SAD transport News: Newcastle City Councillors supports rezoning of rail corridor

[Red_Rattler]

Yep "greedy" developers yet again get their way.

First though, let me say that the NSW government, Premier Baird (he's getting to be known as a dictator) our planning minister Rob Stokes, and Andrew Constance actually "blackmailed" the Newcastle City Council councillors saying "Rezone it OR we will take $100 Millions back to Sydney, or in other words, "Re-zone it OR else"

See the first article here: http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4...t-it-warning-over-council-rail-delays/?cs=305

Note how the state government threatened the council.

And then their is the second article here: http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4227516/council-votes-to-back-rezoning-of-corridor/?cs=305

It basically means that it will be turned over to development. At first, the government said it will NOT be developed, then they admit we may allow some development, then a bit more development. On Monday night Urban Growth ("G" should really stand for "Greed") they said they will develop "only" 1,500 metres of it - that's about 60% of the corridor. Now we are wondering when it will reach 100% development. But their is a condition - The state government rarely though follows through with it's promises, and they have been very secretive, so much so that they to refuse to release several documents. You might say they are "puppet of developers" That doesn't meant that development should not take place, just that bad development should not take place.

This street view shows why developers are after the rail land. http://tinyurl.com/z32pau3

Special Note: You will note at the end, that you are allowed to comment. You will also note just how "strong" quite a number of comments are from those who support cutting the rail line (already cut) & support rezoning. At times they have very strong.
When people do start comment, I urge you to also post a comment as well.

 

[pware]

I have not been to Newcastle since they cut the rail link to the city centre but on my last visit, by train, prior to the "cut" one thing that I did notice was just how dead the city centre was. The large Myer department store had closed as had other businesses. Certainly, there are a number of older and even heritage buildings along the rail corridor that should be preserved, but it was clear to me that the place needed redevelopment if it was going to revive or even survive.

Now I cannot comment on the scope or nature of the proposed redevelopments as I have not seen any plans and, after the recent scandal of political donations to local Newcastle state government MPs by developers, we would be wise to be very skeptical.

The irony is that if the planned redevelopments succeed in reviving the fortunes of the Newcastle CBD, the one thing that they could very well need is heavy rail to meet the commuter, shopper and tourist transport demands. The proposed light rail system, which is supposed to replace the now closed heavy rail, will probably not be able to cope, just as the current Sydney Central to Dulwich Hill light rail line, which was built on a former heavy rail line, is now struggling to cope with its demand.