BUNDOCK STREET PROJECT GROUP

c/o Randwick Community Centre

33 Bundock Street, Randwick NSW 2031

 

 

Bundock Street, Randwick

 

A Vision for the Department of Defence site at Bundock Street, Randwick

This is an exceptional opportunity for the local community and the three tiers of government in Australia to work together to create a model of socially responsible and sustainable living for Sydney.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Introduction

  2. Bundock Street Project Group

  3. Notes on the Bundock Street Project Option

  4. Guiding Principles for Development Control

  5. Birds - sighted in and around the Bundock Street Wetlands

  6. Plants - a selection of plants located around the Bundock Street Wetlands and dunes

 

INTRODUCTION

The Bundock Street Project Group aims to facilitate and encourage effective consultation with the community, other major stakeholders regarding rezoning of the Department of Defence property known as the Bundock Street site.

The Group have developed an Option which integrates a range of low density housing with community facilities and the preservation of the natural environment. The sensitive wetlands area of the site is an important habitat for native birds and plants. The flora in the area includes two endangered native species: Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub (ESBS) and a rare wattle.

As part of the proposal the Group has detailed Guiding Principles for Development Control.

 

 

BUNDOCK STREET PROJECT GROUP

The Bundock Street Project Group was formed in October 1994 following the announcement that the Department of Defence site was once again listed for rezoning. Over the past four years the Group has been active in consulting with the community, other major stakeholders and the Department of Defence towards developing a vision for the site.

The Group have developed a proposal which integrates a range of low density housing with community facilities and the preservation of the natural environment. In essence the group supports:

  • Residential development, only on areas on the site where there currently are buildings;

  • Preservation and rehabilitation of the wetlands area;

  • Integrated aged housing to meet the growing needs of the elderly in Randwick;

  • Improved community facilities;

  • Open space where there is currently open space.

 

Environmental information

The `Bundock Wetlands' in the city of Randwick are nestled between residences bordering Holmes Street, Moverly Green and Bundock Street. It is an important piece of natural bushland which contains a significant community of the endangered Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, a rare wattle, more than 32 species of birds and an ephemeral lake. The preservation of the area is a priority in any redevelopment consideration. They are the only remaining extant wetland in the Eastern Suburbs.

Community Facilities

The Randwick Community Centre and SOS Pre-school have been operating for more than twenty years. The Community Centre is the permanent home of several organisations, including Randwick Family Day Care, Annabel House Dementia Respite Care, Sydney Aboriginal Business Enterprise Centre, Children’s Garden Steiner School, Community Garden and WIRES. More than 60 additional groups use the Centre on a casual basis. The Centre is completely self-funded. The SOS Pre-school is the only community-based state-funded preschool in Randwick City. It currently provides child care services for 80 families per week.

Enquiries:

Bundock Street Project Group
c/o Randwick Community Centre
33 Bundock Street
Randwick, NSW 2031
Ph: (02) 9314 2152
Fax: (02) 9314 0678
 

NOTES ON THE BUNDOCK STREET PROJECT GROUP OPTION

  1. Retain all the existing open space - wetlands, playing fields and all bushland. Protect and restore all the wetland area and the remnant vegetation on the dunes using best practice bush regeneration. The wetland area should be rehabilitated with the Department of Defence honouring its environmental management commitments.

  2. Maintain the existing boundary between the open space and the Navy stores which forms a natural edge - partly accessible to cars and completely accessible to pedestrians and bicycles.

  3. Retain and expand the existing community facilities - the Community Centre, the SOS Pre-school and the surrounding grounds, preferably in the existing location. Extra services required by incoming population must be properly catered for. Cost of the upgraded Community Centre to be paid for by the Department of Defence.

  4. Any housing development must meet the needs of Randwick. With creative planning a reasonable return for the Department of Defence can still be achieved.

  5. Provide a diversity of ‘whole of life’ housing size and type with 2A and 2B residential zones - no 2C and no high rise.

  6. No more than 400 dwellings or 1200 people.

  7. As 22% of Randwick’s population is 55 and over, a variety of aged housing must be appropriately catered for, located near community facilities and transport.

  8. Subdivision of the urban site should be considered to allow for more than one developer and the possibility of smaller projects such as a much needed St Vincent De Paul hostel, co-operative housing and 24-hour dementia care accommodation.

  9. No shopping complex - only a small village type general store.

  10. Only indirect north/south access across the site should be allowed to protect the amenity of the surrounding area. Reduced impact of the car with pedestrian and bicycles properly catered for. Improved public access to the site, can be achieved without routing a bus through the middle of the site. The Avoca Street access issue must be satisfactorily resolved before any rezoning of the land.

  11. The remainder of the site to be developed using ESD principles. Take advantage of the existing retention basin for on-site waste water management and recycling (`A New Course of Sydney Water'). Incorporate grid-linked renewable energy systems. Use road, kerbing, parking and building design that minimises water run off.

  12. With the relocation of the army site a possibility in about 15 years it would be wise to see the development of this site in the larger context. There should be no development on any open space.

  13. Satisfactory remediation of all contaminated land should be undertaken by the Department of Defence prior to the land’s disposal. The cost of remediation and rehabilitation of the wetland area to be borne by the Department of Defence.

 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR DEVELOPMENT CONTROL

  1. To produce an environment which will benefit the community and is socially responsive.

    2. This requires thorough investigation of community’s needs and community involvement via consultation and participation in the process and decision making.

  2. To minimise the impact of any development on the surrounding area.

    3. This requires the assessment of the social and environmental impact of any proposed options for development; i.e. the effects of a significant increase in population and resulting increase in traffic, parking problems, strain on community services and loss of amenities.

  3. To use principles of ecologically/environmentally sustainable development.

    4. `Development that improves the total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends.'

    (Source: Natural Strategy for ESD 1992, AGPS Canberra)

    Environmentally responsible design incorporates:

    • Use of energy efficient building design - use of local renewable energy sources (sunlight, wind, bio-gas and gravity) to make development energy self-sufficient.

    • Use of construction materials which are second-hand or made from renewable resources, can be recycled and are of long lasting quality.

    • Waste water management strategies (e.g. recycling of grey water, retention basins).

    • Reduction in the impact of the car (back lane access, underground parking).

  4. To conserve and restore all the existing open space.

    5. The open space created by the wetlands, playing fields and the surrounding bushland to be preserved and restored for passive and active recreation. (Retain, restore and regenerate). A comprehensive environmental study by the peak environmental groups is warranted for this significant but degraded area which has been used by the public for many decades and comprises almost half of the site in question. Surveys of existing uses of the area for passive and active recreation must be considered along with the impact of any increased population. An appropriate buffer should be established between the wetlands and any residential or urban development proposed to the west of the wetlands.

  5. To meet the area’s needs for community facilities.

    6. The Randwick Community Centre must continue to serve the local community in its current form (the size, character, function and location of the buildings and related open space). The community’s current needs must be thoroughly considered and the impact of the additional needs created by any new development factored in to any proposal.

  6. To meet Randwick’s housing needs.

This will involve detailed analysis of the current housing needs and the extrapolation of 1991 figures from the demographic study to determine Randwick’s future housing needs. Some needs have been identified as:

    • A need for a diversity of housing (size and type).

    • Particular need for housing for the elderly and disadvantaged (low maintainenance independent dwellings, hostels, nursing and dementia care accommodation).

    • ‘Whole of life’ housing.

 

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