Table 5: Summary Strategic Merit Assessment

Table 5: Summary Strategic Merit Assessment

a) Does the proposal have strategic merit? Is it:

 Consistent with the relevant regional plan outside of the

Greater Sydney Region, the relevant district plan within the Greater Sydney Region, or corridor/precinct plans applying to the site, including any draft regional, district or corridor/ precinct plans released for public comment; or Both the Greater Sydney Region Plan (Objective 23 / Strategy 23.1) and the Eastern City District Plan (Action 51 / Planning Priority E12 Retain and Manage industrial and urban services land) set out to safeguard existing industrial land from redevelopment for residential and other uses to ensure adequate land is available for urban services, freight, logistics and advanced manufacturing.

The continued suitability and appeal of the site for industrial use is constrained by the site's peninsular location, poor road access for heavy vehicles and proximity to sensitive residential uses. More broadly, the Inner West industrial market is characterised by low levels of demand and a shift away from traditional industrial uses. Accordingly, the outcomes sought by applying the 'retain and manage' principle would not be met if the site were to be retained entirely as an IN1 Industrial Zone.

Notwithstanding the above site suitability issues, the 'retain and manage' principle encourages a mix of economic outcomes that support the city and population. The Planning Proposal makes provision for light industry uses in the B1 Neighbourhood Centre zone that will enable a range of emerging 'urban services' to occur that support the local community and refl ect the changing uses and character of employment lands in Eastern Sydney.

On that basis, the 'retain and manage' principle could be achieved by the mix of uses proposed in the amended Planning Proposal.

 Consistent with a relevant local council strategy that has been endorsed by the Department; or The amended Planning Proposal is consistent with the Canada Bay Local Strategic Planning Statement, which was GSC assured in March 2020. It is also consistent with the Local Planning Strategy 2010-2031, which was endorsed by the Department on 27 November 2009. Refer to responses provided in Tables 6 and 7 to follow.