A message from the President of the Glebe Society

Dear Glebe Society Members and Community Residents
 
My email on Sunday outlined the steps underway for the rezoning of Harold Park. The process is now moving very fast.
 
A number of Glebe Society members and residents attended the City of Sydney Planning Committee meeting last night to make our views known. (Click here to read my speaking notes). We got a good reaction from councillors. But the matter does not end with the Council.
 
The Council will now take its proposals, slightly amended following the Planning Committee meeting, to the crucial Central Sydney Planning Committee on Thursday evening. 
 
This is an absolutely critical meeting in which we must demonstrate strong support for our community position.
 
The Glebe Society will have members of its management committee there to speak – but we now need a much more formidable show of support.
 
We urge you to make a special effort to email your views to the members of the CSPC tomorrow and, if you possibly can, come to the meeting at 6pm on Thursday evening.  If you want to speak to the CSPC you must register before noon on Thursday  – telephone  9265 9190. 
 
 
The Context
The community has a strong and united position- See the Glebe Society community resolution and principles for HP on our website.
 
The Pacing Club, not surprisingly, is seeking greater density, higher buildings and less public open space – and for that public space to be purchased by the Council.
 
The Council’s rezoning proposals are an attempt to balance these competing interests. In line with our proposals they have included some very good requirements:  35% of the site for continuous public open space including a sports field and a public garden, 500 sq metres of the Tramsheds for community use and land to be made available for 50 units of affordable housing. To offset this the Council has proposed a 20% increase in density (from 1000 to 1200 residential units) and allowed more multi story buildings including 8 stories around the perimeters.
 
At this stage the Pacing Club will not agree to even this compromise.
 
We need to do as much as we can to persuade the Pacing Club that the community is determined to protect its interests in this development process. The forum is the CSPC meeting on Wednesday.
 
If the Pacing Club does not accept the Council’s and the CSPC final position then the Council cannot proceed with the rezoning. It will then revert to Minister Kelly as a Part 3 process. This is an outcome we would like to avoid!!!!
 
The Glebe Society website has relevant documents and links on Harold Park.
 
Hoping to see you and your friends on Thursday evening at 6pm in the Town Hall Council Chambers.
 
Lesley
 
(Lesley Lynch)
President
The Glebe Society
0416497508