Update 15/11/2004 - Arch Opponent vindicates campaign by Friends of Pyrmont Point

In a surprising admission, Gerry Gleeson, retiring Chairman of the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority admitted the intense development in Pyrmont has gone too far.

A recent article in the press (“Cowering in the ranks says state warrior”, Sydney Morning Herald 2-3 October 2004) on Mr Gleeson’s retirement states:

“Mr Gleeson also called for a halt to residential development along the CBD foreshores, conceding it had probably been “overdone” in areas like Pyrmont because of a combination of government and private development.

This, among others, was the argument that Friends of Pyrmont Point put to Mr Gleeson when his Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority was planning to hand the publicly owned Water Police site at Pyrmont Point over to developers for the construction of multi-storey residential and commercial development.

The sentiments expressed by Mr Gleeson contrast sharply with those he had while he was Chairman of SHFA. In 2003, Friends of Pyrmont Point met with Mr Gleeson to ask for a delay in SHFA’s development application so that an independent review of traffic, population and open space could be conducted for the area. Mr Gleeson rejected the request saying a study was “not on” and SHFA would press on with its development plans.

Elsewhere in the same paper Mr Gleeson claims that the foreshore authority has provided “significant areas of open space.” He neglects to point out that developers’ Section 94 contributions pay for open space. Nor does he mention that the federal government contributed over $100 million for infrastructure in Pyrmont in the early nineties under the Better Cities Program. SHFA publicity material continues to imply that it is responsible for provision of large amounts of open space.

Friends of Pyrmont Point continue to claim that, even with the handover of the Water Police site there is a lack of open space for the rapidly expanding population resident and worker population. The situation is even more drastic in Ultimo.