Extract of email sent 12 October 2015
Ryde Council has received a DA for a 7-storey development to replace the building on the corner of Victoria Rd and Jordan St (you may think of it as the “Consulere” building as it was once named, or for NRMA being in there, or the State member’s office). The plans (links are at the bottom of this section) specify the height and the FSR at levels that are compliant with Ryde Council’s Local Environmental Plan.
Of great concern is the change in use from being commercial to being mainly residential, with 100 units above a smaller amount of commercial space. With all of the developments going on in Gladesville, with the Local Environmental Plans of both Ryde and Hunters Hill Councils concentrating a large increase in building heights along the Victoria Rd corridor in Gladesville, we are right to be concerned about the cumulative impact on parking and traffic management. Without access to/from Victoria Rd or Jordan St, this DA seeks to direct all vehicular access along Gerard Lane, a small lane for the levels of vehicular movements that should be expected at peak times in a 100 unit complex.
We have seen no integrated report about managing the foreseeable cumulative impact as developer’s build to the maxima allowed under both Councils’ planning instruments, but rather each DA states that its impact in isolation will not be significant. Cumulative impact is what matters.
The change in use of this building would exacerbate the peak traffic flows and parking demand of residences, of which there are so many others being built or planned to come to Gladesville. Having a mix of residential and commercial floor space protects Gladesville from being a ghost-town during the day; but saturating parking and locking up streets with all vehicles moving out of the multi-story developments in the morning and coming back in the evening. The removal of commercial space would adversely impact day-time demand for local businesses. Being 100 units, the developer is entitled to apply to the Foreign Investment Review Board for approval to sell 100% of these units to foreign buyers.
This DA will be assessed by the state government’s Joint Regional Planning Panel made up of 3 state government appointees and 2 local council representatives. It can also receive a recommendation from Council, after Council’s review of the plans.
We encourage you to make a submission to Ryde Council urging them not to support this Development Application, because of its impact on: parking, traffic, the local economy, and doing little for housing affordability with potentially 100% of units going to foreign buyers, and anything else that matters to you – if you feel that way about it. We also recommend joining Nabo and following out Ros T’s posts, such as https://www.nabo.com.au/post/5613b28cd7eb61284e8b4581 - which is a useful website for local communities to share information and promote common interest.
Submissions are due by 21st October 2015 (after an extension granted by Ryde Council, for which we are grateful), and can be sent to cityofryde@ryde.nsw.gov.au. If you would like to copy the Councillors, their email addresses are: dpendleton@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; rmaggio@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; bpickering@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; sarkis@yedelian.com ; salvestro-martin@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; cchung@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; artine@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; gsimon@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; jli@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; JStott@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; tperram@ryde.nsw.gov.au ; mayor@ryde.nsw.gov.au
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