[REDWatch Central to Eveleigh] FW: An independent review of the opportunities and risks relating to the Sale of the ATP

[Geoff Turnbull]

Dear Central to Eveleigh Interest Group

 

Further to my email earlier in the week. We have arranged for Council to
provide a briefing on the ATP sale EOI  at Alexandria Town Hall from 6-30 to
8pm on Tuesday March 3rd. The links to the report and the Mayoral Minute
were in the earlier email which is also below for your convenience.

 

Please try and attend the briefing and spread the word to others you might
be interested.

 

Regards,

 

Geoff

Geoffrey Turnbull

Ph: + 61 (0)2 8004 1490  Mob: 0418 457 392

From: Geoff Turnbull [mailto:geoff at turnbulls-au.com] 
Sent: Monday, 23 February 2015 11:15 PM
To: c2e_interest at lists.redwatch.org.au
Subject: An independent review of the opportunities and risks relating to
the Sale of the ATP

 

Dear Central to Eveleigh Stakeholders

 

This is a quick email to advise that the report we requested Council to
undertake on the ATP sale has been released tonight. It covers many of the
issues that were and remain of concern to us. Over the next day or so we
will try and arrange for a community briefing on the report - hopefully for
early next week so people can seek clarification on any of the issues from
Council. In the meantime we suggest you read the report.

 

We encouraged Council to undertake this report as the announcement was made
in early December and leading into the holiday season community people did
not have the time to make their own detailed assessments. The material is
being made available to the community to inform people's response to
UrbanGrowth NSW and the Minister regarding the proposal to sell the ATP. 

 

As the Council report has been delayed longer than expected concerned
community members should make their comments to UrbanGrowth Central to
Eveleigh as early as possible. We will approach UrbanGrowth and request that
they keep receiving comments over the next couple of weeks.

 

There is a Mayoral Minute
<http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/226833/15022
3_COUNCIL_ITEM35.pdf>  and Attachment A is the HillPDA report Australian
Technology Park (ATP) Eveleigh Stage 1 Call for Expressions of Interest An
independent review of the opportunities and risks relating to the Sale of
the ATP
<http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/226834/15022
3_COUNCIL_ITEM35_ATTACHMENTA.PDF> .

 

In case you are not aware Unions NSW has come out in opposition to the ATP
sale in line with the following motion:

 

Draft resolution for NSW on proposed sale of Australian Technology Park

Unions NSW notes:

a)      The Baird Coalition government called for expressions of interest to
buy all of the 13.2 hectare Australian Technology Park on the former
Eveleigh Locomotive Workshops site, closing on January 30, 2015, with a
final sale projected by June 30, 2015

b)      The ATP site is focused on new technology development and related
business incubation, and that about 5,000 people work on the site, and
operates at a surplus for the people of NSW

c)       The ATP site contains the Eveleigh Locomotive Workshop buildings
including the working Blacksmiths Shop, which is a manufacturing
steam-technology heritage site of national and international significance,
and which has important social meaning to the local community and retired
workers throughout NSW.

d)      The current Conservation Management Plan for the site expires in
2019. This CMP was achieved after a significant union and community struggle
to retain public access to the heritage items now conserved there, to ensure
that interpretation of the site was developed, and that the Blacksmiths Shop
with its unique equipment continued to operate and to train new generations
of skilled metal workers. There is no guarantee that this CMP will be
renewed under a private owner after 2019.

e)      The Baird government is linking the proposed ATP sale to the bigger
project for the transformation of the Central to Eveleigh Corridor, but
there is as yet no strategic plan for this larger railway infrastructure
space to which any proposed changed use of ATP could relate.

Therefore Unions NSW and its rail union affiliates

1.	call on the Baird Government to cancel the proposed sale of ATP now
underway and to undertake an independent public consultation process to
determine the best use of the three large carpark sites in ATP which are
available for further development, while keeping ATP in public ownership.
2.	Call on the Baird government to further enhance the conservation and
interpretation of the Eveleigh site by ensuring a genuine CMP continues
after 2019, and by consulting with rail unions and TAFE about further skills
training programs for young workers in the heritage areas
3.	Call on the Baird government to undertake an independent public
consultation about possible transformation of the Central - Eveleigh
Corridor to ensure the maximum environmental, public transport, residential,
and commercial outcome of this mega-scale concept on public land.
4.	Support a Union-REDWatch community forum on these issues prior to
the March 28 NSW State election to alert the community to the immediate
challenges at ATP and the Central-Eveleigh Corridor, and to thus develop a
sustained campaign about these vital public assets, whatever the outcome of
the state elections.

 

Regards,

 

Geoff

Geoffrey Turnbull

Spokesperson

REDWatch

Ph Wk: (02) 8004 1490  Mob: 0418 457 392

email: mail at redwatch.org.au 

web: www.redwatch.org.au 

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