Save Our
Sydney Suburbs (NSW) Inc.
News
Release October 2005
Publications
Save Our Suburbs continues
to make its way into the public consciousness.
1. In a publication by:
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia
entitled
Sustainable Cities
House of Representatives
Standing Committee on Environment and Heritage
August 2005 Canberra
we are quoted on page 47:
PLANNING AND SETTLEMENT PATTERNS
4.30 The committee is aware that there is some strong opposition in many
communities to higher density housing options in cities. Save Our Suburbs NSW
Inc, for example, refutes what it cites as the rationale for a shift to higher
density housing, arguing that:
There is no developed high-density city in the world which does not experience
extreme traffic congestion (even with highly developed public transport systems)...
As typically only 40% of a city is comprised of residential areas the area saved
by higher population densities (unless these are truly heroic) is negligible...(footnote
reference)
The footnote reads: Save Our Suburbs NSW Inc, Submission 23, pp. 2-3. The
submission comments on increased traffic congestion, which increases atmospheric
pollution and mentions the high correlation between population density and concentration
of exhaust pollutants. Further, it argues that multiunit housing costs 1 1/2
to 2 more than a single residential housing and that higher density retrofitting
does not save long-term infrastructure expenditure, because 'the existing infrastructure
is then overloaded, necessitating expensive inefficient piecemeal upgrades'.
2. As we briefly mentioned in our newsletter, the Summer edition of the Inflight
Magazine issued to Virgin Atlantic's upper class passengers (no ads in
this one!) features an entertaining article on Sydney's
Harbour - please click on the link to view.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
Please remember our annual general meeting:
Time: 2.00 pm on Saturday 22 October
Place: Sydney Mechanics School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney.
We have two guest speakers. Peter R Jensen, until recently a senior commissioner
with the Land and Environment Court will speak on "Decentralisation"
and Mal Hiley of Waterway Constructions Pty Ltd will speak on planning and development
around Sydney Harbour in the context of the working harbour.
Tony Recsei
President, Save Our Suburbs