1
Submission to the Department of Planning
Sydenham to Bankstown Corridor
Good Planning is all about creating certainty
We seek a 6 month extension to the consultation period to address the
points made in this submission.
Direct Impact on my family in Hurlstone Park
It couldn’t have been better said than the following article by the Mayor of Botany in the SMH
12.11.15. Article inserted below:
2
Hurlstone Park, being a small suburb requires a different classification than the broad scale
depicted along the Bankstown Line. The rezoning area should be only 200m either side of the
railway so that the single dwelling and village nature is preserved and enhanced.
This style has been achieved with tremendous success in other suburbs in very close proximity to
railway stations. In Stanmore, not 100m from the station is a 68 apartment complex that is hidden
from the street and preserves the village shopping precinct, which has a huge choice of services.
The apartments are behind these three shops on a corner block. Street view, side street view and
rear view pictured below.
Good Planning is all about creating certainty
Figure 1 Side view behind shops Figure 2 Side view behind shops
These 68 apartments are less than 100 m to station entrance and they make no visual impact on
the nature of the shopping village.
Figure 3 Rear view
3
Contrast Stanmore with what is currently being built in Hurlstone Park where there is written
evidence that Canterbury Council did NOT inform any residents that a multi-story building was
being constructed. This building is to be 7 stories (not 3) with 68 apartments and amendments
were made. What a complete contrast to and a travesty on Hurlstone Park below when the same
can be achieved with beautiful liveable family style apartments in Stanmore.
Figure 4 Cnr Garnet St and New Canterbury Rd
Good Planning is all about creating certainty
The size and disproportionate scale of these blocks are out of keeping even with the current
streetscape and new developments across New Canterbury Road. Here many houses will be
completely overshadowed.
Figure 5 Construction on New Canterbury Rd showing disproportionate heights.
4
Nearby in Dulwich Hill hideous concrete windowless dwellings have and are currently being
constructed that either a family or couple are unlikely to want to live in as there are no windows,
even though it is located close to transport.
Figure 6/7 Windowless block in Dulwich Hill and street view.
Where is the amenity, services, outdoor space for those living or about to live in these apartments?
This type of construction does NOT develop or enhance community living nor grow a suburb.
Where are the windows? Are these residents to be subjected to high electricity prices because:
they have no choice but to turn on every light inside?
they must use air conditioning as there are no windows?
all their clothes must be dried in a clothes dryer?
Figure 8/9 Adjacent blocks in Dulwich Hill - no windows
Impact on the wider suburb
The inconsistencies in zonings are completely out of step with the nature and size of
Hurlstone Park and would cause significant disadvantage to residents. The scale of
Hurlstone Park is ONLY suited to single 1 and 2/3 storey dwellings and town house/villa
unit developments in areas directly away from the railway. Our suburb would be
5
decimated as it is the smallest along the Sydenham to Bankstown corridor and this is what
makes it so delightful.
The Department of Planning, has used an incorrect and reduced area for Hurlstone Park and
by carving out 25% has incorrectly included it in Canterbury town centre. Canterbury town
centre is the most poorly planned suburb in the Canterbury Council district and the wrongful
inclusion of 25% of Hurlstone Park has created a major error in the documentation. The risk
is a concrete jungle all through Hurlstone Park and along the railway as is happening in other
town centres, eg, Burwood, Wolli Creek and parts of Alexandria.
The introduction of different zonings at the edges and in the centre around the station
based on an incorrect delineation of Hurlstone Park has created disjointed zones across the
whole suburb. Planning documents have not been edited to ensure consistency and have
no regard to those properties that are heritage listed. This incorrect and disjointed approach
will destroy the vibrant local community. The suggested medium density zones surrounding
Hurlstone Park Station are not in keeping with the character of the surrounding streets.
The Planning Department needs to completely revisit these random zonings, given I assume,
by someone at a desk who has not visited this area. It is ESSENTIAL that the Planning
Department and the State Government put in place controls to STOP CANTERBURY COUNCIL
from bending to developer demands for massive and unsightly towers. Hurlstone Park is a
town house/villa unit development area only.
