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Strathfield
Local Government Report
Issue 12 -
June/July 2000
C O N T E N T
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1. Mobile assault on Strathfield: Ho 2. Endangered frog ponds approved amid qualms over full site plans 3. More high rise planned locally as Standards site goes on expo 4. ORTA refusal to reverse station closure condemned: councillor 5. Cooks River area environmental project progressing, says Ho 6. New access standards for polling booths welcomed 7. Strathfield seeks SEPP 5 exemption 1. MOBILE ASSAULT ON STRATHFIELD: HO "STRATHFIELD is under attack from a barrage of proposals for mobile phone towers, with plans for no less than three separate locations lodged in recent weeks," Strathfield Councillor Andrew Ho has said. "Less than three months after the controversial One Tel tower at Concord raised residents’ ire, and with the Majors Bay Road site still under 24-hour surveillance by angry locals, the people of Strathfield have now also been hit hard in what can only be described as a mobile assault on our municipality," Cr Ho said. "I am advised that Strathfield Council’s planning, building and environmental services department has received plans for a new mobile phone station at 30-34 Churchill Avenue, Strathfield, while a microwave antenna has been proposed for 1 The Crescent at Homebush," he said. "However, the most concerning development application is for a massive, high impact tower at 29 Richmond Road, Homebush West, which involves the installation of a 25 metre monopole and associated equipment shelter. "With local residents living just metres away from the site, there is no telling what harm this monster tower will have on their health and wellbeing or how the levels of radiation emitted from the equipment will affect their young children. "Clearly, this is the most unsuitable location you could ever think of to install this sort of telecommunications equipment, with local schools, playgroups and churches also in close proximity, and I will be calling for these plans to be rejected, when the matter is debated at Strathfield Council in the near future," Cr Ho said. In a letter of objection to Strathfield Council, backed by a 68 signature petition, Eastbourne Road resident Slobodan Zivkovic wrote, "Aside from the various concerns about health and the obvious aesthetic aspects involved, we feel that the current environmental situation in our suburb is already well above tolerance levels. "We are forced to ask whether the council has taken into account the findings of various study groups into the effects of radiation associated with this type of antenna," Mr Zivkovic said. "Another concern for us is that the value of our house may be decreased due to another unsightly and unhealthy construction being placed into our area," he said. 2. ENDANGERED FROG PONDS APPROVED AMID QUALMS OVER FULL DITE PLANS STRATHFIELD Council has given the go ahead for the construction of three frog ponds on the site of the former Enfield brick pit at Greenacre amid speculation about the developer’s long term plans for the site. The council last month voted to approve the proposal by Hannas Civil Engineering for the installation of artificial ponds along with associated earth works, activities and fencing on the Juno Parade site, which is also the home of the endangered green and gold bell frog. "In giving the green light to this particular proposal for the frog ponds, I want to give the amber light to the developer here and now, and to say that no shenanigans will be tolerated in terms of its long term ambitions for the entirety of the site," Strathfield Councillor Andrew Ho said. "I warn Hannas that they must come clean to both the local community and the council as to its aspirations for this land, which it purchased off Sydney Water last May for $5.5 million, which is not the usual sort of thing for your run of the mill amphibian enthusiast," he said. "I must say it is rather interesting that this proposal should come before two separate development applications for the site, which include the filling in of the frogs’ natural habitat, and yet Hannas are saying that they don’t know what they want to do with the full site. "It’s not every day that your neighbourhood civil engineering company forks out $6 million for a block of land and then goes out and spends even more to protect the endangered species that live there. There’s usually a little more to it, and it usually involves future development. But far be it for me to speculate. "Let me just say that we will be closely monitoring proposals for this land to ensure that the endangered green and gold bell frogs – which are genetically distinct from their cousins at Homebush Bay – receive every possible skerrick of protection under the current environmental legislation," Cr Ho said. In his submission to Strathfield Council, Cooks River Coalition (CRC) spokesperson Gary Blaschke said, "The CRC is pleased to see people creating frog ponds or habitats in and around this region, although in this case we question the merits and the reasoning for this and future DAs [development applications] for the site and feel that the site must be looked at in