Padstow community rallies against proposed rezoning for up to six-storey building
The proposed rezoning of the strip of 10 low-density properties on Segers St, Padstow, by Canterbury Bankstown Council to allow up to six storeys, has attracted strong opposition from locals.
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The proposed rezoning of a strip of 10 low-density properties on Segers St at Padstow, by Canterbury Bankstown Council to allow up to six storeys, has attracted strong opposition from councillors, residents — including Banks MP David Coleman — and Padstow Park Public School, which could be directly affected by any development.
The application for 1 to 17 Segers Ave, Padstow — behind retail strip Padstow Parade and across from Padstow Park Public School — could have up to 150 dwellings and six-story buildings if it is approved.
The current height limit in Segers Ave is two storeys.
The application was discussed at Tuesday night’s council meeting with opponents and proponents speaking before the council and packed public gallery. The council voted 8-7 to allow it to proceed to the next stage where community consultation will be afforded.
This comes after the local planning panel said the proposal was premature and recommended it not proceed to gateway determination.
The council commissioned an independent specialist to do a peer review which found changing to a business zone was appropriate.
“I’m strongly opposed to this proposal,” Banks federal Liberal MP and Immigration Minister David Coleman said.
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“A six story building directly opposite the school will result in congestion and overcrowding in the area.”
“I’ve been opposing council’s development plans for Padstow for many years, and call on it to withdraw this proposal.”
During the council meeting on Tuesday night, a representative for the developer said they have had discussions with the school.
However, principal Sharon Simpson said: “Since I took over as principal at the beginning of 2018, no developer has spoken to me.”
‘I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE A SAY’
Mayor Khal Asfour said one of the main reasons they are going ahead with next stage, is to ensure that the community can have their say on the rezoning.
“I want the community to have a say on this,” he said.
“If the council does not want it, the council will not go through it.”
Mayor Asfour told the council meeting:
“There has been no community consultation because this has not been proceeded to gateway.
“The whole point of this is, if we were to support this is, for it to proceed to gateway for consultation to occur with the community and more work to be done on traffic congestion and so on.
“That’s the process. So, the community don’t get to have a say on this until we, or if we, progress this.
“We are not adopting this tonight. This is for us to proceed with it and take it to gateway determination, which is where all that work will be done and then it will come back to council.
“I think you are right, there needs to be more studies done.
“There needs to be more work done and more importantly we need to speak to the community about this, because it’s important they have a say.
“I would like to hear what they have to say, but they won’t get that opportunity if this does not go through to the next stage.
“The next stage being, if we take it to the department for all the necessary impacts on the community occur.
“I mean the Planning system in this state for spot rezoning is for councils to support it going to gateway determination where consultation can occur with the general community and wider community, and I think that is important.
“If we proceed with this and the community do not want it, then when it comes back to council we don’t proceed with it based on that reason.
“But if we kill it tonight and refuse the recommendation tonight then the community will never get a chance to have a comment on this.”
CANNOT SUPPORT PROPOSAL IN CURRENT FORM
Deputy Mayor Clare Raffan said she cannot “support this planning proposal in its current form”.
“I found that the arguments put forth by the Local Planning Panel to be convincing,” Ms Raffan told the Express.
“After some consideration I believed that it was not in the public interest to spot rezone an area of this size prior to the completion of council’s new Local Environmental Plan and a jump from two storeys residential to six storeys mixed business to be incongruous with the surrounding building heights and uses as they stand.
“I also took into consideration the concerns raised by Ms Trish Hutchinson (Padstow Park Public School P&C Association) who was tasked with speaking on behalf of concerned parents.
“As council does not have timed parking I also took into consideration the already choked residential streets that are used for parking for train commuting.
“Let me be clear, my consideration is always site specific and based on the merits of the proposed plan, but in this case I could not support this planning proposal in its current form.”
Councillor Linda Eisler spoke about the impact the new development would have on the community, saying: “How can we support this proposal? It is a huge development.
“The Local Planning Panel considered the proposal to be premature and not significant enough to advance in isolation.
“I believe it’s inappropriate to support this now when we have been directed by the State Government to plan for growth in Padstow holistically over the next 12 months anyway.”
Vice-president of the Padstow Park Public School’s P and C Association, Tricia Hutchinson made a passionate appeal at the council meeting on Tuesday night, saying the proposed development will have a big impact on the local community.
‘WE ARE VERY CONCERNED’
“We are very concerned about the proposed rezoning and development and its impact on our local community,” Ms Hutchinson said.
“We only found out that this proposal will come before the council this week when the council papers came out a few days ago.
“But my predecessor Wendy Lindsay (the new East Hills MP) and the school have had concerns about proposed rezoning for several years now.
“Under the current proposal, 143 new residents will be coming to this area on top of the retail space.
“Congestion is already a problem and families are already struggling to find parking as a result of commuters parking to catch the trains and buses from here.
“The school is less than 50 metres from this proposed development and there will also be significant number of heavy vehicles serving these new shops.
“This is not a main road, it is an avenue and how is the school going to cope?
“The school has 362 students and has two brand new classes to cater for students with additional needs including Autism and Intellectual Delay.”
The current height limit in Segers Ave is two storeys. The proponent wants to build shop top housing (six storeys) along 1 to 5 Segers Ave (north of the council lane, Padstow Pathway) with ground floor shops and 47 apartments on the upper levels.
There is the same type of development along No 7-17 Segers Ave, with ground floor shops 96 dwellings on the upper levels and 234 parking spaces on the basement level and ground floor.
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Regarding the council’s decision to consider the proposal and consult the community on this, Ms Hutchinson said they will now focus on making sure the community voice is heard.
“We hope there will be consultation with the council and the developers on this proposal,” she said.
The council will now prepare and submit a planning proposal to the Department of Planning to seek a Gateway Determination. Following the exhibition of the planning proposal and supporting documents, the outcomes will be reported to council.
APPLICATION PROPOSES A CONCEPT DESIGN CONSISTING OF:
■ Shop top housing (six storeys) on the part of the site north of the council lane (1—5
Segers Ave) with ground floor shops and 47 dwellings on the upper levels.
■ Shop top housing (six storeys) on the part of the site south of the council lane (7—17
Segers Avenue) with ground floor shops and 96 dwellings on the upper levels.
■ 234 parking spaces on the basement level and ground floor.
■ Improvements to the council lane (Padstow Pathway) to occur at the DA stage.
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