Keeping Hurlstone Park as a niche shopping/village area that is close to residences (5 min
walk) is the key to “village life” so desired by those living in apartments. If those residents
can get basic foodstuffs in that timeframe then an area will flourish and grow and be
desirable.
The alternatives for Hurlstone Park
The local amenities and open space in Hurlstone Park (and Canterbury) have no excess
capacity and it appears that no studies have been done to determine the additional demand
that will be put on existing facilities. Additionally, any increased population will generate
increased car usage and therefore traffic impacts on local roads, which are at capacity
already during peak periods.
At no time during any of the public meetings with the Department of Planning has there
been any documentation or verbal demonstration of the extra amenities required by this
massive proposed redevelopment.
When asked directly not one of the Planning personnel could detail any information on
where the families that live in these complexes will have green space to exercise.
6
Essential questions:
Does anyone in the Planning Department live in a high rise apartment with children?
Where do they go when they want to go to be outside to play games and recreate in
a safe environment?
Does any existing or proposed unit block have appropriate areas for BBQ’s?
Does any existing or proposed unit block have outdoor drying areas hidden from the
street?
When asked directly there is not one of the Planning personnel who could detail any
information on traffic studies undertaken. One person who did not appear to be quite on
top of the information made the statement that traffic would not be a problem as he had
statistics that showed that there was a drop off in young people getting drivers licences.
This is not the case with my kids and their friends, nor is it with anyone that I know. The
RTA got it massively wrong when they presented the traffic numbers for the Cross City
Tunnel and look what happened there.
So let’s put this in perspective:
The State Government wants 100,000 more people along the Bankstown line.
Let’s say that these are mostly couples or families with one child.
This could still equate to 30,000 or 40,000 more cars.
At present on a Saturday you cannot get to the shops due to Saturday morning sport
and general shopping trips.
You cannot drive comfortably during afternoon school home time with the current
number of vehicles on the road.
Kids will always be picked up from school in a car.
In each of these developments the ground floor is set aside for commercial business.
When many multi story units occur they decimate the current local shopping while
they are being built.
No thought has been given to which type of businesses are likely to open.
If these areas remain vacant for some time they usually end up being used as storage
with paper over the front windows or they become “lived in” against council
regulations or having two bit sweatshops – again making the front window look as if
it is lived in and not a business.
This has the effect of completely decimating a community as those businesses that
wish to rent or purchase space to operate cannot so the village cannot grow.
There has been no planning for proper creative shopping villages or green space to
accommodate walking.
There has been no planning for additional schools.
There has been no planning for additional health services or hospitals.
Lots of massive concrete unit blocks as seen in Wolli Creek do NOT make for an active caring
family suburb.
7
At this point we seek a 6 month extension to the consultation period.
What we, the residents of Hurlstone Park
want is Good Planning that is all about
creating certainty for us living here now and
in the future.
What is needed if this legislation goes through is certainty in the zoning. For example, for a
zone with a limit to 3 stories is set, that it CANNOT be altered by the State Government,
Council or a Developer. That is what it must be.
What is suitable for Hurlstone Park is:
A maximum visible building height of 3 stories with 4th storey setback in Hurlstone
Park within 200 m only from station.
Maximum height should be mandatory with no possible amendments available or
possible for developers or Council decision-making.
There must be iron clad restrictions placed on any rezoning so that developers
CANNOT seek amendments in height.
Mandatory architect designed dwellings that with bring families to Hurlstone Park as
it is a family suburb.
In strata developments there MUST be large balconies or area set aside where BBQ’s
can be had on site.
There MUST be windows for ventilation.
There should be minimal common walls for noise reduction.
Drying areas for laundry on rooftop hidden from street.
There MUST be green space for apartment owners ON their own property.
Additional park facilities should be created throughout the suburb.
8
What makes liveability?
Kathryn Burton
Crinan St
Hurlstone Park.
