‘We don’t want it wrecked’: The fight to save a slice of Sydney suburbia

Residents in the southern Sydney suburb of Mortdale want the Georges River Council to release any updated drafts of the suburb’s master plan, which they say could turn the area into a high-rise jungle like neighbouring Hurstville.

The original master plan draft was made public in July 2021 but, since it was deferred for further examination in April 2022, residents have not been privy to any potential changes and are worried councillors will rush to approve the plan despite objections.

Mortdale now and the known, proposed changes.Credit: Google Earth/Georges River Council

Georges River mayor Nick Katris would not divulge whether there had been any changes to the master plan since July 2021, saying that it was “touching on confidential information”.

David Martin and Deborah Mackie from the Save Mortdale Village group are campaigning for the council to revise its original draft and limit building heights to 12 metres to stop their suburb from being overdeveloped.

The available draft proposes building heights of 22 metres (six storeys) along the city spine while increasing some residential heights to 13 metres, and extending low and medium density further into residential zones.

“Mortdale is a village, and we don’t want it wrecked, and we don’t want it ruined,” Mackie said. “We do not want another Hurstville on our doorstep. That’s why people came here. They want this little life where you know all of your shopkeepers, and we want to keep it like this.”

David Martin and Deborah Mackie are campaigning for height restrictions in Mortdale.Credit: Steven Siewert

The available draft plan outlines changes that it says will “allow additional jobs and housing in the areas within 400 metres of Mortdale station”.

Katris said that the council would be taking the community’s opinion into “serious consideration”.

Mortdale shopkeepers, who did not wish to be named, told the Herald that they would welcome new developments in the neighbourhood to stimulate economic growth.

“The more that’s happening, the better it is for our livelihood,” one shopkeeper said. “It brings life to the area.”

Oatley state MP Mark Coure does not support the plan in its current form, and a petition he started has received more than 1000 signatures.

“A considerable number of residents have contacted my office with serious and valid concerns about
the Mortdale Master Plan and the impact it will have on our community,” Coure said.

“The re-zoning of the Mortdale village town centre will add a substantial number of new dwellings in the Mortdale area. These extra dwellings will mean that more people and more cars will continue to crowd local streets, increasing congestion and decreasing parking availability.”

A spokesperson for Georges River Council said that the “development of the Mortdale master plan is in accordance with the directions in the Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS)” and that it was a “condition of the Department of Planning and Environment endorsed by Local Housing Strategy.”

Member for Oatley Mark Coure (left) and David Martin of the Save Mortdale Village Group.Credit: Steven Siewert

The LSPS outlines a target of 3450 additional dwellings in the Georges River area from 2021 to 2026 and another 5750 dwellings between 2026 and 2036.

“We need smart development, not inappropriate development,” Coure said.

“Throughout the lockdown in 2021 residents were not able to have their say on the plan in-person due to COVID restrictions and [the] council has only just brought back in-person consultation for the plan. More time and transparency are needed to ensure that locals get an adequate chance to provide their feedback.”

Mackie and Martin acknowledge that Mortdale needs a facelift, and say that they aren’t opposed to development, but they want the council to address the community’s concerns.

“We don’t just want to be told, this is what’s happening, and you’ve got no say,” Mackie said.

The council spokesperson said that councillors would be “considering options in respect to the exhibited draft master plan at its environment committee meeting” on September 12, but did not address whether the community would be consulted further on any revised plan.

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