The following is the text of resolution agreed by the public meeting on 7 December.  The links below will take you to background papers prepared to inform discussion at the meeting.

The Future of Harold Park and the Heritage Tramsheds

Resolution endorsed at a Public Meeting
Forest Lodge Public School  
6 30pm   7 December  2010

This public meeting of the Annandale, Forest Lodge and Glebe community reaffirms its commitment to the Planning Principles developed and submitted to Council by the Glebe Society on 23rd April 2010.
 
We appreciate that several key Principles have been acted on in the current draft controls: the allocation of 35% of the site for consolidated public open space and the provision for land to be made available for 50 units of affordable housing. These are positive provisions in the public interest and the community will be active in ensuring that these are delivered on in the future development of the site.
 
However, other matters of great concern to the community have been ignored and this meeting requests Council to incorporate the following changes and additions into the final controls. We note this will, in some instances, involve further negotiations with the current owner of the site.
 
  1. DENSITY
This public meeting notes the original proposed density for Harold Park was 20% lower
than currently proposed (1.25:1) As the City acknowledges, the surrounding density is much lower (0.7:1.) The density should be reduced at least to that originally proposed (that is no greater than 1:1) to respect the character of the area.
 
  1. HEIGHT AND LAYOUT
This public meeting resolves that the residential portion of the site be redesigned to respect the character of the site, the surrounding area and the topography of the Johnstons Creek Valley.
 
This should include the reduction of the maximum height of the buildings to 5 storeys so the whole development sits below the escarpment. We note that, with intelligent design, this is compatible with the proposed density and allocation of public open space.
 
The public open space should be both consolidated and laid out so that there is no potential for it to be perceived and used as private space.
 
It should include an all purpose playing field in a well drained area.
 
Council should explore options for replacing the imposed internal street grid with a design more aligned with the topography of the site.
 
  1. COMMERCIAL/RETAIL ACTIVITIES 
The allocation of .2% of the floor space ( 21,266.6m2) to retail/commercial activities is excessive for this site given its location, access problems and existing local traffic and parking pressures. It should be reduced.
 
The maximum overall allocation for retail activities as a proportion of this space should be significantly reduced.
 
Include a specific control to limit the size and scale of individual commercial and retail activities so that they are small scale and in harmony with current activities in Annandale and Glebe business strips and do not exacerbate the traffic problems that will come with development of the site .
 
  1. COMMUNITY SPACE WITHIN THE TRAMSHEDS
The space to be allocated to Council control and community use in the restored, heritage Tramsheds be significantly increased from the proposed 500 m2 to at least 1000 m2. This is a reasonable share of the total floor space of 11 000 m2 to accommodate a range of cultural, health, recreational and educational community activities. It will also constitute part compensation for the loss of 1000 m2 in the amount of land originally proposed for public open space.
 
  1. HERITAGE AND INTERPRETATION
Council should require the developer to prepare a comprehensive interpretation plan. This plan will include Aboriginal history, naming, signage, memorials, art works, plaques and photographs, landscaping and plantings, observation vantage points, the Canal road and the restoration and adaptive reuse of heritage items including the trams.
 
  1. TRAFFIC IMPLICATIONS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The impact of increased traffic on the adjoining streets has been underestimated.
 
To increase access by public transport Council must incorporate a commitment to the extension of the light rail system to the CBD and additional buses and bus services as a prerequisite for this development.
 
For the safety of users, vehicular access to the tramshed should not cross existing or proposed parkland.
 
Vehicular access from Maxwell St should not be allowed.
 
Council must provide adequate and appropriately located onsite parking (including for bicycles) for residents and visitors to the site. Street parking permits should not be issued to residents of the site.  
 
  1. ACCESS TO LIGHT RAIL AND NORTHERN PARKLANDS
Council should act immediately to reinstate the public path between 'The Hill' and the Tramsheds (currently closed) and incorporate access points from the site to the light rail station using the public path.
 
  1. SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
Socially sustainable infrastructure requirements must be integrated as specific actions within the DCP.
 
These should include specific provision for housing for seniors in recognition of the unmet need in the area.
 
  1. BEST PRACTICE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Council must require the highest standard of environmentally sustainable development on this site including stormwater and waste management and alternative energy options such as trigeneration- consistent with its own policies.
 
  1. ADEQUATE FUNDING
Noting that significant concessions were made as part of the VPA between the Council and the current owner as to the Section 94 levies, Council must ensure that the provision for developer contributed funds is appropriate to the scale of the development and adequate for the creation of high quality public open space for passive and active recreational uses
 
Lesley Lynch
President
The Glebe Society Inc
15  December 2010