Newcastle Rail Corridor Top Topic At Pubic Voice Session

BY IAN CROUCH

 A Public Voice meeting is being held tonight at City Hall to discuss the future use of the land where the Newcastle inner city rail line used to run.

The meeting will allow those in favour of developing it and those against the idea to make their case to Newcastle Council.

Newcastle Concerned Citizens Convenor, David Blyth believes the cutting of the rail line has had a detrimental impact in the city.

"There's a lot of concern about what we would regard as a very hasty cutting of the railway line with no real forethought as to how that might affect the city and the access to Newcastle by people from Sydney or from Lake Macquarie, and the consequences being fewer people are coming to Newcastle," he said.

David Blyth. Photo courtesy abc.net.au

However, Hunter director of The Property Council of Australia, Andrew Fletcher believes council should back a rezoning application which would allow for new buildings.

"By demanding further reports and further briefings they're risking the jobs and growth and the $2-billion investment pipeline we're seeing in the city centre," he said.

Andrew Fletcher

Newcastle Council Defers Decision On Rail Corridor Rezoning

BY IAN CROUCH

Newcastle councillors have stopped short on making a decision to rezone the disused rail corridor.

They deferred the vote last night on rezoning the land between Worth Place and Newcastle Railway Station which would've cleared the way for development.

Instead they've left the proposal on the table to allow for a briefing from council officers with an invitation to Urban Growth.

Councillor also want a report from the state government demonstrating the rail corridor is no longer needed for the city's transport needs.

Urban Growth wants the 4.25 hectare parcel of land rezoned to allow for mixed use development including public recreation as well as public education and tourist use of the corridor.

The plan also provides for up to 12 buildings and 3 new parks.

However Andrew Fletcher from the Property Council has slammed council's decision, saying it's putting the city's revitalisation at risk.

"Council weren't being asked last night to give any final stamp of approval. They were merely being asked to keep the process moving forward  - to take the rezoning to what's called a Gateway Process, which triggered another round of community consultations. So, by demanding further reports and further briefings, they're really risking the jobs and growth from the $2 billion investment pipeline in the city centre," he said.

Andrew Fletcher

New Plans to Preserve Newcastle Rail Corridor

BY BRIDGET GUNN AND JESSICA ROUSE

Newcastle Greens Councillors are set to put forward a motion at tonight's council meeting to zone the entire railway corridor as Special Purposes Transport Infrastructure.

The proposal will include allowances for open space transport modes such as pedestrian crossings and cycleways as well as pop up installations and cafes.

Councillor Therese Doyle says the imminent council amalgamations will take the zoning decision out of elected councillors hands.

"The problem with UrbanGrowth's proposal is that it puts development right across the corridor that can be used for public transport purposes, and if we go ahead with UrbanGrowth's proposal, there will be no turning back for Newcastle to have an efficient transport system," says Doyle.

"Premier Mike Baird promised that the decision on the re-zoning of the railway corridor would be up to Council, and we want to keep him at his word, but if we are sacked the only representative of Council that will be making that decision will be an un-elected administrator."

Councillor Therese Doyle and Greens MCL David Shoebridge
discussing the rail corridor plans
Source: The Newcastle Herald

Fears Over Newcastle Rail Corridor Rezoning Proposal

BY IAN CROUCH

 Some Newcastle councillors believe the rezoning of the heavy rail corridor could become a done deal if the state government gets its way with the proposed amalgamation with Port Stephens.

With a rescission motion to overturn a vote to take legal action against the government to try to stop the merger going ahead still to be debated, Labor and Greens councillors say the rezoning proposal could be out of their hands.

Newcastle Councillor and state MP, Tim Crackenthorp says the decision needs to be made by the democratically elected council.


"I've got grave concerns that the Premier said that the people would have the final say on development in the rail corridor whereas Newcastle Council will probably be amalgamated with Port Stephens and that final say will come down to a government-appointed administrator", he said

Tim Crackenthorp