Bayside EASTERN SUBURBS
NEWS
• BELLEVUE HILL • EDGECLIFF • DARLINGHURST • DARLING POINT • DOUBLE BAY • ELIZABETH BAY • PADDINGTON •
• POINT PIPER • POTTS POINT • ROSE BAY • RUSHCUTTERS BAY • SURRY HILLS • VAUCLUSE • WATSONS BAY • WOOLLAHRA •
PROTECTING SYDNEY’S STYLISH
BAYSIDE VILLAGE The Double Bay Residents’ Association (DBRA) is a forum for residents who wish to maintain the low-rise village character which has differentiated Double Bay from other Sydney suburbs. Since its establishment some 40 years ago, the association has played an active role in many of the changes which have taken place – working with Woollahra Council on the successful Kiaora Lands development, opposing development applications which threaten Double Bay’s village atmosphere and representing residents’ issues to the Council. In 2014, the Council published a plan which envisaged Double Bay as ‘Sydney’s Stylish Bayside Village – intimate, refreshing’ which the DBRA strongly endorsed. Regrettably, the attributes which have attracted generations of people to live in and visit Double Bay have made it a ‘honeypot’ for property developers focused on maximising short-term profit rather than enhancing residents’ amenity. The need to assess and respond to the deluge of development applications (DAs) has created a challenge. Exacerbating the problem, the NSW Government has stripped
councils of their planning powers and now objections are heard by governmentappointed planning panels and often the Land & Environment Court. Since November, the DBRA has written and presented 15 submissions on DAs and other planning proposals and we are aware of others in the pipeline. Members’ support in writing objections and speaking at planning panel and court hearings is vital to stem the tide of higher and bulkier buildings which breach Council’s current controls and threaten Double Bay’s village character.
A CRITICAL TIME FOR DOUBLE BAY
On February 14, Woollahra’s eight Liberal councillors passed a motion, opposed by Residents First and Greens councillors, to place on exhibition a Draft Double Bay Centre Planning and Urban Design Strategy. Despite all Woollahra’s 15 councillors pledging to ‘fight overdevelopment’ during the December election, a key plank of the strategy is to increase existing height limits from mainly four storeys (14.7 metres) to six storeys (21.5 metres) – a 50% increase.
Members of the DBRA committee during a tour of Double Bay with Woollahra Council's General Manager, Craig Swift-McNair, and Director, Planning and Place, Scott Pedder. This is a major threat to Double Bay’s low-rise village character. If the strategy is adopted, property developers will seize on it to insist that all six storey DAs be approved – and, as is their custom, demand yet more height. The strategy is expected to go on public exhibition in mid-March. It will then be important that all residents and others who enjoy visiting Double Bay communicate their views to Woollahra councillors.
HELP PROTECT THE DOUBLE BAY YOU LOVE
If you would like to help protect Double Bay’s
village character, please join our association. In addition to our representing residents’ views to the Council, members receive regular newsletters and are invited to attend our AGM, followed by refreshments, and Christmas party. So we provide opportunities for residents to liaise with one another. You can become a member through our website (www.dbra.org.au), emailing dbrassoc@gmail.com or calling 0414 932 818. We look forward to welcoming you.
