Crushing 'the lungs of western Sydney'
By Alistair Dickinson
SYDNEY — Development of the 1535-hectare Australian Defence Industries (ADI) site at St Marys in Sydney's outer west now appears imminent. The developer, Comm Land (formerly called Lend Lease/ADI), is proposing to build 8000 houses and an industrial estate on the land.
Planning is well advanced and two draft documents for the proposal — the Sydney Regional Environmental Plan and the St Marys Environmental Planning Strategy (EPS) — are on display for public comment. The viewing period, which commenced in November, will end in March, leading to final documents which may incorporate public submissions.
The ADI Residents Action Group (ADI RAG), which represents the majority sentiment of residents in the area, opposes the development. ADI RAG points to the lack of democracy in the planning process. It says that decisions affecting the community far into the future are being made at ministerial level and on the basis of select committee hearings, which are closed to residents and Aboriginal traditional owners but open to the developer.
The ADI RAG is emphasising the site's importance as part of Cumberland Plains, a once abundant woodland. The site has been dubbed "the lungs of western Sydney", contributing to both atmospheric regeneration and cooling.
There would also be social costs attached to the development, including greater traffic congestion and the overload of existing health facilities (no new public hospitals are planned for the region). Other costs could include deterioration of air and water quality.
Penrith Council has similar misgivings to ADI RAG. According to the Penrith City Star on February 8, "The council claims the controversial estate plan is dotted with glaring holes in regard to vital infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and road systems". Penrith mayor John Bateman commented, "Penrith taxpayers would be left to pick up the pieces if the former Australian Defence Industry site was developed into a massive housing industry estate".
But the NSW and federal governments, along with the local MPs from both major parties, are promoting the development as a means of generating jobs and prosperity. This political impasse, and a considerable period of fruitless parliamentary lobbying, has led to a much greater emphasis within the ADI RAG on the need to mobilise public anger and forge alliances with other groups seeking environmental and social justice.
Such groups include the Dharrug traditional owners of the ADI site. The January launch of a tent embassy outside of the ADI gates was welcomed by a spokesperson for the traditional owners, who gave permission for the protesters to be on Dharrug land.
A rally has been organised for February 18, assembling at NSW Parliament House at 11am, then marching to the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning headquarters at Farrer Place for a protest meeting. The rally will demand urban planning for people, not profit, and that public land remain in public hands.