Good community relations is not a fine art

Paddington residents could soon suffer from 50 oversized trucks driving through their streets if the UNSW College of Fine Arts has its way.

City of Sydney Council and residents are furious that CoFA has gone back on its word after working with it on a Construction Traffic Management Plan for the $58 million stimulus redevelopment of its campus.

CoFA says the original plan to use main roads rather than residential streets will be too costly and timely so they have called in the NSW Department of Planning to bypass Council’s decision.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said she strongly opposed the Department of Planning’s intervention.

“The Council’s approved Plan provides a solution to enable CoFA’s redevelopment while minimising impacts on local residents and businesses,” she said.

“If the Department takes control and recommends changes from Council’s approved Plan, local residents are likely to have significant concerns and lose confidence in CoFA’s redevelopment process.”

Convenor of the Paddington-Darlinghurst Working Group, Will Mrongovius said the original plan was workable in what is largely a residential area.

He said he had written to the Planning Minister asking for CoFA’s application to be refused.

“Under the guise of stimulus funding and Major Project laws, councils are once again being ignored as developers seek special treatment, and NSW Planning gains tighter control over projects across Sydney – to the detriment of constituents,” he said.

“Sadly, it’s the local amenity of this unique heritage area that may have to pay the price.”

City of Sydney Greens Councillor Irene Doutney said she was dismayed by CoFA’s decision to cut the council out of the process.

She blamed it on a flawed planning system where Ministers can take all consent powers from council.

“Developers now know that if the community aren’t going to like their plans all they need to do is run to their mates in either of the major political parties to get it approved – community opinions be damned,” she said.

Paddington resident Stacey Harallambi, 47 said she was disappointed with the way the university had handled the situation.

“We feel they’ve totally disregarded us,” she said.

“Instead of sharing the space, they have created conflict. And I don’t think we are being unreasonable with what we are asking.”

A spokesperson from the Department of Planning said they were considering the application, which they received on 23 March 2010.

By Laura Cathery