The Sydney City Council is under fire for trying to push through multi-million dollar development applications that local residents say are breaking the council’s own regulations and will bring chaos to the area.
One application, titled DA2008/102, at a former commercial site in Roseberry, has already got over 400 signatures on a petition opposing it, over 100 of them signed in the last two days.
The developers for the new site propose multiple buildings, one of which will be a tower 13 storeys high—an equivalent of 42 metres.
The Council’s own area master plan specifies a height restriction of just 24 metres for that area, however.
The development, proposed by Overland Consolidated Pty, is estimated to cost almost $233 million. It will bring 544 new residential units and an estimated 745 cars to a street that is already housing a 900-unit Meriton complex. On top of that, the site is proposed to contain numerous commercial and retail complexes.
The local community believes the Overland project will create a serious traffic problem at peak times in the mornings.
“Even now, in the morning, it can take up to half an hour to get out onto Epsom road from our complex. The traffic is horrendous. Now add an extra 544 people to one little street... it will be a nightmare,” says Eugene Glushankov, who lives at the Meriton housing complex that lies adjacent to the proposed development site.
But residents say their concerns are falling on deaf ears.
“There was virtually no consultation sought and this time we were given just four days notice before the final Council decision is to be made. This gives zero time for us to respond,” says Mr Glushankov.
“The council does not care one bit for the community and what we have to say. They are simply pushing these million-dollar development applications and ignoring serious concerns that we raised,” he continued.
The Council is meeting on Thursday to consider the Overland proposals, which residents say is the final chance to make any changes.
The residents say that the original development application was lodged in 2008, but was postponed after the Roseberry Action Group, together with residents, submitted multiple objections to the application.
One application, titled DA2008/102, at a former commercial site in Roseberry, has already got over 400 signatures on a petition opposing it, over 100 of them signed in the last two days.
The developers for the new site propose multiple buildings, one of which will be a tower 13 storeys high—an equivalent of 42 metres.
The Council’s own area master plan specifies a height restriction of just 24 metres for that area, however.
The development, proposed by Overland Consolidated Pty, is estimated to cost almost $233 million. It will bring 544 new residential units and an estimated 745 cars to a street that is already housing a 900-unit Meriton complex. On top of that, the site is proposed to contain numerous commercial and retail complexes.
The local community believes the Overland project will create a serious traffic problem at peak times in the mornings.
“Even now, in the morning, it can take up to half an hour to get out onto Epsom road from our complex. The traffic is horrendous. Now add an extra 544 people to one little street... it will be a nightmare,” says Eugene Glushankov, who lives at the Meriton housing complex that lies adjacent to the proposed development site.
But residents say their concerns are falling on deaf ears.
“There was virtually no consultation sought and this time we were given just four days notice before the final Council decision is to be made. This gives zero time for us to respond,” says Mr Glushankov.
“The council does not care one bit for the community and what we have to say. They are simply pushing these million-dollar development applications and ignoring serious concerns that we raised,” he continued.
The Council is meeting on Thursday to consider the Overland proposals, which residents say is the final chance to make any changes.
The residents say that the original development application was lodged in 2008, but was postponed after the Roseberry Action Group, together with residents, submitted multiple objections to the application.
