Save Our
Sydney Suburbs (NSW) Inc.
News
Release May 2005
70,000 new high-density dwellings along Parramatta Road
Hi SOS Members
The following letter was published in the wide-circulation Sunday Telegraph
yesterday (29th May):
Craig Knowles is to rip
away planning control from eight councils in order to impose 70,000 new high-density
dwellings along Parramatta Rd. Together with Sydney sustainability commissioner
Peter Newman he tells us that high density will increase public transport use.
No proof has been provided that this will work. In spite of all the development
around railway stations during the last decade, figures show that the public
transport share of journeys has decreased by 12 per cent during that period.
What can be guaranteed is more donations by developers.
Tony Recsei
President Save Our Suburbs
And now these letters have
been submitted to the Sydney Morning Herald today (30th May).
Anyone seriously concerned about Sydney’s current
state would be demanding the immediate implementation of evidence based planning.
In spite of all the development around railway stations during the last decade,
the public transport share of journeys has decreased by 12 per cent. More of
the same is not the answer. As long as political donations and personal barrow
pushing dictate Sydney’s planning, the disarray can only deepen.
Tony Recsei
Your page 1 photo today illustrates perfectly how the Carr Government and its symbiotic relationship with the property development industry is wrecking a city once known for the amenity it provided its residents and visitors.
Hardly a tree, lawn or backyard in sight. Heaps of garages and parked cars. No pools. No eaves but lots of air conditioners. No park to be seen for local children with no backyards to play in.
No wonder we're living day by day with more pollution, more traffic congestion. Weekly announcements or re-announcements of fanciful projects aren't fixing it. Like putting a new pipe at the bottom of Warragamba dam - Carr and Sartor claim it will deliver ANNUAL water savings.
I've already tried it in my garden on a small scale, by boring a hole in the bottom of a bucket. Sadly, it delivered just one centimetre of water from the bucket, on one occasion. Not a daily dose - I found I had to keep topping the bucket up to get a regular delivery from the hole!
What we need is real infrastructure planning, and projects that don't rely on something like perpetual motion. Activity, not spin.
G Lewis
We need more letters folks, and calls to talk-back radio. Please keep them rolling in.
Tony Recsei
President, Save Our Suburbs