State government high rise mandate could challenge Labor councillors Talk of the town

By Grahame Lynch

The new NSW Labor government has now confirmed in power what it flagged in opposition: that it expects areas around expensive new Metro railway stations and transport hubs more generally to house a greater population density.

‘‘We have to go up,’’ Premier Chris Minns was quoted as saying at a cities summit. ‘‘Sydney can’t grow by adding another street to the western fringe every other week ... you have to stretch social infrastructure over a bigger and bigger plane. I think the best way to ensure we protect open space is to have buildings that go up and don’t encroach on much-loved parkland.’’

Now we doubt that’s a view that will go down well with North Sydney Council, whose boundaries include two of those Metro stations at Crows Nest and North Sydney.

The current Council has generally opposed most high-rise development that has come before it, including specific proposals in Crows Nest.

But the state government’s embrace of more high rise at transport hubs could make life a tad more interesting at Council where the progressive majority of six councillors who elected Zoe Baker as mayor last year includes two Labor members.

This progressive majority has led to a remarkably harmonious Council. One Sun correspondent estimates that of the 231 votes that have been taken by the current Council, the progressive six have only split from each other on a mere seven occasions.

But if the State government is to enforce density mandates on local councils, the two Labor councillors could find themselves with some challenging dilemmas in terms of maintaining this harmony.

State Labor, if anything, is likely to extend the policy as it thinks through and develops its position. If North Sydney and Crows Nest are considered transport hubs, then why not Neutral Bay, which is the first stop on the express B-Line route?

The current council has already signalled its objection to proposed residential development on top of the Woolworths site in Rangers Rd, in part, because of perceived traffic impacts. It also opposed a proposal to extend the height of a residential development across the main road in Waters Rd by one storey, despite the offer of a $2 million contribution to fund an open plaza in neighbouring Grosvenor Lane.

It even sent back a $2 million contribution from the NSW government for a permanent Young St Plaza, mainly on the basis that it wasn’t seen to fit in with a Council-led plan for open space in Neutral Bay.

In nearby Cremorne, Council has also knocked back plans for higher density developments aimed at seniors in preference to preserving historical buildings with perceived heritage value.

In the past, it was a no-brainer for a councillor to present as sceptical or even hostile to ever higher residential development. Thus, a desire by State Labor to build more high-rise along with the objective of Federal Labor to pump up immigration to record levels will present major challenges to the orthodoxies of North Sydney’s local tier of representation.

Pickled Possum Owner Buys Into Leichhardt

The low profile owner of the legendary Pickled Possum bar in Neutral Bay has reportedly bought the Italian Forum in Leichhardt.

Redstone, owned by Robert Paterson, was revealed last month to be behind the acquisition of the prime Italian community site in the inner West for a reported cost of just $11 million.

The Forum land was bequeathed by the then NSW premier Neville Wran in the 1980s. It was owned from 2014 by Italian community charity Co.As.It.

According to the charity, it agreed to the unsolicited offer from Redstone partly because “The Italian Forum had become difficult to manage and for reasons outside our control the precinct has seen a significant drop in patronage. Faced with the growing pressures to support our broader programs, the sale of the property will provide significant opportunities for both consolidation and growth in our core programs to the community.”

While there are fears that Redstone’s ownership may disrupt the community ambience of the Forum, wise heads suggest there is nothing to fear from Paterson, known to his friends as “Possum Bob.”

Paterson is widely credited with reviving the Pickled Possum as one of Sydney’s pre-eminent dive bars (meant in the nicest possible meaning of the term) without altering its fundamental DNA in any significant way.

Meanwhile, another lower North Shore institution, Sails at Lavender Bay, has changed hands after 15 years ownership by chef Greg Anderson and partner Patricia Nunes.

The new owner is Bill Drakopoulous’s Sydney Restaurant Group, which operates Ormeggio at The Spit and Ripples at Chowder Bay.

Drakopoulous will certainly have more time to spend on Sails than might have been the case. His group holds the ongoing leases for Ripples and Aqua at the North Sydney Olympic Pool—currently closed as the pool undergoes renovations that are running potentially up to 500 days late.

These leases have been the target of some criticisms from councillors given they were grandfathered without tender, but it would appear Drakopoulous is the one who would have the greatest cause for complaint given the immense loss of trading opportunities caused by the Milsons Point pool delays.

Digital Ad Signs Coming

Development applications by JCDecaux reveal their intention to erect a number of “freestanding digital advertising structures” across the municipality.

Featuring a 1.5sqm screen on one side displaying advertising on one side and a touch screen allowing access to council and community info on the other, the first is slated for Brett Whitely Place in North Sydney.

Others are also on the way at Military Rd, Neutral Bay; Pacific Highway, Crows Nest; Miller St, Cammeray; Broughton St, Kirribilli; Alfred St South, Milsons Point and Mitchell St, St Leonards.

The screens will also be able to display official emergency messages.