The Sydenham to Bankstown urban renewal corridor plans will cause levels of character change and heritage destruction at a level not seen in Sydney for decades.
The plans targeted the redevelopment of 11 precincts along the Bankstown line, of which ten precincts are predominantly residential in nature. This differs from recent planning practice in Sydney where industrial areas have been targeted for redevelopment.
Sreets containing freestanding bungalows or semi-detached housing are in the main targeted for wholesale redevelopment – with buildings of new heights anywhere from four to 25-storeys.
An analysis of the plans show that at least 3,800 houses in existing lower density zones are under threat of being demolished.
To put this into perspective, this is the equivalent of demolishing every detached house across three Sydney suburbs – Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park and Croydon Park.
Concerningly, the plans appear weighted to a greater destruction of single dwelling housing in the eastern end of the corridor – in suburbs such as Belmore, Canterbury, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville. This is of significant concern, as these are also the suburbs with the greatest level of intact historic housing along the corridor.
The level and scale of development proposed is random, arbitrary and brutal in its approach, resulting in suburbs will be left with little of the charm, heritage and character which attracted residents to the area in the first place.
Interfaces between areas to be developed, and those that will remain untouched, are unnecessarily jarring. Four-storey and sometimes eight-storey unit blocks will overlook single storey homes.
By targeting existing residential areas, the plans will split and divide communities.
Submissions show that residents in many areas are unwilling to sell, no matter what the price. Given there is no State policy to help orderly planning around holdouts, these residents face living with potential privacy and overshadowing amenity impacts.
Find out how the plans will impact:
Houses under threat in Marrickville
House under threat in Dulwich Hill
Houses under threat in Belmore
Houses under threat in Hurlstone Park