I refer to an article published on Macarthur Advertiser’s website on 2/12/16 titled Church and school to be dwarfed by 10 storey building (click here for full article). This refers to the land on the corner of Cordeaux and Moore Streets (next to St Peter’s Anglican Church and Primary School), and the concern for a proposed residential development next to this historical site.
The landowner of this site is a client of mine. I have discussed with them many of the details. They certainly appreciate the importance of this historically significant site, and in consultation with their architects have given great consideration to ensure the development does not negatively impact the church and school. What my client has proposed falls within the guidelines of the permissible zoning, and is NOT out of context with the desired future use for this land.
There is also a flip side to this…
Back in the 80’s and 90’s, Queen Street was a thriving retail and commercial centre. I have seen first-hand the gradual demise of the area to a shadow of what it formerly was (my office is located on Queen Street).
It has been widely discussed through council and the community to turn this around, however the solution is not easy, and is not a quick fix!
There are many views to consider, however, there is really only one solution – we need to bring people to live in the CBD, offering more apartment-style housing at affordable prices.
Allowing more housing in our CBD offers opportunities for many in our community. Construction gives our local trades people jobs; affordable housing allows our young people to live and work in the city; it gives retirees access to convenient living; and all close to the main public transport routes offers many options for different groups. The flow-on effects of population growth are opportunities for small businesses such as restaurants, cafes and bars to set-up – starting the turn-around of revitalising our CBD.
Over the last 5 years, population growth has been focused all around Campbelltown, but NOT in the CBD. Areas such as Park Central, Macarthur Gardens and Macarthur Heights have all thrived at the expense of the CBD.
In the coming years we need to see significant change within the Campbelltown CBD – the good news is that a small handful of developers also see this potential, and want to be part of the transformation over the next decade.
But this doesn’t mean forgetting our rich local history and some of the beautiful pieces of architecture that are part of our past. However, we also need to move forward and create new quality buildings that will be admired for the next century.
The article published (click here) unfortunately failed to illustrate to the public one of the most important elements of the proposed development – an image of what it will look like! See here above the artist’s impression. It will replace an unsightly, vacant, dilapidated building that was once a health care centre.
The vision for this stunning building will be a mix of ground floor commercial spaces and 10 levels of modern apartment living overlooking Mawson Park. The building has been deliberately designed to complement the amazing attributes of the St Peter’s properties, while also creating a benchmark for other buildings in the future.
If approved, this will be a great step forward for our CBD and for future development. Projects such as this will revitalise our city over the next 10 years, bringing it back to its ‘heyday’!
