Residents of one of Australia’s wealthiest suburbs are up in arms over a proposed $230 million project that would see a 1960s apartment block demolished and replaced with luxury apartments.
Dozens of residents and neighbors of the apartments at Billyard Ave and Onslow St in Elizabeth Bay in Sydney’s east met the NSW Land and Environment Court this week to express their anger at developer Fortis’ plan to transform the 28-unit block.
Warren Fahey AM of the Potts Point Preservation Group said the proposal would be ‘detrimental’ to the area’s architectural heritage and community cohesion.
“It’s not the most important building, but in our region you have to understand that there’s only one kilometer that includes Elizabeth Bay, Potts Point and Kings Cross, and we’re losing houses at a terrible rate,” he told ABC Radio. on Thursday.
“It doesn’t seem like anyone in the state or city is paying attention to help us, so the residents are upset and protesting.”
Dozens of residents and neighbors of this 1960s apartment complex in Elizabeth Bay are against the proposed demolition of the complex
The City of Sydney has rejected the development application, but Fortis is appealing the decision in the Land and Environment Court.
Mr Fahey said he and other upset community members were not against all development, but against what he called “unnecessary development”, noting that the development would reduce housing supply by reducing the number of units to 22.
He said there are five DAs in the area and if they were all approved, the total number of apartments would collapse from 174 to 73.
“That’s a 56 percent loss,” he said.
An artist’s impression of the proposed Fortis development in Elizabeth Bay in Sydney’s east
“But no one sleeps, no studio apartments.
“If we continue to become a yuppie kingdom, we will exclude all the interesting parts of this area’s history, including young people and the elderly, who simply cannot afford to spend millions on apartments, and that is what has happened before.” happened. our eyes.’
Mr Fahey also criticized the style and technical aspects of Fortis’s proposal.
“(The) excessive height, volume, scale, insufficient setbacks, and quite frankly it lacks any design excellence,” he said.
‘It is harmful to the area. We do not believe that good, solid buildings from the 1960s, 1970s and 1950s should be demolished just so a developer can put in luxury apartments.”
‘We want the architectural streetscape to remain largely as it is. We are not against development.
‘We are simply against unnecessary development and we do not want the social fabric to change so that young people and the elderly cannot afford to live here.’
Many say the proposal would be ‘detrimental’ to Elizabeth Bay (pictured) and its architectural heritage and community cohesion
The court has the power to overturn council decisions on the developments, but Mr Fahey suggested community anger was gaining ground in the battle for the block.
A spokeswoman for Fortis said the developer would continue to talk to the community about the project.
“The community is at the heart of our work and we remain open to addressing issues as they arise,” the spokeswoman said.
‘We always take relevant feedback into account and work with the local community and planning authorities to achieve the best development outcomes for each location.’