Mirvac accuses Greens MP of 'misinformation' over Harold Park campaign
Mirvac, the developer of the inner-Sydney Harold Park project, has taken the unusual step of commenting on the campaign of opposition to the proposed development.
It has accused the local Balmain Greens MP Jamie Parker of fuelling opposition by “misinformation”.
Mirvac’s response came ahead of this weekend’s public meeting that FLAG Harold Park has asked Parker to chair as part of the campaign “to stop the overdevelopment” of what was previously the Harold Park paceway.
The City of Sydney’s Central Sydney Planning Committee will shortly decide on the first of the development applications for the development. Parker has suggested there are significant community concerns about bulk, scale and density, the lack of affordable housing, and 700 additional vehicle movements per hour in peak periods that would affect surrounding suburbs including Glebe, Forest Lodge and Annandale.
Mirvac had submitted applications for Harold Park that were compliant with the site-specific planning controls and reflected the City of Sydney’s vision for the inner city, says Mirvac development chief John Carfi.
“Despite being provided facts, Mr Parker has continually communicated inaccurate information to the public about items relating to the proposed development.
“This has caused unnecessary community concern and undermines the detailed and thorough rezoning process completed by the City of Sydney,” Carfi says.
“This debate is being fuelled by misinformation.
“The impacts of extra residents in this location were modelled, and considered by the City of Sydney in formulating the site specific planning controls which were subsequently approved by Central Sydney Planning Committee and Council, then legislated by the NSW state government.
“In relation to traffic, Mirvac took the extra precaution of commissioning further traffic studies by specialist transport engineers before submitting its development applications.
“The RTA was also involved at every stage of the process.
Carfi says “Mr Parker’s demands for further studies were an attempt to delay the project and pressure consent authorities into reducing the size of the development which has already been set as part of the rezoning legislation.”
He says as one of the last remaining substantial inner-city sites suitable for residential development, Harold Park represents a very important role in the vision envisaged by the planning authorities.
“Sydney is a growing city with an urgent need for additional housing. In fact so urgent, that the state government is taking steps to fast track the rezoning of more land on the outer fringe of Sydney.
“But at the same time there is an equal need for housing in the inner-city, close to jobs and importantly public transport. Harold Park is in the enviable position of being close to the Jubilee Light Rail station, a range of bus services and cycle-ways.
“Not only that, it is an easy 2.5-kilometre walk to the Sydney CBD”.
“If Sydney is to be a liveable city, sustainable residential development is needed in the inner-city where people are not reliant on private cars. Harold Park meets that need,” Carfi says.
He says there will be a dedication of 38,000 square metres of land, more than 35% of the site area, to the City of Sydney for public open space. There will also be an $8.5 million payment to the City of Sydney to embellish the public open space.
