Bondi Junction LEP approved

Waverley Council’s major planning instrument for Bondi Junction was unanimously approved in late July and now awaits sign off from Planning Minister Kristina Keneally.

Mayor Sally Betts said the Bondi Junction Local Environment Plan, which guides development of the major regional centre, was the culmination of much hard work and community consultation over the past six years.

The council rejected many of the conditions the State Government had imposed on its original draft document, particularly for additional floor space. The affordable housing component has been reinserted and tourist accommodation has again been restricted to the core commercial area.

“The State Government has come to accept our rationale. We don’t have formal approval yet as the Minister has to sign off on it before it is gazetted,” Councillor Betts said.

“But we’re hoping council’s decisions will be accepted because we believe we can deliver the jobs required by the Metropolitan Strategy with the controls we’ve put in place.”

The mayor says the plan has the potential to deliver Bondi Junction an additional 4,400 commercial and retail jobs by 2031.

“We believe we’ve come up with a good balance and what is best for our community,” she said.

“Bondi Junction is not Chatswood. We can’t just go ahead with a proforma template as it doesn’t sit well with our centre. We are hopeful that the State Government will accept our compromise.”

Planning Minister Keneally said the department would consider the views of the community and Council in reviewing the plan.  “What residents said to me very clearly was that they understood Bondi Junction would grow, would develop, and it would change,” she said.  “What they were overwhelmingly passionate about was that we had a good urban outcome – that we had good building design, that we had a development that was supported appropriately by transport infrastructure, whether it is roads or public transport, and that we had appropriate open space in light of whatever future increases in density might be in Bondi Junction.”

Ms Keneally said Bondi Junction was a prime candidate for increased density in development.

“There is the capacity here to increase density. I think everyone acknowledges that Sydney has the challenge either to grow or to shrink, and shrinking isn’t an option,” she said.  “And it’s most appropriate that we increase density in areas that are already serviced by infrastructure – environmentally it’s more sustainable and it makes good sense.”

Dialogue between the council and the NSW Planning Department has been “very good” according to the mayor, who said the State Government had also had its wins with an expansion of the core commercial area west of Newland Street – between Oxford and Spring streets – and the north side of Ebley Street.

The council will engage experts to review the Bondi Junction Traffic and Transport Study to address residents’ concerns about expected increases in traffic resulting from the growth of Bondi Junction.

And urban design and environmental criteria in the council’s development control plan will ensure all buildings meet the sustainability test.

“We want to make Bondi Junction as attractive as possible,” Councillor Betts said.

“Our plan has been to develop a town square in the centre of the Mall so people can meet or enjoy a little oasis in the hub of the commercial centre while also improving access and safety for commuters to the Bondi Junction Bus/Rail Interchange.”

– BY PAM WALKER and SHANT FABRICATORIAN