NOTICE OF Council
MEETING
PUBLIC SUPPLEMENTARY
AGENDA - B
An Ordinary Meeting of City of Parramatta Council will
be held in PHIVE 2 Civic Place, Parramatta Council Chambers, 5 Parramatta
Square, Parramatta on Monday, 14 November 2022 at 6:30pm.
Bryan Hynes
ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
8 Minutes of the Lord Mayor
8.1 Parramatta
Light Rail Stage 2 Environmental Impact Statement..... 3
8.2 NSW
Local Hero Australian of the Year Award................................. 29
8.3 City
of Parramatta Council v. Cumberland City Council Cricket Match 31
9 Public
Forum
9.1 PUBLIC
FORUM 1: Item 13.1 Post-exhibition - Planning Proposal, draft Development
Control Plan and draft Planning Agreement for 195 Church Street, 65-79
Macquarie Street, 38 and 45 Hunter Street, Parramatta (St John's Anglican Church)........................................................................ 33
9.2 PUBLIC
FORUM 2: Item 13.1 Post-exhibition - Planning Proposal, draft Development
Control Plan and draft Planning Agreement for 195 Church Street, 65-79
Macquarie Street, 38 and 45 Hunter Street, Parramatta (St John's Anglican
Church)........................................................................ 35
9.3 PUBLIC
FORUM 3: Item 13.1 Post-exhibition - Planning Proposal, draft Development
Control Plan and draft Planning Agreement for 195 Church Street, 65-79
Macquarie Street, 38 and 45 Hunter Street, Parramatta (St John's Anglican
Church)........................................................................ 37
9.4 PUBLIC
FORUM 4: Item 13.1 Post-exhibition - Planning Proposal, draft Development Control
Plan and draft Planning Agreement for 195 Church Street, 65-79 Macquarie
Street, 38 and 45 Hunter Street, Parramatta (St John's Anglican Church)........................................................................ 39
After the
conclusion of the Council Meeting, and if time permits, Councillors will be
provided an opportunity to ask questions of staff.
Council 14
November 2022 Item
8.1
ITEM NUMBER 8.1
SUBJECT Parramatta
Light Rail Stage 2 Environmental Impact Statement
REFERENCE F2022/00105 - D08765689
REPORT OF Lord Mayor, Councillor Donna Davis
CSP
THEME: Thriving
workshop/briefing
date: Nil
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Lord Mayor Minute is to call on the NSW
Government to extend the timeframe for public exhibition of the Environmental Impact Statement for Parramatta Light Rail
Stage 2.
Recommendation:
(a) That Council note that the Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for Stage 2 of the Parramatta Light Rail has been placed
on public exhibition until 7 December; and
(b) Further, that the Lord Mayor write to the
NSW Government requesting an extended timeframe for public exhibition of the
EIS to 4 January 2023, to allow adequate time for public input.
BACKGROUND
1. On 9 November the NSW Government
placed the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Parramatta Light Rail (PLR)
Stage 2 on public exhibition (Attachment A). Submissions can be made until 7
December. This meets the minimum requirement under the Environmental Planning
and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) (EP&A Act) of 28 days for the exhibition of
an EIS for public comment.
2. The project is declared State
significant infrastructure in accordance with the EP&A Act and requires
approval from the NSW Minister for Planning before proceeding. An EIS is needed
to support the application for approval for State significant infrastructure
under the EP&A Act.
3. The Stage 2 EIS has been developed by
Transport for NSW to address design options and the associated potential
environment and social impacts arising during construction and operation of the
project. The EIS considers the potential impact of the project across a number
of areas, including: transport, traffic, noise and vibration, heritage, land
use and property, socio-economic impacts, visual amenity, biodiversity, water,
soil and contamination.
4. The EIS for PLR Stage 1 was on
exhibition for two months, from 23 August to 23 October 2017. This was
equivalent to the Stage 2 EIS in terms of complexity.
5. Given the potential impacts of the
proposed PLR Stage 2 project, a period of 28 days is not sufficient for the
public to adequately review and make thorough submissions.
6. This Minute proposes that the Lord
Mayor write to the Hon. Anthony Roberts MP, Minister for Planning and the Hon.
David Elliott MP, Minister for Transport, requesting an extension of time for
the public exhibition of the EIS to 4 January 2023. This would give the public
an additional month to prepare a response, and mirror the timeframe given for
Stage 1.