total and not allowed to become a legal tactic for the development of this designated development land. "It is becoming increasingly known to local environmentalists, the scientific community and all involved with the protection of this and other species of endangered fauna and flora in urban Sydney that this particular colony [of green and gold bell frogs] may well be one of only a few that will exist in the future," he said. "The National Parks and Wildlife Service consider that the Enfield metapopulation of the green and gold bell frog is one of three key populations in Sydney that takes in the subject land as well as sites in the immediate vicinity at Coxs Creek Reserve and rail land at Enfield. "Issues of a threatening virus and mutations in breeding as well as the threat to the species habitat at Homebush Bay brick pit (now the Olympic site) by the introduction of a waste water scheme into the pit, the approval of industrial development next to Coxs Creek Reserve by Bankstown Council on 23 November 1999 and the potential threat of further development of the Enfield Marshalling Yards has emphasised the importance of this pit as a breeding habitat," Mr Blaschke said. 3. MORE HIGH RISE PLANNED LOCALLY AS STANDARDS SITE GOES ON EXPO "STRATHFIELD faces the prospect of being swamped by even more high rise, as plans for three more new residential towers went on public exhibition last month," Strathfield Councillor Andrew Ho has warned. "With virtually every vacant site facing the railway line already set to be lined with skyscrapers, this plan’s approval will cement the fact that our area will be surrounded by a great wall of concrete," Cr Ho said. "But unlike China’s Great Wall that kept out the Mongol hordes, or Hadrian’s Wall that safeguarded against barbarian invaders, the only thing this wall will be keeping out is sunlight and the quiet enjoyment of residents to appreciate the beauty of our local area," he said. Cr Ho confirmed that a development application had been lodged with Strathfield Council by Standards Australia to construct 123 residential units on its site at 1-5 The Crescent at Strathfield in a mixed residential flat development. In plans submitted to the council, the units will be contained within three separate buildings ranging in height from three to ten levels of living areas, located generally above a three level carpark and garage. The full application and plans can be viewed at the council’s planning, building and environmental services department between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm, Mondays to Fridays. "I strongly urge local residents to stand up and be counted by forwarding their submissions to council," Cr Ho said. 4. ORTA REFUSAL TO REVERSE STATION CLOSURE CONDEMNED: COUNCILLOR STRATHFIELD Councillor Andrew Ho has condemned a refusal by the Olympic Roads and Transport Authority (ORTA) to overturn its planned closure of Homebush railway station during September’s Olympic Games. Cr Ho was commenting on advice from ORTA to Strathfield Council last month, which effectively ruled out any possibility of keeping the second closest station to the Homebush Bay Games site open for the 17-day period of the Olympics. The council had been lobbying ORTA to keep Homebush station open since its announcement last December that the station would be closed to commuters for the duration of the Olympic Games with trains replaced by buses. "ORTA stands condemned for this diabolical decision to treat the people of Homebush with the utmost of contempt, which is yet another blow in the series of controversies dogging the management of the Sydney Games," Cr Ho said. "Homebush residents and shopkeepers have made a special effort to beautify their local shopping strip in the lead up to the Olympics," he said. "Now it turns out that these good spirited and visitor friendly locals will get a slap in the face, instead of a pat on the back, from an uncaring administration charged with the custodianship of Olympic transport. "Will ORTA compensate these local family businesses for their loss of trade during the Games because their main source of customers will be rerouted ? "And, does anyone really expect people to catch buses from their local station ? Absolutely not. They will get in their cars, drive and add to the already burgeoning motor vehicle traffic during the Games. "I am reliably informed that the real reason behind the closure of Homebush station is that ORTA believe Olympic visitors will confuse Homebush station with the Homebush Bay station called Olympic Park. "So instead of ORTA making the extra effort to inform commuters of how to get to the Games, they are saying that Homebush locals should be punished instead," Cr Ho said. In a letter to Strathfield Council, ORTA chief executive Ron Christie wrote, "The Games will create the biggest demand for passenger transport ever experienced in Australia. "No city in the world could accommodate the levels of travel associated with the Games without changes to daily transport arrangements," Mr Christie said. "While ORTA seeks to minimise the community impacts of Olympic transport, some impacts will be unavoidable. Impacts will differ between areas depending on local factors," he