Green Square another step closer....Not before time.

The City has finally at long last released the next phase of the Green Square Town Centre development, with the latest Draft Local Environment Plan (LEP). The current LEP is a revised draft of the original version prepared in 2003 by the former South Sydney City Council prior to amalgamation.

There has been a further 2 year delay in reviewing the original Green Square LEP proposed by South Sydney with no significant differences in the two proposals. Simply another delay to frustrate land owners, investors and the community in Green Square who are keen to see new shopping centre and other amenities promised.

Meantime the Lord Mayor Clover Moore is using ratepayer's money to seek legal advise and gearing up Council to fight the proposed Sydney Airport redevelopment in the Botany Council area. One of her arguments is the damage the airport development could do to the Green Square area. Now that the Council will finally adopt a new LEP for the area the property industry might take seriously the years of Green Square hype and glossy brochures and look at making some real economic and job creating investments. The race is on and the City of Sydney needs to be out there ahead of the Airport Corporation with sleeves rolled up prepared to work with the property industry to achieve excellence in economic, social and urban design outcomes. If the airport developments do damage Green Square's viability and future growth then the Council must accept part of that blame.

From the Council report:
"With the cost of essential infrastructure expected to exceed $103 million, full implementation of the new Town Centre is anticipated to evolve over a period of more then 10 years.
Based on a number of technical studies to ensure the best outcomes are delivered, the vision for Green Square is to provide a new and vibrant town centre where people will live, work, shop, dine out, be entertained and take part in cultural and community activities.
The proposed development will include two key public plazas, a landscaped boulevard with cycle and pedestrian paths, parks and other communal spaces.
City of Sydney will host a planning Forum on 18 February 2006 from 12.30pm to 2.30pm at the Green Square Community Facility, 3 Joynton Avenue Alexandria. "