Tama gully DA sparks anger

A proposed development at 362 Birrell Street continues to upset residents and members of Waverley Council.

The proposed construction of a development comprising two by two dual occupancy homes at the top of Tamarama Park is before the council.  At the March 15 meeting a motion was moved that council should undertake community consultation to gauge support for the proposed purchase of part or all of the properties adjoining Tamarama Park.

The motion came as a result of a Bronte Precinct Committee meeting on March 14 which saw more than 100 people turn up, many expressing their “dissatisfaction” with the proposal.

Paula Masselos, secretary of the Bronte Precinct Committee, said the meeting was a show of “polite anger” over the proposal.

Ms Masselos said four basic points came out of the meeting: that the DA should not be approved due to its inappropriate nature; that the natural heritage of the site should compel Waverley Council as the custodian’s of the Waverley area to protect the site; that council devise and implement a purchase plan; and that council finally resolve, with the relevant state government ministers, the issue of the “unmade road” part of Birrell Street so it becomes part of Tamarama Park.

“There is a lot of community concern,” Ms Masselos said. “There has been all sorts of community consultation on this for a long time and the sentiment of the community is very clear… something has to be done about this.”

Labor councillor Ingrid Strewe said the time was right to preserve the land for future generations.

“The owner has said he is willing to sell and it’s not often you get the chance to add to your open space like that,” she said. “I think we ought to do the best we can to achieve that. The waterfall could be absolutely beautiful; it could be a treasure forever, not just for us but for the future, for everyone.”

Cr Strewe said she was upset by the tactic of pitting one ward against another.

“We have a $94 million dollar budget. We’ve got the money, or we could borrow at a reasonable rate,” she said.

Waverley mayor Sally Betts said she was aware of the community’s anxious desire to purchase the properties.

“I think that anybody in their right mind would always want to preserve open space,” she said. “One of the issues for council is that we have never asked the public if they want to spend money on those properties.

“I have asked that we have broad community consultation on the issue so we can ask all the people of Waverley whether that is what they want to do with our money.”

Ms Masselos disagreed with the need for a Waverley-wide consultation: “We feel it is inappropriate to go to the wider community. It is a time-sensitive issue and council has the capacity to make these sorts of decision; this is for the broader public good.”

The site sits atop Fletchers Glen Waterfall, set with large boulders and a watercourse. It is a heritage listed site.