The state government's hopes for a consensus about the future of Parramatta Road are breaking down, with councils accusing the government of poor consultation and watering down commitments to improve the amenity of the area.
Ashfield has become the latest council to refuse to sign an agreement with the government over its plans to revitalise the notorious transport corridor, which is earmarked for an additional 60,000 units – a project coinciding with separate plans for the WestConnex motorway.
"Supposed to be a boulevard": Parramatta road.Credit: Tamara Dean
The state government had sought to sign a memorandum of understanding with each of the 10 councils encompassing the project's eight precincts of Homebush, Granville, Auburn, Burwood, Taverners Hill, Kings Bay, Camperdown and Leichhardt.
But Ashfield mayor Lucille McKenna said the council had resolved at its latest meeting it would not sign until unexpected changes that "water down" the agreement were reversed.
A proposed breakdown of new apartments along the Parramatta Road corridor.
The changes include the removal of a commitment to minimise the impact of WestConnex on Parramatta Road, such as through the location of smoke stacks and connecting roads.
References to traffic-calming measures such as reduced volumes and speed, street trees, regular pedestrian crossings and wider footpaths – to "achieve the objective of an improved urban environment and revitalisation" – were also removed from the document.
"That's what this was all about, making Parramatta Road into a beautiful boulevard. And they've deleted all that," Cr McKenna said.
Ashfield's decision comes as Leichhardt Council confirmed that it would not sign a similar deal, citing concerns about the project's density, open space and inadequate consultation.
Leichhardt mayor Rochelle Porteous said the council did not receive a version of the government's Parramatta Road urban renewal draft strategy updated with the latest maps for WestConnex until 48 hours before the document's public consultation period closed on Thursday.
Meanwhile, internal documents obtained by NSW Labor show bureaucrats inside UrbanGrowth, the government's property development arm, were also concerned about the damage being done by delays.
These show Planning Minister Pru Goward took more than five months to sign the amended agreements sent to councils in October and pushed back the public release of the strategy until November.
The delay occurred despite a June memo from UrbanGrowth warning that councils had been expecting an announcement about the draft strategy since April and it was due to go on public display "by mid-year at the latest".
"A delay will jeopardise the solid relationships with councils and will be considered a breach of trust," the internal memo says.
"It will also increase community scepticism and make it more challenging for UrbanGrowth NSW [to] engage with communities on other projects."
When the agreements still had not been signed by Ms Goward and sent to councils by August, an UrbanGrowth email warned that the mayors would be getting "antsy".
"I suspect that if they don't have them in the next week to 10 days, we will start to lose them," it said.
Burwood mayor John Faker warned that his council was prepared to pull out of the agreement it has since signed if the state government's commitment to genuine consultation was not upheld.
"If we're just going to be there as a showpiece or some form of sign-off for the government to say that they're working with councils, then, I'm sorry, we'll just pull out," Cr Faker said.
Labor's candidate for Strathfield and planning spokeswoman Jodi McKay accused Ms Goward of sabotaging the "historic accord" with councils.
"This project is the biggest-ever renewal of Parramatta Road, with 60,000 units to be added along the corridor, but Pru Goward's delays and unwillingness to work with key stakeholders are very concerning," Ms McKay said.
Ms Goward said the government was committed to WestConnex as a catalyst to revitalise Parramatta Road. "We can't be deterred by petty politicking in election season," Ms Goward said.
A spokesman for the minister, who described Leichhardt Council's position as "disappointing", said UrbanGrowth had been "actively collaborating" with councils and would work with Ashfield to resolve its concerns.
"[UrbanGrowth] is committed to dialogue directly with Ashfield Council, not through the media," the spokesman said.