7. The Lord Mayor will also write to Jo
Haylen MP, Shadow Minister for Transport advising that this request has been
made.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATION FOR
COUNCIL
8. There
are no new financial implications for Council as a result of this Lord Mayor
Minute.
Lord Mayor, Councillor Donna Davis
Attachments:
|
1⇩ 
|
Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2
Environmental Impact Statement: Executive Summary
|
24 Pages
|
|
REFERENCE MATERIAL
|
Item 8.1 - Attachment
1
|
Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 Environmental Impact
Statement: Executive Summary
|
Council 14 November 2022 Item
8.2
ITEM NUMBER 8.2
SUBJECT NSW
Local Hero Australian of the Year Award
REFERENCE F2022/00105 - D08764501
REPORT OF Lord Mayor, Councillor Donna Davis
CSP
THEME: Welcoming
workshop/briefing
date: Nil
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Lord Mayor Minute is to recognise and
congratulate Amar Singh who has been honoured as NSW Local Hero for the 2023
Australian of the Year Awards.
Recommendation:
(a) That Council congratulate Amar Singh,
founder and President of Turbans 4 Australia, who was recognised as NSW
Local Hero for the 2023 Australian of the Year Awards; and
(b) Further, that the Lord Mayor write to
Amar Singh to congratulate him on the achievement and thank him for his service
to our community.
BACKGROUND
1. On 3 November 2022, the Premier
announced the NSW finalists for the 2023 Australian of the Year Awards. Amar
Singh, founder and President of Turbans 4 Australia, was awarded NSW Local
Hero. Mr Singh, whose charity is based in the City of Parramatta at Clyde, was
honoured for his extraordinary contributions to the local community and
exceptional service to the nation.
2. Amar Singh is well-known for his
community and volunteer work across the City of Parramatta. Mr Singh founded
Turbans 4 Australia in 2015 after experiencing racial slurs and insults because
of his Sikh turban and beard. The charity provides assistance to Australians from all walks of life while also promoting
multiculturalism and religious tolerance.
3. Every week Turbans 4 Australia package
and distribute up to 450 food and grocery hampers to people experiencing food
insecurity in Western Sydney. Turbans 4 Australia has delivered hay to farmers
experiencing drought; supplies to flood victims in Lismore and
bushfire-impacted people on the South Coast; and food hampers to the isolated
and vulnerable during COVID-19 lockdowns.
4. Mr Singh’s service was also
recognised by the City of Parramatta, awarding him the Citizen of the Year
Award in the 2022 City of Parramatta Australia Day Awards. The award recognised
Amar’s passion for forming connections with people from all walks of
life, his personal and professional contributions to the most vulnerable, and
his commitment to breaking down barriers of fear and misunderstanding.
5. 2023 marks the 20th year of the Local
Hero Category. First introduced in 2003, this award acknowledges the
extraordinary contributions made by Australians in their local community.
6. Mr Singh will join NSW’s three
other recipients as well as those from other states and territories as
finalists for the national awards ceremony in Canberra on Wednesday 25th
January 2023.
7. City of Parramatta congratulates and
thanks Amar Singh for his service to the Parramatta community. This Minute
proposes that the Lord Mayor write to Mr Singh to congratulate him on the Award
and thank him for his valuable contributions to our City.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATION FOR COUNCIL
8. There
are no new financial implications for Council as a result of this Lord Mayor
Minute.
Lord Mayor, Councillor Donna Davis
Attachments:
There are no attachments for this report.
REFERENCE MATERIAL
Council 14
November 2022 Item
8.3
ITEM NUMBER 8.3
SUBJECT City
of Parramatta Council v. Cumberland City Council Cricket Match
REFERENCE F2021/02779 - D08764203
REPORT OF Lord Mayor, Councillor Donna Davis
CSP
THEME: Thriving
workshop/briefing
date: Nil
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Lord Mayor Minute is to commence
planning for the City of Parramatta Council vs. Cumberland City Council Cricket
Match.
Recommendation:
(a) That Council organises the City
of Parramatta Council vs. Cumberland City Council Mayoral Challenge Cricket
Match, to be held in the first quarter of 2023.
BACKGROUND
1. In
the past, a friendly Mayoral Challenge Cricket Match has been held between
Parramatta City Council and Holroyd City Council that has been continued by the
City of Parramatta and Cumberland City Councils.
