Cooks Cove Development

Construction and operation of an 18-hole golf course and driving range, construction of interim clubhouse facilities, construction of golf course operational maintenance facility, upgrade and heritage conservation works to the Arncliffe Market Gardens, including subdivision and boundary adjustment, public domain works including landscaping works along sections of the Cooks River and Muddy Creek foreshores, construction of new shared pedestrian / cycle ways and bridge over Muddy Creek to Kyeemagh, site establishment works including demolition of existing structures, tree and vegetation removal, early works including cutting, filling and acceptance/stockpiling of materials, site remediation works and environmental improvement works

The National Trust of Australia (NSW) lodges a strong objection to the Designated/Integrated Development Application for the Cooks Cove Southern Precinct (DA-2017/179).

In March 2002, the National Trust lodged an objection to the then exhibited draft Regional Environmental Plan for the redevelopment of former open space on the northern edge of Arncliffe adjoining Cooks River. While, at that time, the draft Regional Environmental Plan ostensibly required the conservation of Heritage, the exhibited Masterplan proposed destruction of the Chinese market gardens on the site, which were listed on the State Heritage Register. At that time, the developer was the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, acting under the name of the Cooks Cove Redevelopment Authority, and the owner of the land was the Department Of Planning. The confluence of Departmental interests in this development left the ‘public interest’ as the poor relation. This continues to be a major and very concerning issue with the present Cooks Cove project.

The current proposal is virtually the same as the 2002 proposal and offers no better outcomes. The relocation of the golf course to occupy current open space represents an alienation of public reserves to private interests and a net loss to the community.

If a private development had been proposed to directly take over Barton Park, Riverine Park and Banksia Field, with no obvious public open space return, then that development would have been rejected out of hand. The golf-course relocation upon which this development depends confuses, but does not conceal, this highly negative outcome for the community.

 

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The success of the proposal also appears to rely upon the alienation of an area of the Arncliffe Market Gardens for private ‘golfing’ interests. No justification is provided regarding why an area of government-owned, heritage listed land should be provided to ensure the success of a private commercial operation (whether considered directly in relation to the operability of the golf club or indirectly in relation to the removal of the golf club from their present lands).

While this may suit the ultimate owner of the land (which is the NSW Government), the lessees of the land, who actually operate the market gardens, are totally opposed to the reduction in their leasehold area and the potential threat to the viability of their market gardens. In this context, the landowner’s willing acceptance of this excision of land from the Market Gardens would appear, on face value, to be in flagrant contravention of their legal obligations under the Heritage Act.

For these reasons the excision of land from the Market Gardens must be rejected. It would clearly be an adverse impact upon the history, operation and viability of the market gardens.

If this particular section along the eastern side of the market gardens is claimed to be environmentally degraded and currently unusable, then that is prima facie evidence that the landowner is in breach of their Heritage Act obligations. Specifically in relation to the State-Owned Heritage Management Principles, the landowner has failed to maintain the market gardens and their operability.

This breach should not be concealed within what is otherwise a neighbouring development proposal that has no good reason to affect, much less involve, this State Heritage Register listed land.

Fundamentally, the proposed redevelopment of the land currently occupied by Kogarah Golf Club represents the redevelopment of public-owned land (which is currently leased to a private club) for private profit. This then results in a loss of approximately 50 hectares of land to the south which is currently available for general public recreation.

This deplorable result depends upon, amongst other things (including loss of wetlands and environmental open space), the removal of part of the Arncliffe Market Gardens, which were heritage-listed so as to protect them for future generations.

It is remarkable that, after more than 15 years, this project could be still alive. No amount of promotion will correct its fundamental flaws. The proposal should be abandoned immediately in favour of significant levels of investment in environmental management and recreational open-space.

The success of the proposal also appears to rely upon the alienation of an area of the Arncliffe Market Gardens for private ‘golfing’ interests. No justification is provided regarding why an area of government-owned, heritage listed land should be provided to ensure the success of a private commercial operation (whether considered directly in relation to the operability of the golf club or indirectly in relation to the removal of the golf club from their present lands).

While this may suit the ultimate owner of the land (which is the NSW Government), the lessees of the land, who actually operate the market gardens, are totally opposed to the reduction in their leasehold area and the potential threat to the viability of their market gardens. In this context, the landowner’s willing acceptance of this excision of land from the Market Gardens would appear, on face value, to be in flagrant contravention of their legal obligations under the Heritage Act.

For these reasons the excision of land from the Market Gardens must be rejected. It would clearly be an adverse impact upon the history, operation and viability of the market gardens.

If this particular section along the eastern side of the market gardens is claimed to be environmentally degraded and currently unusable, then that is prima facie evidence that the landowner is in breach of their Heritage Act obligations. Specifically in relation to the State-Owned Heritage Management Principles, the landowner has failed to maintain the market gardens and their operability.

This breach should not be concealed within what is otherwise a neighbouring development proposal that has no good reason to affect, much less involve, this State Heritage Register listed land.

Fundamentally, the proposed redevelopment of the land currently occupied by Kogarah Golf Club represents the redevelopment of public-owned land (which is currently leased to a private club) for private profit. This then results in a loss of approximately 50 hectares of land to the south which is currently available for general public recreation.

This deplorable result depends upon, amongst other things (including loss of wetlands and environmental open space), the removal of part of the Arncliffe Market Gardens, which were heritage-listed so as to protect them for future generations.

It is remarkable that, after more than 15 years, this project could be still alive. No amount of promotion will correct its fundamental flaws. The proposal should be abandoned immediately in favour of significant levels of investment in environmental management and recreational open-space.