Overview
In
the 1960s, like the rest of the inner-Sydney Victorian ring, Glebe was
viewed as a slum, ripe for demolition. Today it is a sought after residential
suburb, with a range of accommodation from renovated terraces from the
1880-1890s to ultra-modern (and expensive) harbourside townhouses and apartments. The story of this transformation
is not only a story of changing tastes and lifestyles, but also the story
of a determined group of residents who saw the potential beauty and amenity
of their suburb and fought to preserve it from the bulldozers.
The development and application of appropriate planning
controls was fundamental to the successes achieved by the founders of
The Glebe Society, and continues to be one the most important aspects
of the Society's work.
Click
here to read an account by the society's current planning convenor,
Neil Macindoe, of how past battles were fought and (mainly) won, and of
the challenges that remain.
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The
Sydney City Council in late 2005 began writing a new city plan,
and Glebe is one of the first areas to be considered. An important
part of this process is an urban design study that examines how
the built environment works for the local community to create our
living environment.
On
November 23, the City Council ran a workshop at Glebe Town Hall
designed to elicit input from residents. Opening the workshop, the
Lord Mayor, Cr Clover Moore, said:
"These
workshops are your opportunity to tell us about the built form of
your area and discuss what you think works and what doesn't. We
will be focusing on the local level, on issues such as life style
and type of development, density and heights. Your input will help
guide our planners to make recommendations on core planning controls
like Floor Space Ratio and height.
"This
is also just one part of the City Plan process. We will be undertaking
separate studies and community consultation on heritage to ensure
strong and effective heritage controls to maintain the distinctive
heritage of the Glebe area."
Click
here to read Planning Convenor Neil Macindoe's report on progress
with aspects of the new city plan in his Bulletin column
(April, 2006)
Click
here to access the City Council's website that explains the
process that will lead to the development of the new city plan.
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The restored Walter Burley Griffin incinerator in the new foreshore
park
at the foot of Forsyth Street, Glebe.
Picture:
Adrienne Kabos, WBG Society
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Current
developments
The Planning Convenor, Neil Macindoe,
regularly reports on developments in the society's Bulletin.
Click
here to read his most recent report.
The Abbey
Click here
to read the resolutions passed at two public meetings held to discuss a
development proposal for The Abbey site in Bridge Road.
Tramsheds
Click here to read
the resolution passed at a public meeting to discuss a development plan
for the Tramsheds site near Harold Park.
Click here
to read an article appeared in the Sydney Morning
Herald on April 5, 2005.
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The
future of the historic tramsheds adjacent to Harold Park Paceway
is uncertain.
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Development Applications
The Society monitors development applications being considered by the
Sydney City Council, and other development activities, and lodges objections
to developments that it considers are not in the best interests of the
area.
Development applications are usually available
for public comment for two weeks. Members should send their comments direct
to the Council, or e-mail comments to the Planning
Convenor.
It should be remembered that
commenting on DAs forms only a small part of the Planning matters affecting
our suburb. Glebe's status as a
Conservation
Area and our heritage issues are of paramount importance to The Glebe
Society Inc
Ensuring
that Glebe is conserved and recognised as a heritage area was one of the
key issues identified by the Society for action as part of our strategic
planning process.
Priorities were the removal of eyesores, the restoration/ conservation
of heritage buildings and structures of interest and improving the visual
integrity of the streetscape.
The
Society continues to be ever vigilant about the sensitive and pragmatic
approaches to the conservation of heritage sites in our community and
thus maintains an active role as a 'watchdog' on all DAs affecting Glebe.
This is a very important and on-going commitment.
