by Marie Sansom, Sydney Central
"About 250 people gathered at St Scholastica’s College, Glebe, last Tuesday to discuss the future of the Harold Park site, one of the largest in the Inner West.
Their responses will flow back to Sydney Council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee, which will decide the site’s future.
Harness Racing NSW plans to move to Menangle and the club has put Harold Park up for sale, expecting it to raise at least $150 million.
When locals were asked to come up with a grand plan for the site, certain themes were raised repeatedly including: maximising public open space; making the site accessible; keeping building heights and densities to an acceptable level; and rejuvenating the tram sheds. There was little enthusiasm for any retail, above what would serve those living there.
While there was broad support for housing, many people highlighted the need to consider traffic, parking and public transport links. The site is near a light rail station but there is a steep hill leading up to Glebe Point Rd.
There was also enthusiasm for any homes to be sustainable, and for the site to become a hub for creative industries and artists. Other suggestions included community gardens, a city farm and bird habitat.
There will be more consultation later this year."
Read the full article from Sydney Central here.
Showing posts with label Harold Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harold Park. Show all posts
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
No "mindless grass" for Harold Park
by Gemma Battenbough, Architecture & Design
The highly sensitive Harold Park raceway site in Sydney’s suburb of Glebe is being sold and yesterday marked the start of public consultation for the development of planning controls.
There will be “enormous pressure” on the developers to include some public space, councillor Meridith Burgmann said, and that space needs to be “more thoughtful”.
“The public space can’t be more mindless grass with big trees,” Burgmann told Architecture & Design. “There is a lot of that down on the point and residents really need something a bit more interesting.”
One suggestion gaining momentum is to create a city farm similar to those in Perth and Yarra that could act as a tourist attraction for school children and utilize the existing light rail infrastructure.
The old tram sheds could be turned into pig pens and cow sheds and also house composting facilities, Burgmann said.
The site will be earmarked for high-density residential development, she said.
“It seems to me that the Harold Park site is so big that you could get quite a lot of urban consolidation without it being too offensive.”
Allowing dense development would give the City of Sydney licence to be “quite forceful” in its demands for public space. “I’m trying to make sure it is more thoughtful public space, rather than just yet another park,” Burgmann said.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said the first consultation meeting will give interested residents the opportunity to find out more about the site, the City's role and the planning process.
"The Harold Park site is of significant value to the community and includes important heritage items and links to surrounding parks," Moore said.
"The challenge ahead of us is to develop planning controls that balance opportunities for public benefit with the site owner's expectations of financial returns."
Planning principles including housing diversity, open space, sustainable transport, and heritage will be considered in preparing the controls."
Read the full article from Architecture & Design here.
The highly sensitive Harold Park raceway site in Sydney’s suburb of Glebe is being sold and yesterday marked the start of public consultation for the development of planning controls.
There will be “enormous pressure” on the developers to include some public space, councillor Meridith Burgmann said, and that space needs to be “more thoughtful”.
“The public space can’t be more mindless grass with big trees,” Burgmann told Architecture & Design. “There is a lot of that down on the point and residents really need something a bit more interesting.”
One suggestion gaining momentum is to create a city farm similar to those in Perth and Yarra that could act as a tourist attraction for school children and utilize the existing light rail infrastructure.
The old tram sheds could be turned into pig pens and cow sheds and also house composting facilities, Burgmann said.
The site will be earmarked for high-density residential development, she said.
“It seems to me that the Harold Park site is so big that you could get quite a lot of urban consolidation without it being too offensive.”
Allowing dense development would give the City of Sydney licence to be “quite forceful” in its demands for public space. “I’m trying to make sure it is more thoughtful public space, rather than just yet another park,” Burgmann said.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said the first consultation meeting will give interested residents the opportunity to find out more about the site, the City's role and the planning process.
"The Harold Park site is of significant value to the community and includes important heritage items and links to surrounding parks," Moore said.
"The challenge ahead of us is to develop planning controls that balance opportunities for public benefit with the site owner's expectations of financial returns."
Planning principles including housing diversity, open space, sustainable transport, and heritage will be considered in preparing the controls."
Read the full article from Architecture & Design here.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Death of Harold Park looms
"IT has been Sydney's home of harness racing since 1902 but Harold Park could be up for sale as soon as August.
More than 100 years of tradition is likely to end after the NSW Harness Racing Club yesterday confirmed that an independent report supported the sale of Harold Park.
The sport is struggling to compete in the gambling market and must sell Harold Park - reported to be worth upwards of $150 million - and relocate to new facilities at Menangle Park to survive.
"The independent report, sanctioned by the NSWHRC and Harness Racing NSW, has come back with overwhelming support to sell Harold Park," NSWHRC chairman Rex Horne said.
"The future prosperity of harness racing in NSW rests largely on the decision to sell Harold Park." ... "
Read the full article from the Daily Telegraph here.
More than 100 years of tradition is likely to end after the NSW Harness Racing Club yesterday confirmed that an independent report supported the sale of Harold Park.
The sport is struggling to compete in the gambling market and must sell Harold Park - reported to be worth upwards of $150 million - and relocate to new facilities at Menangle Park to survive.
"The independent report, sanctioned by the NSWHRC and Harness Racing NSW, has come back with overwhelming support to sell Harold Park," NSWHRC chairman Rex Horne said.
"The future prosperity of harness racing in NSW rests largely on the decision to sell Harold Park." ... "
Read the full article from the Daily Telegraph here.
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