HURSTVILLE councillors are appealing to people power in a campaign to save Peakhurst, Penshurst and Riverwood from high-rise development.
They want the community to get behind them to fight the state government's promise-breaking interference in local planning.
They say that because the Department of Planning has forced changes in Hurstville's local environmental plan (LEP) it is only a matter of time before developers change the character of Hurstville's suburbs.
Already council staff have been approached for information on the new planning codes, and development applications are sure to follow.
The campaign, instigated by Labor councillors Justin Mining, Dominic Sin and Michelle Stevens, has the unanimous support of the council.
"The failure of the state government to protect our community from overdevelopment represents not only a major win for developers but also a total betrayal of local residents and their families," Cr Mining said.
When the council developed its LEP it placed high-rise development around the Hurstville CBD while leaving surrounding suburbs to retain their low-density charm.
When the LEP was sent to the Department of Planning for consideration, the department made a number of draft zoning changes allowing medium- to high-rise developments in those suburbs, then sent it back to the council.
"Council unanimously rejected the suggested changes because they were so out of character with those areas, and sent it back to the department for finalisation," Cr Mining said.
"But at the end of last year, while everyone was busy preparing for Christmas, the state government gazetted the final LEP with all of its changes re-inserted against the wishes of council and local residents.
"We will now have developers being able to push ahead with high-rise in our low-density suburbs, despite the community's wish to restrict this to the Hurstville CBD."
The councillors will lobby to have the imposed changes overturned immediately and want the government to stick to its election promise of returning planning to councils.
The Department of Planning has defended its changes, saying the council's vision of limiting all growth within Hurstville CBD would exacerbate traffic congestion and did not provide new housing and employment across the whole council area.
GOING UP
The Department of Planning amendments to Hurstville LEP:
Riverwood centre:Heights up from 15m to 18m-28m.
Penshurst centre:There was no specified height limit but for Connolly Street car park height was controlled by the council’s floor space ratio. The height limit now ranges from 15m to 19m.
Peakhurst residential area:Up from low density to medium density: 9m to 12m.
The affected areas include Penshurst town centre including part of Connelly Street and Bridge Street as well as one property in Victoria Avenue; Riverwood town centre including Belmore Road and part of Littleton Street and Thurlow Street; and Peake Parade, Lawrence Street, Gover Street and Richard Avenue as well as part of Trafalgar Street, Pearce Avenue, Hugh Avenue, Jacques Avenue and Belmore Road in Peakhurst.
Should the community get behind the council to fight the changes to Hurstville's local environmental plan?
See related Letter to the Editor: http://www.theleader.com.au/story/1330210/hurstville-planning-raises-alarm-bells/?cs=2011