said. "A major area in which changes will be required is the operation of the CityRail network. "It is estimated the number of passenger trips on the network will increase from about 12 million over a normal 17-day period to 32 million over the core 17 days of the Games. "This level of travel can only be accommodated by changing the way the network operates. "The replacement of trains with buses at Homebush Station is not an isolated move, but an integral part of the operating framework for the CityRail network. "I appreciate [Strathfield] Council’s concerns, but the change is necessary to meet the huge challenge facing Sydney’s rail system. "While I am unable to support reversing the decision, I stress that the initiative will not leave the local community without transport services. "A frequent bus service will provide a connection with trains at Strathfield Station. "Homebush Station will remain staffed and travellers will continue to buy tickets as normal," Mr Christie said. 5. COOKS RIVER AREA ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT PROGRESSING, SAYS HO A JOINT environmental education and monitoring project on the Cooks River, run by thirteen southern Sydney councils, is proceeding to plan, Strathfield Councillor Andrew Ho has said. Strathfield Council last month considered a progress report on the Cooks River Environmental Assessment and Education Project, which is funded from a $1.3 million Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Stormwater Trust Grant and administered by the coalition of thirteen councils in the Cooks River catchment area. They include Ashfield, Auburn, Bankstown, Botany, Burwood, Canterbury, Hurstville, Kogarah, Marrickville, Randwick, Rockdale, South Sydney and Strathfield councils. "The project, which is designed to improve the quality and quantity of stormwater runoff and enhance the river’s water quality and health, intends to apply a consistent environmental assessment and education process across the entire catchment, in the hope of targeting 2000 business premises by June 30th," Cr Ho said. "It stemmed from the findings of the 1999 Cooks River Stormwater Management Plan, which identified several priority actions to improve the river’s health, and hopes to ensure a coordinated environmental assessment approach across the entire catchment area," he said. "The three major elements of the project include a communications strategy with a logo incorporating the tag line ‘bringing the Cooks River back to life’, a generic assessment and audit of industrial properties along the Cooks River, and water quality monitoring. "Preliminary findings have determined that the Cooks River has improved considerably over the past five years or so. There is also a general agreement that more work is needed and justified. However, as the river’s condition improves, it is possible a sense of complacency may develop," Cr Ho said. In his report to Strathfield Council, senior environmental health officer Sam Cappelli, who is also a member of the project’s steering committee, said, "The three major elements of the project are proceeding to plan although the target of 2000 businesses to be assessed before 30 June 2000 may need to be revised. A figure of 1500 seems more likely. "This reduction will not affect work in Strathfield Council as it is anticipated that all of the non-scheduled industrial premises in the Strathfield local government area will be assessed, as programmed," Mr Cappelli said. "On-going commitment to the process of compliance inspections within the Strathfield local government area has been incorporated into the council’s three year Environmental Action Plan 1998-2001. This will enable appropriate resourcing decisions to be made," he said. 6. NEW ACCESS STANDARDS FOR POLLING BOOTHS WELCOMED STRATHFIELD Councillor Andrew Ho has welcomed the landmark announcement of new national standards for polling booths to improve access for people with disabilities, in the lead up to local government elections in Burwood and Strathfield on Saturday, July 15th. Councillor Ho was commenting in the light of last month’s announcement by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission that the Electoral Council of Australia had agreed to review access and set benchmarks for polling booths across the nation. "With one million people in New South Wales alone, or one person in every five, suffering some form of disability, it is heartening to see that mobility access issues are now finally being addressed at the heart of our democracy, which is of course the ballot box at your local polling booth," he said. "While these new standards cannot be implemented in time for our upcoming local council elections in July, accessible polling booths will be located at Strathfield Town Hall, Homebush Public School, Strathfield South Public School, Francis Avenue church hall and Ismay Avenue girl guides hall," Cr Ho said. The Deputy Disability Commissioner, Mr Graeme Innes, said the recent Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission inquiry into polling booth access for people with disabilities was sparked by a complaint from Newcastle woman Jackie Matters following the 1999 Newcastle local government elections. Ms