Clover Moore to replace Erskineville community garden with affordable homes

Sydney’s greenest council is considering concreting a community garden to make way for affordable housing, saying there are ‘too many rich people in the city’.

A team of “guerrilla gardeners” are outraged their hard work and community spirit is about to be concreted over.

Erskineville Community Garden convener Julie Moffat was told by City of Sydney Council officials last month that the area “is becoming a city for the rich” and so it wants to create more affordable housing.

The proposed site is a 310sq m slice of formerly derelict council-owned land that over the past decade has turned into a beautiful “guerrilla garden” run by a dedicated bunch of locals.

There are 24 community gardens listed on the City of Sydney website, yet the Erskineville patch is not formally recognised.

Erskineville locals (from left) Bek Clayton, Julie Moffat and Andrew Chuter love their community garden. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Ms Moffat said she’s baffled as to why a council with supposed green credentials would want to flatten a community garden that absorbs tonnes of fruit and vegetable waste and turns it into compost.

“Council suggested the city is becoming a city for the rich; we all responded that we aren’t rich,” she said of the October 22 meeting with council officials and councillor Jess Miller, who was elected as part of Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s team.

“There is a diversity of affordable options just within a few hundred metres of the community garden, including many private residences available for renting.

“Many affordable options are also in proximity in nearby suburbs.”

City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

City of Sydney councillor Jess Miller. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Ms Moffat claims she was told there would be no community consultation on the garden, with councillors to vote on the matter as early as this month.

The council said there will be consultation with the community once the matter is approved by councillors.

“Once built on, our garden and open space will be lost forever,” Ms Moffat said.

City of Sydney Liberal Councillor Craig Chung said the proposal is “outrageous”.

City of Sydney Liberal Councillor Craig Chung.

“The council is constantly looking for more green space and to think that they would take this away from the community is a complete breach of faith,” Mr Chung said.

He also said plans to relocate the garden to a rooftop would take way the “heart and soul” of the garden.

A City of Sydney spokeswoman said “given the growing need for affordable housing in the local area, the City of Sydney is investigating sites it owns for possible affordable housing development”.

Erskineville locals want to keep their community garden. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“One of the sites identified is 54-56 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville,” she said.

“While the site is being assessed for affordable housing use, representatives from the City met with community members for a preliminary discussion about the possibility of relocating the garden to a nearby site.

“The City has identified space at multiple different nearby locations that the community garden could be moved to.”

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Originally published as Clover Moore to replace Erskineville community garden with affordable homes