‘No way’: Calls for shut-down over Meriton development’s size

The size of a $3 billion development by Harry Triguboff’s Meriton in Sydney’s east has caused a neighbouring council to call for a halt to construction because of the impact of the population increase on nearby suburbs.

Meriton earlier this year lodged a development application with Bayside City Council for the second stage of its Pagewood Green mixed-use precinct on the old British American Tobacco site in Eastgardens, proposing two 16 and 17-storey towers containing 383 units.

The concept design for two new apartment towers proposed as part of Meriton’s Pagewood Green development. Credit: Meriton, SJB Architects

It follows another application in September for two 20-storey towers comprising more than 400 apartments on an adjoining lot along Bunnerong Road as part of the 4000-dwelling development, the largest in the company’s history.

The mammoth development abuts the border of Randwick City Council, which late last month resolved to write to Bayside City Council and the NSW government, calling for a halt to construction over concerns about what the significant population increase would do to its own infrastructure.

Randwick mayor Danny Said said the “excessive” construction would severely impact his council’s area, with residents of the new development using the Randwick municipality’s parks, shops and transport networks, including the bus and light-rail routes.

“It’s all across the road from them, especially the transport. There is no way that we have the infrastructure,” Councillor Said said during the February 23 meeting.

Part of Pagewood Green under construction in 2018.Credit: James Alcock

Resident Maria Poulos, who lives opposite the development site on Bunnerong Road, told the council meeting it would be Randwick Council more than Bayside that would be put under unprecedented pressure from the increase in population.

“We face a future perfect storm of congestion and worsening socio-economic outcomes,” Ms Poulos said, adding that the eastern suburbs were already feeling the pinch from population.

Pagewood Green is occupied by some 3500 residents, and the latest development application is for the construction of the seventh building within the precinct.

The council also resolved to commission a study on the infrastructure, traffic and service impacts of the Pagewood Green development for the Randwick municipality and seek a cooperative partnership with Bayside City Council to resolve the issue.

An artist’s impression of the mixed-use precinct from above.Credit: Meriton

But a Meriton spokesperson said the issues raised by Randwick City Council had already been subject to extensive analysis during the consideration and approval of a rezoning application, two masterplan applications and subsequent development applications over the past eight years, including through Transport for NSW.

“The Pagewood Green development, upon completion, will deliver over three hectares of new public open space, a new local retail centre for the broader community, dedication of 45 affordable housing dwellings that will be available for local key workers and major upgrades of key intersections that were failing prior to our development,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said development contributions made to the local council would also fund the upgrade of local infrastructure that would be available for use by the residents of the Randwick area.

A spokesperson for Bayside City Council said Randwick Council was able to make a submission while the application was under consideration, like anyone else.

“A concept development application for the entire site was approved in late 2020 by the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel which is the consent authority for this development,” the spokesperson said, adding the new application must be assessed within the framework of the concept approval.

A Department of Planning spokesperson said all future development applications for the plan were required to receive feedback from Transport for NSW.

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