Parramatta Rd Strategy
The Inner West is taking consultations on their Parramatta Rd strategy. This involves upzoning three sites to allow about 1400 homes in Leichhardt and Croydon.
A number of us attended consultation sessions for this strategy and here are our impressions which you may choose to include:
They are completely doing away with parking minimums in the upzoned areas. This is a big win as parking spaces can cost anywhere up to $100K per apartment to provide, and we know that mandated parking encourages car use. We ask them to scrap parking minimums across the LGA.
They are applying a bunch of conditions for any developer who wants to access the extra height, including high energy ratings, use of certain materials, provisions for bike parking, EV charging infrastructure, etc. These were all feasibility tested in 2020, but the construction market has changed dramatically since then. Accordingly we believe if this goes through as is then nothing will be built. We ask council to double the heights/floor space ratios to make sure the developments are viable while maintaining high standards.
The plan for Taverners Hill places six storey units on busy Tebbutt St, stepping down to three storeys on quiet Beeson St. The rationale for this is that they are providing a transition from the taller Leichhardt Green development, stepping down heights towards the Greenway. We think this is an inadequate explanation, and that in all cases the tallest buildings should be put on quiet streets to prioritise the amenity of new apartment residents.
The controls require new apartments built over shops in heritage conservation areas along Parramatta Rd to be setback by a few metres, so they cannot be seen. The statement of significance for this area says it “demonstrate(s) the changes in retail and commercial development along Sydney’s oldest and most important transport route”. These new apartments are part of that history of change, they should be placed inline with the shopfronts so we can tell a complete history of Parramatta Rd, not one that ends around 1970.
The provision for a new public square on Norton St does not seem like a good use of public space based on the information we have received. Such squares work well when they are situated between two points that pedestrians often walk between, but there aren’t many such places off Norton St. We should think carefully to avoid creating another Italian Forum.
Make a submission. You will need to create an account to do so, if this fails please email your submission to strategicplanning@innerwest.nsw.gov.au.
