Royal Newcastle Hospital site

Sydney Labor doesn't listen to the community

When the State Government developers released the draft master plan for the Royal Newcastle Hospital site on Christmas eve eve (23 December 2004), the writing was on the wall for the site. The State Government wanted to "maximise" the number of apartments on the site.

Many in the community wanted the State Government-appointed consultants to look at options for the site.

A reasonable question: what is the best use of the site?

Some suggested it would be a good site for a hospital.

Many highlighted that it is and always has been public land and should stay as public land.

Others suggested a park at the front of the site (in front of any 4.5+ star hotel/ conference centre) linking to the beach would be appropriate.

Many highlighted the need for an underground public carpark.

There was a suggestion that the existing buildings on the site could be accommodation for top notch researchers, artists, students, sportspeople and others to create a hub for Newcastle to become a creative city like Palo Alto, Seattle or Oxford.

But the State Government was chasing the dollar, not listening to suggestions from the Newcastle community. And not thinking about the best use of the site.

Newcastle City Council sought to have any development "fit in" with the surrounding CBD, the historic east end, view corridors to the Cathedral and, of course, the over-shadowing impact on Newcastle Beach. The planners at Council, after consultation with the community, came up with 12 storeys as the height limit with a "bonus" of an extra 4 floors if the development was a 4.5+ star hotel. This maximum height would be set back from the beach towards Watt St.

But all this work was to no avail.

The State Government wanted to maximise apartments.

It was announced in Parliament on 4 November 2005 that the State Government would assume control of the site under recent changes to the Planning Law.

And the march to maximise apartments continues.

The State Government has followed the gazetted process of consultation, exhibition, compiling submissions, etc.

But many in the community have said that even after community consultation the original plans didn't change.

The consultation/ exhibition process has been a sham.

The only significant change now has been to recently increase the number of floors - now its 20 storeys. No targetted tenancy arrangements. Just build 20 floors!

Yesterday (18 October), the Department of Planning quietly exhibited in accordance with the Planning Act the subdivision and staged demolition of buildings on the site. Comments can be made until 17 November 2006. See Royal Newcastle Hospital

But is the Sydney Labor Government listening? forget it!