Community disappointed over wharf consultation

Members of the Pyrmont local community remain disappointed at the consultation process over plans by a developer to expand the Jones Bay Wharf marina.

While a community meeting was held last Saturday on behalf of developer, Toga Group, local residents’ groups and businesses said that they have not been given sufficient opportunities to voice their concerns.

President of the Pyrmont Community Group, Jean Stuart said there was a conspicuous lack of notice provided for the meeting and that the forum did not provide an opportunity for the community as a whole to present their objections.

“We have not received notice of Toga’s community meeting on Saturday,” Ms Stuart said prior to the meeting at Doltone House function centre on Jones Bay Wharf.

“I have received calls from residents in Bowman Street, the Wharf, Pirrama Road, Darling Street, and Pyrmont Action saying they know nothing of the proposed community meeting.”

The PCG had prepared a PowerPoint presentation comprehensively outlining its objections to the amended plans, but were not given an opportunity to present in front of an audience.

The meeting was instead a “drop-in” forum at which individual members of the community could ask questions, seek clarification and raise concerns with a representative of the developer – something a number of local residents said was not clearly communicated to them.

Representatives of the developer, Toga Group, insist that they had engaged a distribution company to deliver meeting notices to the community.

Project Management Consultant for Peloton Group, Rob Welborn, told City News 3,000 newsletters had been sent out by the distribution company. Upon hearing concerns that the newsletters may not have reached some local properties, a further 300-400 were printed and distributed.

Peloton is providing Toga with project management services in relation to the marina expansion.

Mr Welborn said Peloton was given no notice that the residents groups had any presentations prepared and the individual-consultation style forum provided was appropriate for the occasion.

Mr Welborn added that Peloton welcomed further community comments and the consultation process would continue into the future.

“The opportunity to consult definitely does not end today,” he said.

Following a significant public response to its original submission, Toga scaled back its plans, most notably by reducing the number the number of berths on the eastern bay by nine, leaving 43 instead of 52.

Other changes by the developer, included increasing the open water area within the eastern bay to 60 per cent from 40 per cent, the confirmation of 10 designated parking spaces for the marina staff, and an offer to help fund and construct the ‘missing link’ in the adjacent harbour foreshore walk.

An invitation was subsequently extended to the community to view the plans and raise questions at a meeting on April 30.

Pyrmont resident David Boddam-Whetham, said the revised plans still failed to address, among other issues, the size of the vessels which would berth at the wharf. This he said would have visual and heritage impacts on the wharf.

“What’s been reduced is the [number of] smaller boats, not the larger boats, which is where the problem is,” said Mr Boddam-Whetham, a qualified architect.

He added the allocation of berthing spaces for the boats would also be a significant determinant of the ultimate visual impact.