Barangaroo: ‘never again’ say Greens

In a proposal to cut ties between developers and future NSW governments, the Greens are calling for the creation of an Independent State Planning Commission, whose membership would be ratified by a 75 per cent vote in each house of Parliament.

The proposal was part of the NSW Greens planning policy, launched at The Rocks on Friday, overlooking the politically embattled Barangaroo site.

MP David Shoebridge called Barangaroo “the single biggest state sanctioned disaster under Part 3A (of the Planning Act)”

Part 3A, in which the State Government takes over planning controls for developments deemed ‘state significant’, would be replaced by the proposed non-partisan commission in the Greens plan.

Other features of the policy include: plans to redefine ‘state significant development’ to only include key infrastructure projects; not incentivising councils to rezone public purpose land as residential; allowing councils to mandate affordable housing in substantial new housing developments; and ending private certification of building works.

Mr Shoebridge was joined by green bans activist Jack Mundy and three Greens Mayors running for State Parliament in March.

Mr Shoebridge criticised the Coalition for not having a planning policy.

“Their only promise on planning is to have an inquiry while the new Coalition Minister will continue approving disastrous Part 3A developments,” he said.

But Opposition Minister for Planning Brad Hazzard said the Coalition has had a policy document on planning on its website for more than two years.

“Mr Shoebridge, as the newest Green on the block, may not be aware that in October 2008 the Liberals and Nationals committed to repealing Part 3A,” said Mr Hazzard.

The Greens say their plan to give local councils more power over affordable housing will minimise “urban sprawl” they say is encouraged by the major parties.

Mr Hazzard said the Greens are just playing to the same tune as Labor.

“The Greens never criticised State Labor when they announced that they were planning on putting 181,000 additional homes and approximately 500,000 people into new developments in the west of Sydney,” he said.

“The real issue is that Labor in 10 years has only put in 26,000 homes and we have the lowest housing stats in 50 years.”

Planning Minister Tony Kelly did not respond to City Hub’s inquiries.

by Lawrence Bull