Fate of “strategic” Harold Park site still unclear
The community is no wiser about the fate of the Harold Park Paceway site after an update meeting held by City of Sydney Council last week.
Council provided a summary of community feedback so far and the next steps in the planning process, but there are still no specific details about what development will occur on the site.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore opened the meeting. “It’s a very strategic site,” she said. “It’s a once in a lifetime, all our lifetimes, opportunity to get this right.
“It does have the potential to revitalise and enrich [the] whole neighbourhood.”
The update meeting followed a community consultation in September which sought feedback on what development should occur on the site.
Concerns were also raised over the size and nature of any commercial or residential development that takes place, with many in favour of restricting the height of development as much as possible.
Andrew Thomas, Executive Manager City Plan for City of Sydney Council was asked if he could name for certain any features that would or would not be part of the development. He said that he could not, but joked that there will definitely not be a petrol refinery on the site.
Greens Councillor Irene Doutney said that although she supports the consultation process: “The reality is that it will be full of housing,” she said. “Whoever buys it is going to develop it,” she said.
“They want to make money out of it.”
John Dumesny, Company Secretary of the NSW Harness Racing Club said that the re-development hinges upon whether or not the re-zoning will allow the club to make sufficient returns on the sale. “We’re hopeful that Council will come up with a proposal which will provide wins for the community as well as enabling the Club to proceed with the sale of the site,” he said.
City of Sydney Council is also talking to Leichhardt Council about the future of the site. Leichhardt Mayor Jamie Parker said it is important for community feedback to be taken seriously and that it is clear to him that the City of Sydney is making a genuine attempt at consultation.
The council is currently carrying out technical studies on the site, taking into account feedback received from the first community workshop. There will be another workshop in early 2010 to consider a draft master plan, after which the preferred planning scheme will be considered by Council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee in mid 2010.
by Aaron Cook
