses are attempting to build higher than had been agreed in the masterplan to accommodate plant rooms.
A Meriton spokeswoman said the project would lead to better public spaces and infrastructure. “As part of the approval Meriton entered into an agreement with the council that facilitated the delivery of one hectare of public space. It also included the multimillion-dollar upgrade to the surrounding road network,” she said.
‘The development should be welcomed in our growing city’
PAGEWOOD Green should be welcomed provided infrastructure is in place, a development expert has said.
Chris Johnson, chief executive of Urban Taskforce, a national consortium of property developers, also said the 21-storey height is appropriate for the area.
“The area from Anzac Parade to La Perouse is the sort of area which should take some future density as we move to an eight-million person city,” he said.
“As with everything, it is a question of balance, but as long as the infrastructure is in place, particularly transport, then I think it’s a good location.”
He said the height of the development is not excessive and even suggesting it could make the development look more attractive.
“If you have eight or perhaps 12-storey buildings, they can tend to look a bit dumpy.
“When you get up to 21 storeys I think it can add a bit of elegance.”
Mr Johnson warned that if residents’ calls for fewer floors were heard, it would be impossible to get that sort of density — which he said is desperately needed — in the future.
Pagewood Green background
THE latest development application is for the fifth phase of what is one of the largest residential projects in Australia — and the largest in Meriton’s 55-year history.
Once completed, Pagewood Green will be home to more than 3000 apartments, various shops, cafes and childcare facilities with an 8000 sqm communal park at its centre.
A masterplan for Pagewood was approved by the Land and Environment Court in August 2015.
It gave outline consent for the project to be constructed in six stages.
However, the court stated each stage would need fresh approval from the Sydney Central Planning Panel.
The first stage, named Allium, was granted permission in February 2017 and is now nearing completion. The majority of the apartments have been sold.
The second stage, Marigold, also got the green light last February.
The 202 apartments are all to be retained as rental properties by Meriton, in towers of between six and 16 levels.
The third stage, Dahlia, was approved in October, with building work expected by the end of the year.
The 167 apartments over eight levels went on sale last week.
The fourth stage, for 368 apartments, is pending a decision.
The latest DA is the largest to date with 515 apartments in towers up to 21 storeys.
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