‘Don’t ruin our historic street,’ plead residents

Residents of Pitt Street, Redfern are urging the City of Sydney Council to block a development application to build a 46-unit apartment complex on their street.

The Redfern Society has also weighed in on the issue, claiming that with on-street parking already at a premium and the proposed development to be constructed directly opposite a kindergarten, the increase in congestion due to vehicular, bicycle and human traffic would become untenable.

The development’s floor space exceed Council’s controls – as outlined in its new draft Local Environment Plan (LEP) – by at least 120 per cent according to a Redfern Society statement and residents feel that no exceptions should be made.

Pitt Street resident, Donna-May Bolinger, says that residents trust the Council to stick to its own heritage and amenity controls.

“This developer has galvanised our community. Over 100 residents attended a protest meeting in Redfern Town Hall because we object to overdevelopment and the desecration of our heritage,” she said. “And more are joining in the concern daily.”

One resident pointed out that the developer, the Norfolk Group, is described on its website as a promoter and manager of property developments. It has previously built luxury apartments, condominiums and country clubs in Vietnam and its latest Sydney development is a large block of apartments on Pittwater Road – a “highly commercial” thoroughfare.

“It would be more reasonable if they were to develop the exiting building which already exceeds the allowed FSR,” said the resident, who wished to remain anonymous.

Ms Bolinger said: “Redfern’s unique streetscape character lies in the mix of commercial and residential. This development lies in the centre of a complete row of heritage items and would desecrate the last remaining commercial heritage building in the area, thereby destroying the lovely, original streetscape. It would kill that unique Redfern flavour.”

Another local resident Lillian Fadel said: “It’s unfair to increase traffic, overshadowing, noise and invade privacy in an already densely populated area.”

She expressed particular concern over the increased congestion that would arise in the hours that parents drop-off and collect their children from the Redfern Occasional Care Kindergarten, directly opposite the entrance to the development.

Ms Fadel also raised the issue of increased traffic flow through William Street which would be funnelled through the one-way Wells Street. Wells Street houses many families with young children, she said.

A statement by the Redfern Society reads: “Residents would like to see the existing heritage building on the site preserved and not be gutted to make way for 46 one-barroom apartments.”

It also pointed to a declaration by Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, at her election, promising to strictly enforce planning controls.

“There is public benefit in Council’s applying a strict approach to height and floor space ratio controls; this adds certainty to the development process which allows neighbours and the community to anticipate the likely outcomes of new development of a site.  Large variations of core planning controls should simply not occur.”

The development application which was submitted in late December is currently being assessed by a Council planner. According to residents, a Council representative has been to inspect the site with the applicant, but has not yet done so with Pitt Street residents.