2. The
match promotes cricket, the positive health aspects of getting involved in
sport, and demonstrates the strong working relationships, and friendly rivalry,
between the Councils. Members of the public are welcome to come along and cheer
on their local teams
3. The
event was last held on Saturday, 5 December 2020, at Mike Wood Oval, Mona Park
Auburn, which saw Cumberland City Council come away with the win in the 20/20
match.
4. The
match traditionally involves a charity component, with the Mayor of the winning
Council nominating a charity to which matching donations from both Councils
will be made. In 2020, a donation of $2,000 was made by City of Parramatta to
Soldier On following the win by Cumberland City Council.
5. It
is proposed to hold the Mayoral Challenge Cricket Match in the first quarter of
2023, with this match to be coordinated by City of Parramatta Council.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATION FOR
COUNCIL
6. The
Mayoral Challenge Cricket Match, including the donation component of $2,000 to
the selected Charity of the winning Mayor, is expected to cost approximately
$6,000 and can be met from within the adopted Lord Mayor and Council Support
2022/23 operational budget.
7. This
includes the cost of the:
a. Charity
Donation
b. Field
Hire and equipment
c. Uniforms
and cricket equipment
d. Catering
Lord Mayor, Councillor Donna Davis
Attachments:
REFERENCE MATERIAL
Council 14 November
2022 Item
9.1
ITEM NUMBER 9.1
SUBJECT PUBLIC FORUM 1: Item 13.1 Post-exhibition - Planning Proposal, draft
Development Control Plan and draft Planning Agreement for 195 Church Street,
65-79 Macquarie Street, 38 and 45 Hunter Street, Parramatta (St John's Anglican
Church)
REFERENCE F2022/00105 - D08761075
FROM Cheryl Bates
Thank you, Lord
Mayor, and Councillors for the opportunity to speak to this item.
This submission is by Cheryl Bates OAM as Chair of the National Trust
Parramatta Regional Branch.
The Branch
continues to voice their opposition to the magnitude of rezonings that are
leading to haphazard planning in Parramatta. These Council decisions are
severely impacting on heritage settings and, at worst, leading to the
destruction of listed heritage items.
The Branch
STRONGLY OPPOSES this Planning Proposal, DCP and Voluntary Planning Agreement.
The nine-year CBD
Planning process identified the appropriate maximum building heights on this
site to be 18 – 36 metres and this was decided with community
consultation. Now, with the ink hardly dry on the CBD plan, Council is considering
increasing the building height almost tenfold and changing the zoning of the
site.
Our Branch has followed this Planning Proposal since 2018 and has noted the
developer’s unwillingness to negotiate any changes to their
“vision” despite significant opposition to the proposal.
Council’s
own Heritage Advisory Committee objected to the proposal in 2019 but this was
not reported to a committee again in the post-exhibition assessment phase. The
reason why this did not occur was - and I quote “the proposal in the post
exhibition phase is largely the same” and “it was considered
unnecessary to seek another comment”. How can a proposal be largely
unchanged in the face of significant community objections and several
unfavourable reports by heritage experts?
Do not be misled, the Church is a developer and should be treated as such. The
Church is building what is predominantly a commercial development to be sold to
members of the public and not only for their church parishioners.
I put to you
several points to support our opposition:
1. The proposed towers will introduce unacceptable
impacts on the landmark
qualities of the Cathedral and its setting.
2. The amenity of Centenary Square, a gathering place
for over 230 years will be compromised by towers that are too high and too
bulky.
3. The perceived unwillingness of the developer to
acknowledge heritage community concerns and negotiate any changes to their
vision for a site that has nationwide significance.
The Branch also
has many more concerns about the St John’s Site DCP, and we believe that
the Voluntary Planning Agreement, as stated, holds Council to ransom to delist
and demolish the listed Parish Hall. We will address our significant concerns
that such agreements are being used to “sell off” heritage items at
a later stage.
This Planning Proposal will destroy the significant heritage centre of
Parramatta and should not proceed.
STAFF RESPONSE
No staff response was provided.
Attachments:
There are no attachments for this report.
