Home push disaster

The State Government proposal would allow low rise terraces, townhouses, manor houses (two-storey apartment blocks) and six-storey, mid-rise apartments in neighbourhood areas around railway stations and possibly other shopping centres, and duplexes in residential zones to have a minimum lot size of 450sqm and 12m wide frontage, with parking reduced from two spaces to one space per dwelling.
Mayor Bilal El-Hayek and Canterbury Bankstown Council say they will fight “tooth and nail” to ensure the haphazard planning reforms proposed, deliver quality housing for the city without affecting the quality of life.
“From the outset, I want to make it clear that I am supportive of the Premier’s passion in addressing the housing crisis, but his passion should not ignore the haphazard planning reforms being rushed through,” Mayor El-Hayek said.
“These are generational changes which will impact our children into the future, and we must get it right”.
He said Canterbury Bankstown was expected to house more than 300,000 people but “there is a deafening silence when it comes to how many schools, preschools, day care centres which will be needed” and “no mention of road improvements or infrastructure to deal with our already congested roads”.
“And what about parking spaces, parks and playgrounds and our precious trees which provide a cooler and healthier environment. Then there is the issue of our growing waste and the cost to dispose of it. These are just some of the issues.”
Mayor El-Hayek said the council was way ahead of others when it came to Master Planning for its major centres and providing for future housing needs, with its plans for Bankstown and Campsie sitting with the NSW Planning Department gathering dust for two years.
Mayor El-Hayek said he would be writing to the Premier seeking an urgent meeting and taking a number of initiatives to the next council meeting including seeking legal advice on challenging the proposed changes, a social media and awareness campaign and other measures.