Alterations to planning controls at Macquarie Park have placed the NSW Government and Ryde Council on a collision course, with the local government pushing back on plans for an additional 3,000 new build-to-rent dwellings and taller buildings in the north-west Sydney suburb.
Ryde Council had hoped for the land proposed for rezoning to be preserved for commercial use, arguing that over 20,000 dwellings are already in the pipeline. Population is expected to skyrocket to 100,000, with future residents to be supported by a mixed-use precinct that is in close proximity to the Metro, a shopping centre and Macquarie University (pictured).
Council’s concerns are mainly to do with transport infrastructure, with Herring, Waterloo and Delhi Roads all to be affected by additional residents. Even with a number of recommendations regarding improvements to roads being made, a Transport for NSW study indicates that traffic delays will increase by 25 percent of current levels to 128 seconds per kilometre by 2041.
“While it is important that the State Government investigates ways to solve the short-term housing crisis, it shouldn’t take its eyes off the equally important commercial sector,” says Ryde Council Mayor Sarkis Yedelian.
“The City of Ryde is already providing and approving enough housing in the Macquarie Park Innovation District that is way above our State mandated quotas – we have 23 state-significant sites alone in Macquarie Park that are with State Government planning that will supply at least 20,000 apartments. We’re talking about at least 50,000 extra people calling Macquarie Park home.”
“It should be noted that once commercial space is gone, it’s gone for good.”
The completion of the Western Sydney Metro between Tallawong and St Marys is one potential solution to traffic woes, with many employees based at Macquarie Park living in the likes of Blacktown and Penrith. Seven new stations would be created along the line, linking the north-west to the future Western Parklands City.
“What this State Government has to do is make sure the continuation of the Metro connects people between the Western Sydney Airport and the rest of Sydney,” says City of Ryde CEO Wayne Rylands.
“They also need to do more to protect Macquarie Park’s employment lands to ensure it continues to be one of Australia’s key economic powerhouses and remains as our country’s preeminent Innovation District.
“This ill-thought-out build-to-rent scheme is nothing more than a short-term solution that suits the development industry. This is going to do nothing but create a long-term jobs crisis for our state because there will be nowhere left to work.”
