Alternative Media Group

Clover props Pyrmont against Metro’s might

Author:

Angus Thompson

Posted:

Thursday, 25 June 2009

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has publicly denounced the NSW Government’s plans to demolish four heritage terraces in Pyrmont to make way for the proposed CBD Metro railway, demanding an alternative site be found.
Ms Moore dedicated her support towards a local community coalition campaigning to save the buildings along Union Street and the adjacent Union Square at a forum hosted by the City of Sydney on Monday night.
“I strongly oppose Sydney Metro’s proposal to demolish a number of heritage significant buildings at Pyrmont’s Union Square. I support the community’s campaign to prevent the destruction of these important buildings,” Ms Moore reiterated from a statement issued last week.
“I have raised local residents’ concerns with the relevant NSW Ministers, including impacts on individual property owners, loss of local heritage buildings and access to Union Square during construction.”
The Pyrmont Community Group has appealed to the NSW Minister for Transport, David Campbell to consider two alternative locations: The Star City development, which is currently a large quarry diagonal to the site; and the adjacent road, which is the Union Street between Pyrmont and Edward Streets.
However, Sydney Metro representatives told City councillors at a briefing on Monday that major electricity cables ran beneath Union Street at the suggested intervals, making it more cost effective to resume the chosen buildings.
“In order to locate station access points between Pyrmont and Edward Streets, a duplicate electricity cable network would need to be created to maintain supply for tens of thousands of homes and businesses,” a Sydney Metro spokesperson told The City News.
“Preliminary investigations have shown the cost of locating station access points in Union Street, between Pyrmont and Edward Streets, would be significantly more than the current proposal.”
But the authority was unable to reveal the costs involved, leaving councillors unconvinced.
“As a general rule out the Council supports the Metro. But what we can’t support are…visions that aren’t backed up by real hard evidence in terms of costs, and implications for Energy Australia,” said Councillor John MacInerney, who suggested the Star City Casino site at the “obvious and logical solution”.
The finalised construction zone for the proposed Pyrmont station will engulf three existing businesses, with subway ventilation shafts and a new building incorporating station entry points eventually replacing them.
The Pyrmont Community Group will put a list of requests to Council to aid them in their campaign to preserve the precinct, which could involve financial support and help organising a rally at Union Square on July 4.
“As the representatives of our community and our heritage, we are looking to you to provide us with the material support to wage this campaign and to fight on the issues yourselves,” said Pyrmont Community Group spokesperson Danielle Celermajer.
“We have the passion about this but we do not have the resources.”

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