03/07/2025
Please read to the end.
These are facts that have been presented to state Ministers and local councillors highlighting all the reasons why they shouldn't support development of Canterbury Park Race Course land.
Dear Minister
We are a community based organization and have been formed to protect the Heritage listed Canterbury Park Racecourse and lands associated with it.
It has come to our attention that the Canterbury Bankstown Council’s alternate submission to the TOD for the suburb of Canterbury has sought to alter the zoning of the natural ground openspace area known as 59A King Street Canterbury from RE2 to R4 high density without any consultation with the local community and or explanation as to why they have gone well outside the 400 m radius of the TOD SEPP to do this;
https://haveyoursay.cbcity.nsw.gov.au/planning-canterbury-local-centre
We outline our concerns as follows:
Council seeks to rezone the open grassed area known as 59A King St Canterbury, to R4 high density, maximum 8 stories. This is in direct contradiction to the current Development Application No DA-8910/1997/B which requires this parcel of land to be used as a car park for Canterbury Racecourse Night Racing events.
Interference with Development Consent for Night Racing at the Canterbury Park Racecourse as will require the rezoning of the multi-use car park at 59A King St Canterbury in order to meet the proposed Zoning changes in Councils submission.
The current zoning is RE2 Private Recreation – It cannot be changed via a SEPP to high density residential without effectively rendering the Condition of Consent for Night Racing null and void. The Condition of Consent was put in place after much Community consultation and concern over limited street parking in the area and the impact on local residents parking and local traffic safety during the large Canterbury night racing events ( crowds reported to over 9000 patrons regularly).
Note this condition of consent was placed on the management of the Racecourse by the former Canterbury Council in 1997 together with the current head of ICAC – Mr Hatzistergos – former Councillor of Canterbury Council.
Canterbury Bankstown Council prepared a detailed report for the Planning Panel dated 3 May 2021 prepared by noting that the applicant (property consultants contracted to the Australian Turf Club) withdrew the modification to alter the original development consent DA-8910/1997/B – for reasons above.
Hence, we urge the excise of 59A King Street Canterbury from any planning proposals or masterplans that the Department of Planning is looking at making as it goes against the original development consent granted for night racing in 1997.
Canterbury Bankstown Council initiated a Masterplan for the Racecourse, in consultation with the State Planning office and invited community persons to participate in it, but making them sign an NDA – the results of this masterplan have never been made public. It seems strange that Councils Submission should include the Racecourse owned land at 59A King St, without reference to any Masterplan for the Racecourse as a whole, I should suggest this is very remiss of the Council Planning Department if not being informed by the yet to be completed or announced Masterplan over the site.
The Plan also contradicts the Premiers numerous public statements and intention to do what he can to "protect the public open spaces of Sydney" in order to support the growth and densification the city needs, which as we know, without sufficient open space will in fact only act to inhibit this future growth ( e.g. NSW Government Architects "Greener Places Design Framework 2025" ).
The 8 stories maximum elevations earmarked in the Submission for for 59A King St is well over and above the surrounding proposed maximum elevations of 6 stories in this Plan for no apparent reason,even though 59A King St is the furthest parcel from and well outside of the 400m radius of the Canterbury Transport hub. In addition , there is no other openspace planned for in this Submission to support the increased densities and proper community consultation around this has not taken place. All up, this looks more like a disingenuous attempt to override the night racing consent and rezone this property behind closed doors for the benefit of racecourse management without any purposeful plan, scrutiny or public engagement. It is well known that the Australian Turf Club (ATC) have been in negotiations with property developer Mirvac Pty Ltd over this piece of land for some time now ( i.e. ATC Annual reports 2017, 2018 etc)
The current space known as 59A King St is a large grassy open area, used as open air parking on Night Racing evening events, but acts as open recreation space to the Community every other day and there is no reason for it not to continue to be openspace in perpetuity if protected now.
Sydney needs more housing , yes, but not at the expense of the very limited openspace the Inner city has to support it.
Yours faithfully
Matt Burke
Spokesperson: Canterbury Racecourse Action Group (CRAG)
ph 0438 255 472
email: [email protected]
Web: www.crag.community
