Speak Up, Shape Your Neighbourhood For Good
You spoke up - 229 submissions
During the Exhibition period, 229 submissions were received by the Department of Planning relating to this proposal. The overwhelming majority of submissions objected to the proposed development. Though not responsible for assessing the DA, the Inner West Council prepared a submission and found after reviewing that:
"there are a number of substantive issues which would need to be resolved prior to approval of the application. It is considered that the proposal fails to adequately address a number of impacts associated with the development which have not been adequately resolved through the current design and information presented with the proposal"
You can read Council's full response to the DA here.
The Timberyards development has the potential to benefit our entire community, but the current plan is shaped by greed and prioritises profit over people. It does not to provide the right homes and infrastructure we need.
We must speak up and push for changes that truly support our community and provide the homes that are needed.
Share your thoughts—let the government know where you stand!
Snapshot:
The development plans are extensive and can be overwhelming. We have summarised them to help you understand the planned development and the impact it will have on our community.
- 1,188 rental units - no home ownership is possible in this development
- 40 x 3 bedroom units
- 275 x 2 bedroom units
- 201 x 1 bedroom units
- 83 x studio units (35m2)
- 589 x co-living units (25m2) - typically for travelling business persons (short stay accomodation)
- 216 residential parking spots
Below are some key reasons why the Timberyards development isn’t a good fit yet. We’ll continue updating this website as we review the extensive documents and uncover more details.
View from Frampton Av and Farr Street
The permitted height for the tower block on Sydenham Road is 3 storeys (orange dotted line). But the developers are proposing to build 8 storeys (solid yellow line).
This proposal is not only excessive and illegal but will also overshadow surrounding homes, negatively impacting the community.
Not for Families
Out of the 1,188 units coming, there are only:
- 40 x 3-bedroom units.
- 275 x 2-bedroom units
This plan does not offer housing for families who desperately need it to continue to live in the area.
Not affordable
Less than 10% of these units are set aside for Affordable Housing.
This plan does not provide enough housing for low-income residents. In today's climate we need more housing assistance.
Still not affordable
The cost of renting standard units is set at market rates. We have a housing crisis; many people struggle to afford market rate rent.
This plan does not help to reduce housing stress.
Illegal Height
The Sydenham Road block is 8 storeys high. The legal maximum is 3 storeys.
This increased height significantly and unnecessarily impacts the existing homes on surrounding roads.
Where will you park?
1,188 units are coming, with only 216 parking spaces planned.
It's going to get even harder to park in surrounding streets.
Waiting for services
Finding spots in schools and childcare for Marrickville's children is already challenging and there are lengthy wait times at the medical centre.
Illegal Shadowing
Homes on Sydenham Road lose almost all of their daylight due to the illegal 8 storey block; with some homes receiving only 30mins of daylight in winter.
This plan drastically impacts existing homes, all for financial profit.
And more...
There are many more issues with this development plan that we haven’t covered here, ranging from technical issues (like flooding to occur in the development's basement and ground floor) to administrative/technical errors in the application that undermine the proposal.
We encourage you to review the plans yourself, consider the impact on our community, and form your own opinion. Your voice matters—get informed and speak up!
Housing affordability
The proposed $730 million Timberyards development has been marketed as a solution to the housing crisis and a benefit to the community. In reality, it does little to address this need while significantly harming our existing neighbourhoods.
This development does nothing for home ownership and instead will be marketed above current market rentals for the same size housing in Marrickville.
Push for developers to increase the number of affordable and family units, stay within the legal building limits, actively work to benefit the community and anything else which concerns you.
Read the 229 submissions
You can view the submissions received by the Department on the NSW Planning Portal by clicking the link below.
In the meantime, any additional concerns can be provided to the Department by contacting the assessment officer listed on the NSW Planning Portal page.
Part of a larger picture
The land from Addison Road to Fitzroy and Sydenham Road was re-zoned for higher-density residential and commercial spaces known as Precinct 47. This re-zoning was supported by in-depth studies to appropriately accomodate future housing, protect creative industries in Marrickville and allow for growth in respect to infrastructure.
Instead of delivering this scheme, the Timberyards proposal has sought an additional 20% floor space and height with the majority of units (76% of the 1,188) being studio and one-bedroom rental accomodation.
Now is the time to take a stand—tell the government that this and all future developments must truly benefit our community and meet our needs.
Rach & Zoe
We are concerned locals who see this as a crucial opportunity to speak up and push for a development that prioritises people and community needs over corporate greed. We would love to see a development that meets the real needs of the community and wider housing affordability crisis.
Contact Us
If you would like to chat further, or would like to find out more, feel free to email us.
timberyardscommunity@gmail.com