Today marks a major milestone in the delivery of Sydney Metro, with planning approval given to the Chatswood to Sydenham section of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project, which is Stage 2 of Sydney Metro – Australia’s biggest public transport project.

The Chatswood to Sydenham section of the project includes the construction and operation of the new metro rail line from Chatswood, under Sydney Harbour and through Sydney’s CBD to Sydenham.

Planning approval for this section of the project includes:

• Delivering 16.5km of new metro rail between Chatswood and Sydenham, including 15.5km of new twin railway tunnels under Sydney Harbour and the Sydney CBD
• Seven new metro railway stations at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross (North Sydney), Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street, Central (new underground platforms), and Waterloo.

Construction on the Chatswood to Sydenham section of the project will start this year with the first of five tunnel boring machines in the ground by the end of 2018.

Last year Sydney Metro undertook six weeks of public consultation on the Environmental Impact Statement for Chatswood to Sydenham. More than 300 submissions were received during this period, with feedback received helping refine the delivery of Sydney Metro City & Southwest.

Key changes made as result of feedback includes planning approval to use barges on Sydney Harbour at both the temporary retrieval site at Blues Point and the Barangaroo Station site, reducing impacts on roads and traffic.

A future underground pedestrian link from Martin Place Station to O’Connell Street will be safeguarded, further improving pedestrian access, and any rock-breaking work that uses heavy construction equipment will only take place during standard construction hours, with the exception of Central Station. This change will significantly reduce potential noise impacts on the community.

The planning process for the conversion and upgrade between Sydenham and Bankstown to metro standards will start this year.

For more information about what is happening in your area please contact the dedicated Place Manager on 1800 171 386.

Kind regards,

Sydney Metro team

Sydney Metro City & Southwest
Transport for NSW

T: 1800 171 386

E: sydneymetro@transport.nsw.gov.au

W: sydneymetro.info

The long awaited draft District Plan North by the Greater Sydney Commission has been released. Unfortunately, it is long on rhetoric but short on detail.The Northern District is one of six districts covering Sydney. So an area the size of Chatswood west Ward slides into insignificance in the wider scheme of things. This is further exacerbated now that the Greater Sydney Commission has grouped the Northern and Central Districts into one of three ‘cities’ within Sydney – Sydney East.

Whilst there is interesting predictions on population growth and jobs, where additional people are to be housed is not shown, although there are suggestions that infill housing in our district will be important. There are ambitious targets for affordable and social housing, but again no details as to how these will be funded. When it comes to jobs, it seems more of the same, with jobs expected to be created within the existing CBDs. However, there is no proof that the Commission can better the Joint Regional Planning Panels and Planning Assessment Commission who have violated Willoughby’s Local Environmental Plan and converted cast amounts of commercial land (particularity in the Chatswood CBD) to residential.

Looking at supporting maps, there does not seem to be any significant open space initiatives in what might become the Council of the Lower North Shore.

Hi to all,

I have just received from Council official notification of the second  Development Application for 688-690 Pacific Highway, which they are forwarding to the Joint Regional Planning Panel.

Note the it is not being considered by Council but by the JRPP.

Any person can seek to make a submission to appear before the JRPP.

I am hoping others of you will seek to do this apart from myself.

I note the following:

The application is available for inspection until the above closing date.  If you would like to make a comment on the proposal, it must be made in writing and must be received at Council by the closing date.  If you do wish to comment on the proposal an information sheet is attached to assist you.

The application will be reported to the JRPP for determination.  This meeting is open to the public and you are able to appear before the Panel to state your case for or against the development.

I will be visiting Council this week to look at the actual application as the details are not available online.

I will write again after seeing the plans and seek to summarise these.

As others have noted, it is common practice for developers to gain an achievable development approval in order to onsell land to another developer, who then increase height claiming their purchase would otherwise be unviable.

56 units in 6 storeys must mean it is extensive.

This application is thankfully not 13-15 storeys any more, however current buildings on this site are 2 storeys and would seem to be about as tall as any of us would wish a new building to be on this site.

A development such as this:

• exceeds the current LEP (Council regulations (LEP 2012) sets a maximum height of 18 meters, around 4 storeys, for this area). To date Council has prevented the encroachment of Chatswood’s CBD high-rise to the west of the Pacific Highway)
• blocks use by the Department of Education unless they were to purchase now
• presents extensive and intractable traffic issues
• continues the lack of transparency regarding the involvement of previous officers of the Council (General Manager and Planning Officer) as employees of the developer Aqualand.

