If you asked Sydney-siders what future they saw for such a valuable part of our landscape; what would they choose:

• a public park on the harbour, or
• a private casino?

 

This was the question I put to the Planning Assessment Commission panel at the public hearing on Modification 8 to Concept Plan 06_0162, the Barangaroo casino proposal.

I also said:

‘I am here today to discuss MOD8 with you in a way, and in a language, that I believe the average person in Sydney would understand and relate to. Planning can sometimes be by necessity technical and the language almost impenetrable with jargon.

I will simplify it because we need to explain these significant city making proposals in a way that brings the people of Sydney along with us.

What planning fundamentally needs to do, is to include the citizens in the discussion of the how and why the city is changing and how and why these changes are in the public’s interest, or not.

That is not to say as professionals we abandon the field and delegate our responsibility to the people. Quite the opposite. What we need to do is have the conversation about what type of Sydney we want to have, and argue the merits of any proposal.

The Australian Institute of Architects believes we, as professionals of the built environment, need to lead the discussion:

• to have an intelligent discussion about the opportunities of change;
• but also, to inform the people what they will lose;
• to present a balanced view and argue for the merits of any change;
• and these arguments need to always start, and end, on how a change is in the public interest.

 

This is the test that you as delegates of the government need to be sure and certain any application passes before approval is granted.’

I queried how the Department of Planning could largely ignore the views of the Minister for Planning’s expert design assessment panel (including NSW Government Architect Peter Poulet) in its recommendations to the Commission.

I disputed how the proposal could even be regarded as a modification when the changes proposed were so significant. I said:

‘A reasonable person would think this is a new development application. The average Sydney-sider would think this is a new DA.’

I also answered the question I posed at the head of this message:

‘What do you think they would say (to the choice between a public park on the harbour or a private casino)?

I can tell you what they will say.

They would say they would want a public park on the harbour.’

The Planning Assessment Commission is expected to make its determination on the casino proposal in the next few weeks.

 

Shaun Carter
NSW Chapter President