Council 14
November 2022 Item
9.2
ITEM NUMBER 9.2
SUBJECT PUBLIC FORUM 2: Item 13.1 Post-exhibition - Planning Proposal, draft
Development Control Plan and draft Planning Agreement for 195 Church Street,
65-79 Macquarie Street, 38 and 45 Hunter Street, Parramatta (St John's Anglican
Church)
REFERENCE F2022/00105 - D08761668
FROM Bruce Morrison
Thank you, Lord Mayor and Councillors. I
too acknowledge the Burramatta People of the Dharug Nation and pay my respects
to their elders past, present, and emerging.
We would like to thank the Council for
their efforts in support of our application. At this last milestone with
Council we would reflect on the following.
· Two groups of elected Parramatta Councillors have endorsed our
proposal
· The DPE provided gateway approval
· We have agreed with Council the draft LEP and DCP and a VPA.
· We have worked with Council and DPE through amendments to the CBD
LEP that changed the context and assessment framework for our Planning Proposal
whilst under public exhibition.
· And DPE wrote on 17 October outlining three key areas of focus
– Amenity, Character and Resilience. We believe that our Proposal meets
and exceeds in each of these focus areas.
· We believe we can address any unresolved issues raised by government
agencies in their submissions at a future DA stage – as agreed by Council
officers.
· We have the support of the local planning panel AND
· We have survived a global pandemic!
On a significant site we expect high levels
of engagement in the community, as reflected in the submissions. We have held
this site for over 220 years. We are deeply aware of our stewardship
responsibilities. We appreciate the support of almost half the submissions.
So let me address what we believe to be the
key issues raised in those community submissions which were not in support of
our Planning Proposal.
The major heritage asset on the site is St
John’s Cathedral - the oldest continuously operating church in Australia.
The land around the Cathedral has been acquired progressively since the
1880’s. Various buildings have been renovated, extended, relocated, and
replaced over many, many years. Our Planning Proposal is the product and fruit
of a vision held for over a century by our forebears. Our aim is:
· To provide new parish facilities
· To undertake conservation works to St John’s Cathedral
· To provide an appropriate setting for a heritage jewel in the centre
of a dynamic new city.
· To provide an opportunity for reflection and interpretation of the
aboriginal history associated with this site.
In relation to the built form of the north
tower:
· We have set the building back to create more space around the
Cathedral
· We have conformed to the setbacks and view corridors in the CBD DCP
– south from Lennox Bridge, and the 20 metre setback from the
centre line of the Cathedral.
· We have respected the solar access to Parramatta Square as required
by DPE and CPC.
· We expect to design a building subject to Council’s design
excellence processes befitting.
· We hope to attract national tenants, adding to the vibrant
commercial hub.
· The accommodation for those jobs moves people closer their homes.
This validates State Government infrastructure investment. It supports
Council’s long held view that Parramatta is a Metropolitan Centre of
national and global significance.
In relation to the setting:
· Work with neighbours to provide separation between buildings
· We will create a third square with improved public domain activation
to create a new and greatly improved precinct by extending Parramatta Square
almost 100 meters west towards Marsden St.
· Increase the number of trees
· Remove cars from street level
· And provide access in perpetuity to one of the only privately owned
green spaces in the centre of Parramatta.
· In short, we will expand the public domain on our site by over 50%.
St John’s Cathedral Community shares
this vision for the Cathedral and a great urban outcome for Parramatta.
We support the Planning framework, which we have worked on, with Council, for 6
years to support the amenity, character and resilience of the built form and
public domain design.
My involvement in this project spans over
15 years, much longer than the 6 years we have been engaged with Council and
DPE. We are asking today that the Panel support the proposal so that we may
move forward with the new Planning framework.
Thank you for your time today.
STAFF RESPONSE
No staff response was provided.
Attachments:
There are no attachments for this report.
Council 14
November 2022 Item
9.3
ITEM NUMBER 9.3
SUBJECT PUBLIC FORUM 3: Item 13.1 Post-exhibition - Planning Proposal, draft
Development Control Plan and draft Planning Agreement for 195 Church Street,
65-79 Macquarie Street, 38 and 45 Hunter Street, Parramatta (St John's Anglican
Church)
REFERENCE F2022/00105 - D08761759
FROM James Colman
Dear Lord
Mayor and Councillors - thanks for the opportunity to speak in this item.
Tonight you
are dealing with a unique site - the first in Australia to be consecrated. In
the public interest your responsibility is unusually heavy and the community is
watching. Nearly 60% of public submissions to this proposal were objections. It
is not a matter to be dealt with lightly.
