Houses in Leamington Ave Newtown were due for demolition to make way for a State Rail project.
This was stopped by a concerted campaign by residents and their supporters!
We can do the same!
We are calling on all residents of Glebe whether they are private owners or private tenants or public tenant to join us to save houses.
If they can ride over public tenants without regard for the community then they can do it anywhere and who will be next?
Join us to save the houses of Cowper St. Glebe.
THEY DID IT IN NEWTOWN. WE CAN DO IT IN GLEBE
The NSW Department of Housing is proposing the redevelopment of a housing estate in Glebe bounded by Wentworth Street, Bay Street, Cowper Street, and the rear of premises on Queen Street, on which are situated 129 flats occupied by Department of Housing.
Map of the site?
Why Are We Concerned?
The proposal threatens the uniqueness of the area’s largely intact medium density residential neighbourhood close to the CBD. Unlike other suburbs close to the CBD, containing mixed use areas with high density development, the Glebe Estate has been consistently used and occupied as low income residential housing for about 140 years.
According to the Department of Housing, the “robust but utilitarian” flats no longer meet the needs of its clients. The Department says that tenants are better served by smaller units(!?!).
Local, State and Federal Governments see the proposal as a convenient way to reach housing targets but where is their concern for the disadvantages to the local community?
Disadvantage:
- Public land in the hands of private developers
- Tenants thrown out of their homes: their social and support networks disrupted, their lives dislocated
- Demolition of well-built and useful housing
- Removal of well-established vegetation, including many mature trees
- Green light to very large development with attendant social problems
- Overshadowing of open space and surrounding houses by multi-storey (6-10 storeys high) development
- Four-fold increase in housing density – a blight on an area with a consistent and moderate housing density
- Traffic and parking problems: In an area already facing traffic congestion, the proposal to extend Elgar St to Bay St and to realign Phillip St will only help “rat runners” and will not improve traffic problems suffered by residents in the area
- Does not address the crisis of affordable housing the two Housing Ministers say it does.
The latest information
The Department of Housing is planning to have everyone moved out by December 2010. The plans are not going on display for another month and the project is proceeding at pace to prevent questions being asked like the ones from Hands off Glebe.
They will not release accurate information on where they are going to situate the buildings and how many people will be jammed into that confined space.
But as always they are making room for shops and private business at the expense of the housing commission tenants of Cowper St.
Hands Off Glebe! Contact the State Government
The proposed redevelopment is the brainchild of the State Labor Government. We all know that the ALP State Government is heading for a disastrous election in March 2011, if this development goes ahead you need to tell them that they will further alienate you and you will be looking to put your vote elsewhere.
Verity Firth’s office is at 112A Glebe Point Road. She invites people to drop in between 9am – 5pm. Her telephone number is 9660 7586, and her Email is balmain@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Frank Terenzini State Housing Minister can be contacted on 9228 3777.Email: frank@terenzini.minister.nsw.gov.au
Hands Off Glebe! The Sydney City Council
Sydney City Council is preparing planning instruments to allow the proposal to go ahead. Tell the Mayor and Councillors what you think this proposal will do to the area and the community:
Clover Moore (Mayor) 9265 9229
Email: cmoore@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
Chris Harris (Greens) 0407 469 384 chris@chrisharris.org.au
If you’d like to help make sure that private developers keep their HANDS OFF GLEBE, please email: handsoffglebe@gmail.com