Media release
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne
Inner West Council has made a comprehensive submission against the greedy and unnecessary proposal from the foreign-based owners of the former Balmain Leagues Club site to increase the density of the development there by an additional 30 per cent.
There is an approved mixed-use development on the site of 12 storeys which has been available to the site's owners to construct for years.
Owner, Heworth, is seeking to manipulate a new State Government affordable housing policy, which was designed to bring on investment in new housing, not to delay it.
"It's beyond ridiculous that the saga over this site is still being dragged out when there is an approved 12-storey, mixed-use development that could have been built before now," Clr Byrne said.
"The owners of the site are taking the mickey by delaying construction of their approved development so that they can make a grab for more.
"This is against the intent of the Government's affordable housing density bonus and should simply be rejected out of hand.
"The 16-storey development that is now being proposed is at a scale that has already been refused multiple times by NSW Government authorities not least because of the traffic impact it would have on Victoria Road.
"The idea that, with the Rozelle Interchange debacle, those traffic problems have disappeared is simply laughable.
"Tigers fans are desperately awaiting the new Wests Tigers Leagues Club that is legally required to be built as part of the development.
"It's time that Heworth did the right thing by immediately demolishing the derelict building and getting on with construction of their approved development."
The Inner West Council submission is available to view on the NSW Planning Portal website:
