City of Sydney planning strategy delay by Government is bad: Chris Johnson

City of Sydney planning strategy delay by Government is bad: Chris Johnson
Chris JohnsonDecember 7, 2020

EXPERT OBSERVER

The long delay of two and a half years by the NSW Government in processing the Central Sydney Planning Strategy does not send a good signal about the state’s planning system.

The City of Sydney Council, after waiting almost three years for the NSW Department of Planning to put the Central Sydney Planning Strategy on exhibition, is now organising its own exhibition. There is something wrong with our planning system ifthe key council for the Sydney CBD and the state government’s planning department are unable to agree on plans for the city since July 2016.

The City of Sydney plan included some positive elements in relation to taller buildings in the city, but the plan was negative in relation to encouraging a mixture of uses in the city that wouldi nclude residential towers.

The City Council as well as putting their plan on exhibition have also released a Draft Guideline for Site Specific Planning Proposals where sites can get additional height and floor space. The sites that get this uplift cannot contain residential or serviced apartment floor space and sites are encourage to be amalgamated. So only employment generating buildings can access the additional floor space. Clearly the City is trying to swing the pendulum away from residential development towards commercial development but most world cities are encouraging a mixture of uses so that they become active over 24 hours and 7 days a week.”

The Urban Taskforce supports a mixed-use approach to urban areas as many younger people are preferring an urban cosmopolitan life style where they live close to work. The same work / liveapproach should occur across all of Sydney’s urban areas and town centres. Major international cities are building mixed use precincts like Hudson Yards in New York and Battersea Power Station renewal in London. The success of projects like Barangaroo which mixes residential and commercial uses demonstrates that Sydney also wants this type of development.

The long delay of two and a half years by the NSW Government in processing the Central Sydney Planning Strategy does not send a good signal about the state’s planning system says the UrbanTaskforce.

The City of Sydney Council, after waiting almost three years for the NSW Department of Planning to put the Central Sydney Planning Strategy on exhibition, is now organising its own exhibition.” Says Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson “There is something wrong with our planning system if the key council for the Sydney CBD and the state government’s planning department are unable to agree on plans for the city since July 2016.

The City of Sydney plan included some positive elements in relation to taller buildings in the city, but the plan was negative in relation to encouraging a mixture of uses in the city that would include residential towers.

The City Council as well as putting their plan on exhibition have also released a Draft Guideline for Site Specific Planning Proposals where sites can get additional height and floor space. The sites that get this uplift cannot contain residential or serviced apartment floor space and sites are encourage to be amalgamated. So only employment generating buildings can access the additional floor space. Clearly the City is trying to swing the pendulum away from residential development towards commercial development but most world cities are encouraging a mixture of uses so that they become active over 24 hours and 7 days a week.

The Urban Taskforce supports a mixed-use approach to urban areas as many younger people are preferring an urban cosmopolitan life style where they live close to work. The same work / live approach should occur across all of Sydney’s urban areas and town centres. Major international cities are building mixed use precincts like Hudson Yards in New York and Battersea Power Station renewal in London. The success of projects like Barangaroo which mixes residential and commercial uses demonstrates that Sydney also wants this type of development.

CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO

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