LETTER: 14 September 2009 -Philip Thalis, Paul Berkemeier and
Jane Irwin were the authors of the competition winning scheme for
Barangaroo, a unique waterfront redevelopment site adjoining the Sydney
CBD.Following is an edited version of a letter the group sent to the NSW
Department of Planning to protest against new proposals that have
recently been made for the site by the NSW Government –
We write regarding information that has been posted on the
Department’s website in respect of the proposed Modifications to the
Barangaroo Concept Plan, with specific reference to the Headland Park.
1.0 Public Exhibition of revised material
We note that parties who made submissions to the Department of
Planning regarding the exhibited application, have not been advised that
this revised material is available. Buried within the fine print of
these reports are elements that significantly alter the nature of the
application. It appears that there is no further public process for
review and commentary on this material.
The status of the revised documents is entirely unclear. The
relationship to previously exhibited plans is also unclear. No future
processes regarding approval pathways, implementation, heritage and
rchaeological approvals have been set out.
This is an entirely unsatisfactory process for consultation on a project of such critical public importance.
2.0 Revised material
The proponent has submitted eight new documents in response to a number of government and community submissions.
This revised content does little to nothing to address the serious deficiencies in the plan, identified in these submissions.
The new and revised reports suggest that the proponent is at best
unwilling and at worst incapable of completing even the most basic
concept design process for the proposed Headland Park and instead, is
seeking a “blank cheque” approval, with detail and resolution of the
plan’s deficiencies to be provided in a manner and timeframe that is
entirely at the proponent’s choosing.
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