Leichhardt Local Area Command DA
In December 2010 the NSW Police Service, via UGL Services, submitted an application for the development of 29 Derbyshire Road Leichhardt as a Police Local Area Command.
Work proposed included alterations and fit out of the existing tram cable-store building, construction of a new three-storey building, and new off-street and altered on-street parking on Derbyshire Road.
Development Application
All publicly available documentation relating to the proposal can be viewed via the DA tracking link on Council’s website. Please go to: http://203.111.164.213/DATrackingUI
The DA reference number is D/2010/663.
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Determination of the Development Application
The NSW Police requested that the Minister for Planning determine the application as part of the Part 3A Planning process.
However the Minister, Brad Hazzard MP, delegated the decision to the Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP), Sydney East Region.
The Panel held a number of public meetings at which Council and local residents voiced their opinions on the proposed development.
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History / Timeline
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22 December 2010
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Council/JRPP receives Development Application for 29 Derbyshire Road
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13 January – 14 February 2011
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Development Application exhibited for public comment
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24 January 2011
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Council advised applicant of concerns with proposal – primarily carparking, heritage and engineering matters
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7 February 2011
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Public information meeting held by Council for community
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19 April 2011
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Applicant referred the Crown Development Application to the Minister for Planning
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02 June 2011
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Council provides submission recommending refusal:
http://jrpp.nsw.gov.au/DevelopmentRegister/tabid/62/ctl/view/mid/424/JRPP_ID/533/language/en-AU/Default.aspx
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07 June 2011
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Minister delegates determination to the JRPP
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15 June 2011
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JRPP Public Briefing Meeting
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21 June 2011
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Applicants met with community representatives
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22 June 2011
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Applicants met with Council staff
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14 July 2011
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JRPP Holds determination meeting. Resolves in favour of the Development Application if additional conditions were met.
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11 August 2011
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Police request extension of time to address conditions
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22 August 2011
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JRPP grants extension of time to 12 September 2011
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13 September 2011
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Police request extension of time to address conditions until 12 October 2011
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15 September 2011
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JRPP grants extension of time to 29 September 2011
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29 September 2011
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Applicant withdraws DA
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Leichhardt Council’s position
Leichhardt Council recommended refusal of the Development Application, citing concerns with regards to the proposal resulting in significant additional carparking demand imposed on surrounding streets, traffic conflicts along surrounding street networks, unacceptable mass and bulk abutting and concealing important heritage fabric of the heritage item and amenity implications, especially acoustic issues.
Parking
The proposal provided only 22 car parking spaces, catering to senior staff and operational vehicles.
There was no provision for general staff parking.
On street parking in the immediate vicinity is already at capacity, and there is little scope to accommodate more demand.
The applicant agreed to amend the layout of parking on the site to accommodate extra spaces.
The applicant also proposed an arrangement with the STA bus depot adjoining the site, to allow police staff to use existing STA staff parking.
However, the Applicant had not managed to satisfy the complete requirement for additional spaces before withdrawing the DA.
Traffic
There is the high possibility of conflict between buses and police vehicles in the surrounding streets.
Police vehicles were are also likely to experience traffic congestion in Norton Street and Balmain Road in peak times.
There are also potential safety issues, with the Sydney Secondary College, Pioneers Memorial Park and the Norton Street retail precinct so close by.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch confirmed at the Public Meeting of 14 July that first response drivers may need to exceed speed limits.
The Applicant provided further traffic assessment as requested by Council.
Heritage
The application does not satisfy Council’s heritage requirements, with excessive scale for the northern section of the proposed works to the building known as the Cable Store.
The Development Application threatened to effectively overwhelm and isolate remaining buildings of the former Tram Depot and have an unacceptable visual impact, particularly for views from the heritage listed Pioneers Memorial Park.
The Applicant proposed a modest change to the design to address heritage concerns.
Amenity
Council is particularly concerned that the proposal has not adequately addressed mitigation of amenity implications for the well-being of surrounding residents.