Approval may
see the demolition of the State-heritage listed Church Hall. This well-loved
and well-used building is in good condition. It is not ruinous. It is not
obsolete. As the Cathedral's partner it has a healthy future. And it also
affords rare sky views which stand to be lost if the proposal proceeds.
Approval will
inevitably add to more afternoon winter overshadowing of nearby public spaces
including Centenary Square.
There is no
such thing as a "slender" high rise tower. No 4-storey building on a
constrained site could possibly be described as slender, especially when viewed
from pedestrian level.
Approval will
demonstrate a preference for blatant commercialism as the principal driver of
the project. Two centuries of civic importance and value will be degraded as we
are presented with two massive speculative towers which will be with us for generations.
These towers
will stand as unashamed symbols of corporate ambition which will permanently
degrade a space which must surely stand as the jewel in Parramatta's civic
crown.
As an outsider
I can confirm a simple home truth. Affection for this treasured precinct goes
far beyond Parramatta. The wider public-including our First Peoples - regard
the Church and you the Council as its custodians. The wider community places a
very high value on protecting the civic and spiritual associations of the site
and its curtilage.
The Council
and the Church can do better. How ?
By deferring the Proposal, the DCP and the Agreement for further study and
review.
I suggest that deferral should be followed by calling for a national
architectural competition to achieve real design excellence for this nationally
important site - with an emphasis on heigh reduction and the provision of
generous mid-winter solar access within an enhanced public domain.
STAFF RESPONSE
No staff response was provided.
Attachments:
There are no attachments for this report.
Council 14
November 2022 Item
9.4
ITEM NUMBER 9.4
SUBJECT PUBLIC FORUM 4: Item 13.1 Post-exhibition - Planning Proposal, draft
Development Control Plan and draft Planning Agreement for 195 Church Street,
65-79 Macquarie Street, 38 and 45 Hunter Street, Parramatta (St John's Anglican
Church)
REFERENCE F2022/00105 - D08761965
FROM Dr Ian Grady
Lord Mayor, Councillors of the City of
Parramatta. Thank you for the opportunity to address you. I acknowledge the
Burramattagal people as the traditional custodians of this place.
My Name is Ian Grady. My family and I were ratepayers
in LGA Parramatta for many years. I resided at North Parramatta for a number of
years and all my children attended state schools in the Parramatta LGA.
Trained as an historian, I am author of four books of Australiana, one of which
concerns the history of St John’s.
I am also very familiar with the historic centres of most European and
Mediterranean cities. Many of these have historic churches and cathedrals in
the middle of the town square. Most of the churches are on a much grander scale
than the modest structure of St John’s and are considerably older.
However, a large part of their grandeur is the fact that they are set apart
from other buildings, i.e. that there is space around them on all sides.
The preferred development model by the church envisages demolition of the
church hall. I understand some people oppose this, because it is a locally
listed heritage building. I have to say that the hall is a particularly
unimpressive structure, with an ugly agglomeration of dark brick buildings
attached to its rear. In my view it actively detracts from the Cathedral by
being too close to it and imposing itself in the space that should belong to
the Cathedral.
The cathedral building will gain in significance and importance as a landmark
and as an historic building if there is adequate space surrounding it and if
the facade of the proposed development is not only set further away, but also
is light and open and in sympathy with the space.
The hall was built as a utilitarian structure. It replaced a wooden hall, which
replaced an earlier hall that was quite possibly the site of the colony’s
first school. In a similar way the current hall has been much altered and added
to over the years and now forms a dark presence, lurking off to one side of the
cathedral, with a footprint that is now considerably larger than that of the
cathedral itself. A walled arcade and metal security gates have been added on
two sides, so that it is no longer even symmetrical.
Demolition of the hall, and construction of a new building set further away
will create more space around the cathedral, and will allow for more grass to
augment the lawns on the north and south side of the cathedral, which are the
only public lawns between the Parramatta River and Ollie Webb Reserve, 1 km to
the south.
Age alone is not sufficient reason to retain a building that was built to the
plans of an unknown architect, that conforms to no recognisable style, that has
been disfigured by additions, that does not fit in with its surroundings and
which detracts from a public space. Given that high towers already surround
what was once the tallest building in Parramatta it is more important that as
much space as possible be created at ground level around the cathedral.
I support the proposal.
STAFF RESPONSE
No staff response was provided.
Attachments:
There are no attachments for this report.