The decision today by the
NSW State Government to clarify the intention of the Lands Acquisition (Just
Terms Compensation) Act is welcomed by Parramatta City Council as it moves
ahead with the first stages of the Civic Place development in the Parramatta
CBD.
“The State Government
recognises it is vital we deliver this ‘Federation Square’ for the people of
Parramatta and western Sydney,” said Dr Robert Lang, CEO of Parramatta City
Council.
“The clarification to the
act fixes an anomaly so that we are able to acquire land adjacent to
Council-owned land for an overall public purpose,” he said.
“Council’s vision for Civic
Place is to bring together public and private land to make full use of the
space in the heart of Parramatta. The benefits that Civic Place will bring will
be like a breath of fresh air through an old and crumbling part of our urban
landscape,” he said.
“Select powers of
compulsory acquisition in the act were intended to allow Private Public
Partnerships as a method to deliver major infrastructure projects, but the
outcome of the High Court runs counter to this intention,” he said.
“It is simply good
governance to correct something that was intended in legislation as a means to
deliver much-needed civic infrastructure, in this case for all citizens of
Parramatta,” Dr Lang said.
“The High Court ruled that
the acquisition of a few properties in Darcy Street and Church Street was not
an acquisition under the Local Government Act but an acquisition under the Land
Acquisition Act. This is the narrow legal point on which we lost the case.”
“These properties in
question form just 1 per cent of the total land area to be transformed into a
new library with state of the art technology, a new art gallery, pedestrian
links to the neighbouring Transport Interchange and vibrant open public
space. Plus acres of new inner city residences and A Grade
environmentally efficient quality office space essential for Sydney’s second
CBD.”
“Important infrastructure
such as this can only be delivered after the consolidation of the many small
holdings along with Council owned land in the area. These properties will play
their part in that consolidation and Council has always offered the owners
above market rates for their land, an offer so far refused.”
“Much work needs to be done
and the first steps Council will take in turning the first sod is to start the
design and consultancy phase so that our partner Grocon can soon submit a 3A
development application,” Dr Lang said.
“As the capital of Western
Sydney, the people of Parramatta and western Sydney deserve to see the very best
infrastructure built to support our rapidly growing region,” he said.