The proposal is likely to have significant noise impacts, such as police sirens.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch stated at the public meeting of 14 July that sirens were an operational issue, and that while police would do their best to respect the amenity of the residents, he couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t be used.
Additional Concerns
Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch could not provide any guarantees about the maximum number of staff and visitors, or long term plans to increase staffing levels at the LAC.
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Council Reports
Council’s submission to the Joint Regional Planning Panel can be found at:
Additional Council Reports can be found at:
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Joint Regional Planning Panel
The Joint Regional Planning Panel is an independent body set up by the Minister for Planning.
The Panels stand in the place of local councils in the determination of all commercial, residential, mixed use, retail and tourism developments valued between $10 million and $100 million, 'ecotourism' projects and public and community infrastructure projects valued over $5 million, certain outstanding development still being considered under Part 3A, designated development and development over $5 million where the council is the proponent or has a conflict of interest.
Leichhardt Council has consistently called for the abolishment of the JRPP and the return of planning powers to councils and their communities – see: http://www.leichhardt.nsw.gov.au/SPContent.aspx?PageID=127&ItemID=188&count=1
Details on the determinations by the JRPP with regards to the Leichhardt Local Area Command can be found at: http://jrpp.nsw.gov.au/DevelopmentRegister/tabid/62/ctl/view/mid/424/JRPP_ID/533/language/en-AU/Default.aspx, including:
- letter on behalf of applicant referring matter to Minister;
- Ministerial letter to Panel Chair delegating powers and functions to the Panel;
- Leichhardt Council’s submission to the JRPP;
- minutes from Public Meetings;
- NSW Police request for extensions of time; and
- letter withdrawing the DA;
The Joint Regional Planning Panel resolved at its meeting of
14 July 2011
to approve the Police Local Area Command development application for
Derbyshire Road
if the police made some amendments to parking and heritage.
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Conditions of Approval
The Panel resolved by a majority of 4:1 that it would approve the application if the applicant:
a) Provides 30 additional as yet non-existing parking spaces available at all times within 400m of the site. These 30 spaces are in addition to the 19 already provided on site as well as to the first response vehicles.
The applicant was unable to comply with this condition before withdrawing the Development Application
b) Reduces the width of the 19 on-site care spaces along the Derbyshire Road frontage to the Australian standard, which will result in the number of spaces becoming 25;
The applicant was unable to comply with this condition before withdrawing the Development Application
c) Dedicates a 1.5m strip of land along Derbyshire Road frontage to facilitate the widening of the road; and
The applicant agreed to meet this condition
d) Removes the awnings in front of the western elevation of the heritage item.
The applicant agreed to meet this condition
Further information on the determination can be found at: http://jrpp.nsw.gov.au/DevelopmentRegister/tabid/62/ctl/view/mid/424/JRPP_ID/533/language/en-AU/Default.aspx
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Withdrawal of the Development Application
On Thursday 29 September 2011 Council was informed that the NSW Police Capital Works Program Manager had contacted the Chair of the Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) to notify that:
The applicant wishes to formally withdraw development application D/2010/663, which sought approval for a new Police Station at 29 Derbyshire Road, Leichhardt.
The full letter can be found at the JRPP site at: http://jrpp.nsw.gov.au/DevelopmentRegister/tabid/62/ctl/view/mid/424/JRPP_ID/533/language/en-AU/Default.aspx
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Media Releases
Media Releases issued in relation to this DA can be found at:
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The Future
Although the applicant has withdrawn the Development Application a new DA could subsequently be lodged.
In the event that a new application is lodged Council will extensively notify the proposal to surrounding residents and relevant third parties.
All Council’s current information is listed here and in the online DA tracking (link back up to DA tracking).
Council does not have any definitive information from the applicant as to what is intended to happen to other police stations located in the inner west, such as Balmain and Glebe, in the event that a new DA is lodged and is successful.
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