Matters alleged her mother, who then walked with the aid of crutches, and her father, who is partially deaf and blind, found it extremely difficult to get access to the local polling booth. After trying two booths, they waited in their car for an electoral commission officer to bring voting slips to them. Mr Innes said voting from a car outside a polling booth was "inappropriate and undignified’’ and postal voting was an unsatisfactory long-term solution for people with disabilities. "Postal voters do not have the opportunity to take into account the final day or two in the run-up to the election and do not get the literature that is handed out on the way to the polling booth," Mr Innes said. "It takes away the opportunity for them to attend a polling booth the same as every other Australian," he said. Mr Innes welcomed the Electoral Council’s decision. "I hope the audit will achieve better access for all people with disabilities,’’ he said. "Better facilities will also help older people and parents with prams.’’ He also urged Australian electoral commissions to look at innovative steps taken in other countries, such as Canada, to assist people with disabilities on election day. "In Canada, access to government buildings is guaranteed,’’ Mr Innes said. "More than 1600 ramps have been built across the country over the past decade, many of them permanent. "Canada also presents voting information in alternative forms, such as large print and Braille, or captioned videotapes for people with hearing difficulties," Mr Innes said. Meanwhile, Strathfield Council last month voted to endorse the location of nine polling booths across the local government area for its elections on Saturday, July 15th. These include the Strathfield Town Hall, Homebush Public School, Strathfield South Public School, Homebush West Public School, Francis Avenue church hall, Marion Street church hall, Ismay Avenue girls guides hall, and two portable offices at Madeline Street, Belfield, and Drew Street at Greenacre. 7. STRATHFIELD SEEKS SEPP 5 EXEMPTION STRATHFIELD Council has sought an exemption from State Environmental Planning Policy 5 (SEPP 5) as part of its submission to the NSW State Government’s review of the policy currently underway. The Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning, Dr Andrew Refshauge, last April released a discussion paper as part of his department’s review of SEPP 5, relating to housing for older people and people with a disability, which has become the subject of widespread abuse by developers across Sydney. "Today, one in every four Strathfield residents is aged 55 and over, and there are a number of nursing houses serving older persons in the municipality. However, because of Strathfield’s higher land values, there are only two SEPP 5 developments, which is a reflection on their economic viability," Strathfield Councillor Andrew Ho said. In the council’s submission to the review, strategic planner Mark Pepping wrote, "Earlier this year, [Strathfield] Council implemented a local housing strategy which identified the potential for higher densities in the form of dual occupancy and multi-unit housing in residential zones. "Council, through implementing design criteria to improve accessibility, sought opportunities for family units to accommodate a range of residents, including the aged and disabled, in self contained accommodation," Mr Pepping wrote. Dwelling unit and building design requirements as set out on page 14 of DCP 3 [Development Control Plan 3] – Guidelines for the Siting, Design and Erection of Multi-Unit Housing Developments, establish design requirements which are aimed at ensuring housing is accessible for older people and people with mobility disabilities. Requirements for design include: 50 per cent of townhouses must have at least one bedroom and bathroom facilities on the ground floor; ground floor flats require unimpeded access; and a requirement for unimpeded access to common areas. "On the basis of these measures instituted by Strathfield Council as part of our local housing strategy initiatives, it is only fair and just that the NSW Government exempt Strathfield from SEPP 5 on the basis that our planning controls reflect the will of the people on local housing developments," Cr Ho said. Meanwhile, the NSW Special Minister of State, John Della Bosca, rejected calls by Cr Ho in April for a moratorium on SEPP 5 developments during the review process by the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. Dear
Friends,
Thank
you for taking this opportunity to read up on the current affairs facing
the
Residents of Strathfield Municipality and the People of Inner
Western Sydney.
Please do not
hesitate to contact me directly on 9703 5521 or 0414 572
496,
by facsimile 9703
5520, or via email at this address, if I can ever be
of
any assistance to
you or your family, friends and neighbours.
Regards,
Andrew.
Councillor Andrew Ho
Municipality of Strathfield Telephone: 02 9703 5521 or 02 9742 1343 Facsimile: 02 9703 5520 Mobile: 0414 572 496 Voice Mail: 0416 555 592 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: www.andrewho.net (Coming Soon) Address: P.O. Box 134A, Strathfield South 2136, New South Wales, Australia |
