Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (20:22:53): I inform the House of the development occurring at 194-214 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, in my electorate of Coogee. The community is outraged over this development for many reasons, but one of the most significant is that it overlooks the Centennial Parklands. The overshadowing of the people's park will be devastating for the biodiversity and importance of this park as a community asset. The Centennial Parklands is listed on both the State Heritage Register and the National Heritage List. The National Heritage List describes the park as having "outstanding heritage significance". It was also the home of the Federation Pavilion, the place where the official inauguration of Australian Federation took place. Centennial Park, as a landmark of Australian history, is deserving of surroundings that promote and elevate its historical significance and natural beauty. Centennial Parklands needs an appropriate physical and visual curtilage, including its skyline.
It is important that new structures and landscape elements erected in the vicinity of the Centennial Parklands do not negatively impact on the historic precinct, nearby heritage streetscapes/areas, the setting of Centennial Parklands and views to and from Centennial Parklands.
Members will find that the last two sentences are quoted from the Centennial Parklands' Plan of Management, a plan that this development directly contravenes. It is jarring enough that this development will overshadow the history and heritage of the land, but it is the complete disregard for the community that makes the development so egregious. The fact that the decision was made through the process of spot rezoning, despite the rejection of the application by Waverley Council and the consistent advocacy against the development, is a slap in the face for the local community and their views. It is a slap in the face to Waverley Council and the residents who work to create the strategic document of its local environmental plan [LEP]—a document that should be respected.
At the Local Government NSW conference last week, when asked what tools local councils have to stop the rampant overdevelopment that is destroying our beautiful suburbs, even the Premier herself said that local councils need to use their LEPs as tools. If the Premier truly believes that, she should intervene in this case and allow the Waverley LEP to reign supreme. Through the process of spot rezoning, the planning Minister has refused to take the decision into his own hands and instead hot potatoed it to a panel of unelected officials. The Minister knows that it is a controversial development, which is why he does not have the guts to make the decision himself.
It is clear why the planning Minister has done so over and over again: He has stated his own opposition to spot rezoning. And why has he attempted to end spot rezoning? It is because he believes that "we need to make sure that planning is something that continues with the community." The Minister should put his money where his mouth is. He should intervene and stop this egregious development, because it will have a devastating impact on our park. I share the view of the Minister, which is exactly why this development should not proceed. I urge the Minister to refuse the planning proposal, given that it will create stark inconsistencies with height limits governing other sites around the perimeter of the parklands. In so doing, it creates significant precedent risk and thus weakens the framework that currently protects the Centennial Parklands.
I further urge the Minister to consider creating a State Environmental Planning Policy [SEPP] for Centennial Parklands, or another legally enforceable instrument conferring similar protections to those for the Western Sydney Parklands, Moore Park, Parramatta Park and the Carlton Gardens. A SEPP would ensure that the height of buildings surrounding our park—the people's park, Centennial Park—is limited to protect the park. Such a SEPP would be appropriate given the number of local government areas whose development controls govern development on the park's perimeter. In conclusion, I call on the Government and the planning Minister to reverse their decision and reject the development proposal for 194 Oxford Street for the sake of our community, and for the Centennial Parklands' historical significance and natural beauty.
