Readers of the September 2019 Bulletin will recall the Management Committee’s resolution that The Glebe Society support’s the redevelopment of the Sydney Fish Market, but on the current location.
We wrote to the responsible Minister, The Hon Rob Stokes MP on 16 October outlining the reasons behind the support for the current location.
The objections to the new site relate to the lack of a business case justifying the relocation, the loss of totally unrestricted 24 hour access to the foreshore, the loss of the potential for a waterfront to Wentworth Park amenity, and the access and transport implications that come with the pressures that will be transferred to Bridge Road.
You can read that letter at https://www.glebesociety.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Fish-Market-The-Hon.-Rob-Stokes-MP.pdf.
The following day (17 October), Infrastructure NSW released two DA’s in relation to the redevelopment of the Market. The DA’s are:
Stage 1 – SSD 8924 – Concept Development Application and early works
https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/10011
Click on EIS(41) for the DA overview and the other listed appendixes for greater detail.
Stage 2 – SSD 8925 – Construction and operation of a new Fish Market
https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/10421
Click on EIS(41) for the DA overview and the other listed appendixes for greater detail.
Infrastructure NSW are holding Community Information Sessions. Full details of the locations and times were provided to members via the email update circulated on 20 October 2019. By the time you read this, 2 of the 4 sessions would have occurred. The following times and locations are still to occur and we encourage all members to attend and be informed.
Drop-in Session 1
Broadway Shopping Centre
Saturday, 9 November 2019
9:00am – midday
Drop-in Session 2
The Balmain Fun Run, King George Park, Manning St, Rozelle
Sunday 10 November 2019
9:00am – midday
BE INFORMED – HAVE YOUR SAY
Make your SUBMISSION before – Wednesday 13 NOVEMBER 2019
Customer patronage is expected to increase by 1.9 million pa to over 5 million pa, although spread across longer trading hours up to 10pm Sunday to Thursday, and midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Car park numbers are to remain at just over 400 spaces, being a conscious decision to force customers to use public transport.
However, will patrons seek to park in Glebe’s local residential streets, notwithstanding there are residential parking schemes (mostly 2 hours) in place. The documentation states that 75% of current patrons stay less than one hour, and if that is to continue, then it is to be expected that our residential streets will be pressured.
The documentation provides significant detail on the access and transport issues, and makes many projections as to the impacts on the road and public transport network post the redevelopment.
However ALL of the projections exclude any reference to the future use of the existing location. If as expected, the existing location is used for the construction of 2700 or more apartments, then the projected statistics for the transport networks will be totally wrong.
The DA relies on the proposed Sydney Metro West Station for the Bays Precinct, but does not confirm its location. It is understood it will be located near Rozelle, and if so it is quite a walk to the new location. There is speculation of a further station at Pyrmont but that has NOT been confirmed.
ALL vehicular access – cars, coaches, taxis and uber, emergency and service vehicles can only access the new Fish Market via the entry and exit location opposite the intersection of Bridge and Wentworth Park Roads. Traffic modeling undertaken for the DA suggests that all intersections other than Bridge and Wentworth Park Roads will experience variations of no more than 5% on current. Add to that modeling, the additional road network demands caused by the new apartment developments needed to house the reported population growth to 2050, then it is obvious that a short sighted approach is being taken at local expense.
The documentation states that unrestricted access is being provided to the foreshore, but ONLY via the building (as it is suggested the lifts and stairs will be accessible 24 hours), or via a widened footpath along Bridge Road. Foreshore access is only available via the promenade, however the working wharves, which are necessary, are not open to the public hence the restriction on total and complete foreshore access. Note the working wharves (up to 8) are proposed for the western end of the water frontage, closest to Glebe. We need understand the noise implications across 24 hours of operation.
The Management Committee has established a working group to look further into all the detail, including environmental, heritage etc in order to prepare the Society’s submission.
In the meantime the Society encourages its 415 members to read the DA’s, visit the information sessions, post your comments on our Facebook page and write your submission.
Remember a Glebe Society submission is one submission only. Collectively we could make it 416 submissions.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Brian Fuller, President
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