…and more

sincerely,

Issue: Residents driveways being illegally blocked by other vehicles

With the growing infill development and corresponding increased population, and a lack of adequate parking around shopping centres in the Willoughby Community and a lack of respect for others, residents across the Willoughby LGA are reporting issues of being parked in to their houses by cars and trucks blocking their driveways.

In some cases parents have been late or unable to pick up their young children, which has placed them in danger, many residents have been inconvenienced and unable to leave their properties to go to their own planned events, one resident reported being parked in for the whole Easter holiday, and another reported that the bus driver of a bus for the local Ex-Serviceman’s club parked his car across their driveway to go off to drive the bus, and they just caught him as he was driving off.

Residents have few rights and limited courses of action when this occurs:

• Currently residents would have to pay for a car to be towed and would be liable for any damage caused in the process of doing so.
• Police and rangers can fine the offending drivers if they are there in time and have the inclination to do so.

On the flip side of this, another resident reported being fined for parking across his own driveway when there were no other spots available.

This issue is widespread and likely to increase as the local urban infill development continues to increase. It needs a co-ordinated action by Council and legislative changes from the State Government to address this issue.

On a recent local social media forum similar issues have been reported for residents living in Chatswood, Willoughby (near High St Shops), Naremburn, and Northbridge.

 Recommendations

1. Request that Willoughby Council:

• develops a fact sheet in consultation with Chatswood Police and local Progress Associations providing residents with information about their rights and available courses of action if they are parked in. This should be distributed to local residents, particularly those living in close proximity to retail and transport hubs, and also be available on Council’s website.
• Monitors where the problem areas are and have regular ranger patrols at the times identified as when the main problems occur.
• Facilitates a web and app based reporting system where residents who have been parked in can send photos, to enable rangers to rapid response where possible, and to enable ongoing monitoring of the issues in particular areas.
• Advocates to the State Government to have the law changed so that Councils and the police can arrange for any offending vehicles to be towed away, including those reported by residents sending photos, and that to recover the vehicles, the driver must pay a fine and the towing fee.
• Enables residents in areas where there are ongoing issues to request white lines be painted on the road outside their residences to mark driveways.

2. Request that the State Government changes legislation such that :

• that those who are affected by being parked in are able to report to Councils or the police via sending photos via the internet or a specialist app, and that Councils and Police will have the power to immediately act on reports in this manner, rather than being required to undertake a site visit first (with protections against false and/or vexatious reports);that police and council officers can organise immediately they are notified for vehicles that are illegally parked across a resident or business driveway to be towed,
• that towing is at the registered vehicle owner’s cost,
• that any such vehicle is impounded until fines and towing cost are paid; and
• the driver is automatically fined; and
• providing an exemption to enable residents to park across their own driveways.

If you are having trouble with noisy neighbours, here is Willoughby Council’s process for lodging a complaint:

Saturday death notices in the SMH recorded the peaceful death of Ian Hellstrom at Lourdes, Killara on 13/10/2016. A private family service was to be held.

CWWPA could describe Ian as an outstanding volunteer in Boy Scouts administration ( for which he received numerous awards), the Chatswood Red Cross Branch,   Chatswood Probus Club, CWWPA, and the Dougherty Centre. In all these groups, Ian performed key work over many years as secretary or treasurer.

Ian lived for many years in an apartment on Victor Street before moving to the Dougherty Apartments.

Ian was awarded Willoughby Citizen of the  Year for his numerous community activities.

Please feel free to add your recollections of Ian in the comments box below.

Would you like to know the location of mobile phone towers near you?

Follow this link to see where the towers are (use your postcode to search).

Two consultant economic studies, commissioned by Council to inform ongoing strategic planning in Willoughby City Council, were finalised this year.

They are:

 The Willoughby Economic Development Study prepared by SGS Economics and Planning, which provides economic analysis and recommendations for strategic, retail and industrial centres across the LGA. Councillors were briefed on the draft SGS report on 16 May 2016 when hard copies of the report were made available; and

 Chatswood CBD Competitive and Comparative Analysis by AEC Group which confirms Council’s policy of resisting residential proposals in the Commercial Core area as an important element in the future success of the CBD. Both reports are already proving useful not only in strategic planning work but also in District Planning discussions with the Greater Sydney Commission and the assessment of planning proposals for sites in commercial and industrial areas across WCC.

