Action groups nervously await Barangaroo decision

Action groups are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the State Government’s decision on Lend Lease’s amended proposal to Barangaroo South.

A proposal by Lend Lease to amend the original concept plan to include a hotel on the harbour and increase heights of buildings is being considered by the government.

But action groups fear environmental concerns are being ignored and approval of the redevelopment is being rushed due the upcoming state election.

Chairman of the Barangaroo Action Group, Ian Campbell, said it is standard labor State Government practice to announce big decisions just before Christmas.

“My guess is if they pass it the way Lend Lease wants it, they’ll do it just before Christmas because the journalists will be asleep and the legal industry will be shutdown,” he said.

“The government has been in so much of a hurry to give this to Lend Lease before they get kicked out of office. They just haven’t done it properly.”

Chairman of Clean Up Australia, Ian Kiernan, said: “Kristina Keneally has taken a personal interest in the project and is pushing to see it go ahead.”

Digging began at the site last week while a lawsuit hangs over the approval for early works on the headland.

The court case was brought up by the Australian for Sustainable Development (AfSD) coalition and is postponed till the January 30.

Deputy Lord Mayor and Vice-president of AsFD, Marcelle Hoff, said ignoring environmental concerns illustrates the government’s lack of respect for process.

“This is further evidence of the contempt that the State Government and Lend Lease have for democratic process,” she said.

Action groups are concerned with contamination of the site and possible leaking into the Harbour.

“I’m concerned about the contamination on the site and the fact that they’re moving what seems to be contaminated soil from one place to another, and utilising that contaminated soil in parkland on the northern end,” said Cr Hoff.

Mr Kiernan said he is concerned with the proposed process of the redevelopment.

“We need to guarantee that the process being undertaken poses no risk of contaminating the Harbour,” he said.

“We are concerned that the proposed technology and budget assigned to clean-up the site will fall short of achieving this.”

“With the whole Harbour at risk, I want to make sure that prudence is not sacrificed for ignorance and greed.”

A decision on the redevelopment is expected in the coming weeks.