SHORT LETTER:
To Whom it May Concern,
I strongly object to the Planning Proposal to Rezone 105 Wellington Street, Bondi, from Private Recreation (RE2) to Medium Density Residential (R3) and allow a three story residential development on this site.
The replacement of vital and scarce recreational space (private or public) with a residential development in Australia’s ninth most densely populated suburb is poor strategic planning.
The rezoning and proposed development will adversely impact on street parking and traffic congestion surrounding the subject site.
This is a not state significant issue but is of great significance to the local community. Therefore, in keeping with a letter from Brad Hazzard, the previous Minister for Planning to Waverley Council that “The rezoning of the subject site is of local planning significance and therefore should remain under the jurisdiction of the local planning authority” (15/7/11) this matter should be determined by Waverley Council.
Kind regards
LONG LETTER:
Submission for the Planning Proposal to Rezone 105 Wellington Street, Bondi from Private Recreation (RE2) to Medium Density Residential (R3): 2014
To Who it May Concern.
I strongly and unequivocally oppose the Planning Proposal to Rezone 105 Wellington Street, Bondi, from Private Recreation (RE2) to Medium Density Residential (R3); or to amend the Waverley Local Environment Plan to make apartments a permitted use on the site. My objection is based upon the following:
1. The replacement of recreational space (private or public) with residential development in Australia’s ninth most densely populated suburb is poor strategic planning.
a) Rezoning of this finite resource in Bondi, even considering the Applicant’s Voluntary Planning Agreement, will result in a net loss of ~4000m2 of Waverley’s Recreational space network.
b) The Waverley Local Government Area (LGA) will easily reach its housing targets as set out in the Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 without rezoning the subject site.
c) The maintenance of Recreational Space is consistent with this Plan and the Draft Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney, and is partially in line with Section 117, Ministerial Direction 7.1.
2. The rezoning of this site is a local planning issue that should be determined by Waverley Council.
This is in keeping with: (i) the Liberal Party’s election promise “to return planning powers to the local community (and)…to give communities a say again in the shape of their neighbourhood” and, (ii) the previous Minister for Planning’s letter to Waverley Council stating his decision to withdraw the proposal from the PAC as “The rezoning of the subject site is of local planning significance and therefore should remain under the jurisdiction of the local planning authority” (15/7/11).
3. The rezoning and proposed development will adversely impact on street parking and traffic congestion surrounding the subject site.
a) Due to the configuration of one-way and single lane roads, this location cannot support any intensification of traffic and parking.
b) On-street parking is currently at capacity at night as there is limited off street parking.
c) The impact on evening parking has been negligible since the closure of the tennis courts.
d) The positive claims the proponent made in the planning proposal were based on RMS empirical guidelines for new recreational developments and therefore not relevant.
4. The means by which this Proposal has advanced to this stage is by way of the controversial Pre-gateway Review. This Review is fundamentally flawed as it is biased towards developers over Councils and communities. The Department of Planning has itself acknowledged this, as this Review is now itself the subject of a review.
We therefore respectfully request that Waverley Council, in keeping with their prior actions, once again make a recommendation to reject this Planning Proposal to rezone or amend the current zoning, in its entirety as it no strategic merit, and serves only to benefit the proponent whilst being detrimental to the public interest.
Kind regards
Feel free to personalise your messages with the reasons you don’t want to see this happen and thanks for your support.
Rescue Bondi 