June 2024

NSW is facing a crisis in affordable housing. Increased densification of existing suburbs is promoted as a major part of the solution, though there are many other problems to be overcome to solve the crisis.

We have a prominent test case right now with a development application (DA) for the Salvation Army Training College site in Bexley North near Stotts Reserve, sitting on the ridge between the Wolli and Bardwell valleys. The DA proposal represents overdevelopment at its worst. On the plan below, the building envelopes are shaded in dark grey, filling almost each entire site. It is the antithesis of what the Premier has called for, swallowing up an important green space that helps link two important green corridors.

As WCPS, we are concerned to ensure that green spaces in our existing suburbs are not adversely impacted by any drive to increase density. We have the Premier’s commitment that “we can’t just build houses [in these suburbs] we’ve got to build world-class beautiful parks” and for that “we need to preserve and protect as much green space as we possibly can” and “that means preserving every bit of green space the we can possibly get our hands on.”

Increased population actually means a need for increased green spaces for relaxation and recreation, not only for the retention of existing ones.

WCPS has lodged a lengthy objection to the DA. It joined 66 other individual submissions (as at May 31), overwhelmingly critical of the development. WCPS has put forward an alternative, shown in the banner map at top, which allows for some densification (in three areas outlined in white in Plan 2), but preserves the green space (outlined in yellow). We have also put the submission on Planning Alerts and sent it to local Councillors and MPs and to the Leader newspaper.

You can see the WCPS submission and all the others at https://eplanning.bayside.nsw.gov.au/ePlanning/Pages/XC.Track/SearchApplication.aspx?id=444229, where the DA documents are also available.