NO COLOSSUS FOR RHODES

Call for halt to harbour projects

CANADA BAY City Councillor Megan Lavender has backed calls for a halt to foreshore development projects on the Rhodes Peninsula until local residents’ concerns about site contamination, building works, higher densities and public infrastructure are adequately addressed.

"The state government and the development industry owe it to the current and future residents of Rhodes, Concord West and Liberty Grove – as well as to people across the Parramatta River in Meadowbank and West Ryde – to ensure that the redevelopment of the Rhodes Peninsula is properly planned and managed," Cr Lavender said.

"What we don’t want to see over the construction phase of building projects, or in the years to come with local homes, offices and shops, are problems arising that we could have addressed today at the planning stage, but for a rush to bypass community consultation in exchange for speedy sales returns on developer dollars," she said.

Cr Lavender, who previously sponsored several council backed resolutions for better community consultation, was responding to calls earlier this week by the Rhodes Peninsula Group for a moratorium on remediation work on the former Allied Feeds and Union Carbide sites and development of the Australand and Lang Walker owned projects.


In an interview with the Australian Financial Review on Monday, July 16th, development supremo Lang Walker said that he expected to start earthworks on his $960 million residential, office and retail complex later this year, despite Canada Bay Council not yet approving his master plan for the old Orica site.


For additional information, please contact Canada Bay City Councillor Megan Lavender direct on telephone 02 9747 2920 or 0419 419 269, by facsimile on 02 9703 5520, or via email at lavender@hotkey.net.au

MN2001209

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18TH, 2001

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FROM THE RHODES PENINSULA GROUP - TUESDAY 17 JULY 2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RHODES PENINSULA GROUP

39 Blaxland Road, Rhodes - 2138 Tel: (Bus) 9232 6739 (Home) 9743 1527

Website: http://drive.to/rhodes Email: Rhodes@drive.to


16 July 2001 Release: Immediate


Press Release

Rhodes Peninsula Group Calls For Moratorium on Works at Rhodes

The Rhodes Peninsula Group has called for moratorium on all letting of contracts and works on the former Allied Feeds and Union Carbide sites and Homebush Bay sediments until the promised Community Reference Group is formed and operational and all residents’ concerns are adequately dealt with and a moratorium on all construction on the Australand, Walker/Orica, Union Carbide and Allied Feeds sites until adequate infrastructure in the local area is committed to in writing by the State Government.

Background to Call for Moratorium.

RPG understands that the process to be used at Rhodes has failed to successfully treat some contaminants at the Olympic site to the standards required by the NSW EPA, undermining the credibility of the proposed remediation at Rhodes.


An article in the Northern District Times has informed local communities that the Government (Waterways and Public Works) have resiled from their commitment to the formation of a Community Reference Group similar to the HOMBERG group which existed for the Olympic remediation. The Government has therefore actively misled residents of Rhodes, Concord West, Liberty Grove, Meadowbank and West Ryde in public meetings held earlier this year.

The residents of these suburbs have serious concerns about a number of aspects of the remediation, development and lack of appropriate infrastructure including:

Dust control during remediation (and construction)– Thiess have a bad record with residents of Melrose Park and Mortlake. 

Protection of human, bird and aquatic life using the Parramatta River – The Newington and Bicentennial Park wetlands and the local sea scouts, sailors and other recreational users of the river must be protected. The wetlands have protected, threatened and JAMBA/CAMBA species. 

Prevention of dioxins entering fish and prawns caught and eaten commercially or by recreational fishers. 

The consistently incompetent or unbelievable transport studies, the last of which proposes a 13 minute wait to get through the Homebush Bay/Concord Road intersection for Northbound peak traffic by the time the development is finished. Roseberry to Martin Place will be 12 minutes in AM peak. 

Gross overdevelopment leading to strain on community facilities – both the former Concord and current Canada Bay Councils have condemned the proposed development. 

Proposed remediation not meeting WHO and USA EPA standards. 

The Inner West Greens have also called for a moratorium.

Background to Rhodes Peninsula Group

The Rhodes Peninsula Group (RPG) was established in March 1999 at the suggestion of our local State MP, Mr John Murray, after a public meeting attended by over 200 local residents who expressed concern over this development.


For further information: http://drive.to/rhodes or Paul Hanly 9736 2419


for and on behalf of the Rhodes Peninsula Group