Council rezoning retains market gardens

Randwick City Council last night voted to rezone a parcel of land, known as the Chinese Market Gardens, from residential 2(b) to RU4, primary production, which will see the market gardens continue to operate on the site.

This rezoning, as part of Council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP), recognised and endorsed the current use of the land, and will now be submitted to the State Minister for Planning for gazettal.

However, Council also noted that the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park (ESMP) had lodged a planning proposal seeking to make cemetery use permissible over part of the market gardens site. This planning proposal will be assessed by Council officers in due course, and any change in the use of the site would require future rezoning which would require a separate community consultation process.

Randwick Mayor Councillor Scott Nash also noted

Randwick City Council last night voted to rezone a parcel of land, known as the Chinese Market Gardens, from residential 2(b) to RU4, primary production, which will see the market gardens continue to operate on the site.

This rezoning, as part of Council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP), recognised and endorsed the current use of the land, and will now be submitted to the State Minister for Planning for gazettal.

However, Council also noted that the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park (ESMP) had lodged a planning proposal seeking to make cemetery use permissible over part of the market gardens site. This planning proposal will be assessed by Council officers in due course, and any change in the use of the site would require future rezoning which would require a separate community consultation process.

Randwick Mayor Councillor Scott Nash also noted that any future expansion of the cemetery onto lands currently occupied by the market gardens would be subject to a rigorous assessment of all relevant planning and heritage issues, environmental assessment under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, and the owner of the market gardens site (the Department of Lands) agreeing to the rezoning. A Development Application would then be required for any design and development on the site, and the community would be closely involved in this process.

Randwick Mayor Councillor Scott Nash noted at the meeting last night that Council had widely consulted the community on the LEP, and on the market gardens site in particular.

“Input from residents and ratepayers on these important issues informs Council’s planning decisions and future directions for our City. As always, we have welcomed the interest in and comments on this issue. Thanks to our extensive consultation process, all residents and ratepayers ofRandwickCityhad many opportunities to have their say,” he said.

The consultation process extended way beyond Council’s statutory obligations and included:

• The discussion papers and draft LEP being on public exhibition for 439 days
• Discussion papers and public meetings; and
• Opportunities for residents to speak with planners about the issues in detail.