Willoughby Economic Development Study (SGS Economics and Planning) May 2016

SGS Key Findings

 This report examined the commercial, retail and industrial precincts across the whole LGA and made recommendations for future planning directions.

 A summary of the Key Findings of the Study as identified by SGS is as follows:

Chatswood fulfils its function as a strategic centre having both a commercial and retail role.

• Chatswood has forecast future demand for an additional 191,000sqm of employment space by 2041.
• In addition to Chatswood, mixed use development including retail and other employment floor space needs to be facilitated in smaller centres.
• St Leonards requires coordinated planning with the State Government and neighbouring Councils.
• Artarmon industrial area is highly successful and needs to be protected for employment.
• East Chatswood industrial area has capacity for growth but needs careful planning as it evolves.
• Demand and capacity analysis highlights a need to review controls in the village and small village centres of Northbridge, Artarmon, Castlecrag, Victoria Ave/ Penshurst St, Penshurst St/Mowbray Rd.

SGS Recommendations

 SGS have made the following recommendations:

Chatswood

• Protect commercial core and maintain employment potential.
• Enhance amenity and activation in fringe, lesser performing retail precincts.
• Reduce pressure by facilitating mixed use elsewhere and constraining traffic growth.

 St Leonards

• Resolve the future role of St Leonards with Lane Cove and North Sydney Councils and the Department of Planning and Environment.

 Smaller Commercial Centres.

• Provide new opportunities for retail and employment floor space in the smaller retail centres
• Provide for additional food, grocery and supermarket floor space to meet existing and future demand
• Undertake further analysis

 Artarmon Industrial Precinct

• Protect existing and investigate potential to increase employment capacity.

 East Chatswood

• Protect existing employment capacity. Consider and plan for future evolution associated with a possible supermarket development.

Chatswood CBD Competitive and Comparative Analysis (AEC Group) May 2016

 AEC undertook a high level analysis of Chatswood CBD, examining its competitive offer as an employment centre compared to its main competitors, to help plan for future growth.

 AEC Key Findings

• Chatswood CBD is very competitive as a commercial office market given its small size. Vacancy rates in the Chatswood CBD have improved from 20% in 2010 to around 7.7% in December 2015 despite competition from North Sydney, St Leonards and Macquarie Park.
• Although the recent increase in residential development in the Chatswood CBD has improved the liveability and vibrancy of the centre, the destination of Chatswood as a major employment centre needs to be carefully maintained and supported.
• New supply of office developments has been inhibited because the economic rents required to justify new commercial development are too high compared to the current rents being achieved.
• With the exception of Sydney CBD, no comparable retail precinct has a provision of retail floor space greater than Chatswood (approximately 200,000sqm). The study identifies the demand for a full-line supermarket such as Woolworths and additional mini-majors in the Chatswood retail precinct.

Main AEC Recommendations

• Residential uses should continue to be excluded from the B3 Commercial Core Zone.

• Distinct Role and Function of Chatswood

Chatswood fulfils the role of offering affordable space with a range of tenant sizes in a high amenity environment close to excellent public transport.  Maintaining a corporate image and preserving opportunities to allow investment in office development when the time is ripe and market conditions are conducive is important.

 Critical mass

Given the small commercial core of Chatswood, AEC emphasises the importance of “holding the line” to maintain the critical mass required for office precincts to remain competitive. This strategy will provide an incentive at the appropriate time in the future for refurbishment and upgrade of existing space.

• Commercial Floor Space within Mixed-use Buildings

While demand for retail and commercial floor space has strengthened commensurate with growth of residential uses in Chatswood, retail and commercial suites within a mixed use development that is dominated by residential uses need careful planning and design, as well as astute market positioning to be sustainable.

Incentives for Smaller Commercial Tenancies

There is a need to provide for small tenancies in Chatswood to cater for a range of businesses.  As building owners often prefer to deal with large tenancies, there needs to be incentives offered to provide flexible design in buildings from the outset.

 Increase in Market Profile of Chatswood

Chatswood as a commercial destination should be promoted by Council in conjunction with building owners.  Renewal and upgrades of strategic sites and public spaces will increase the overall appeal of Chatswood thereby stimulating rent increases and further redevelopment of the Commercial Core.

The reports have been placed on Council’s website for public information at. http://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Development/planning-rules/strategic-land-use-planning/