Australia: Minister Frank Sartor seized control of AU$800 million Carlton and United Brewery site

Planning Minister Frank Sartor has seized control of the development of the city's AU$800 million Carlton and United Brewery site from Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, claiming it had become a "constipated camel", The Daily Telegraph posted June 22.

After three years, 13 different designs and AU$8 million in fees, the city's largest planned residential development has been declared a project of "state significance.”

"I walked through the site and looked at the models and I thought, I have to call this in, its crazy," Mr Sartor said June 21.

His decision has outraged Ms Moore, who claimed owners Foster’s were just about to sign off on a deal with council. "The reason for this intervention is so the State Government can get its hands on at least AU$30 million from this development in this blatant cash grab," Ms Moore said.

She said the Government had been involved in the planning through the Central Sydney Planning Committee (CPSC) and by "condemning the process they are condemning themselves". Ms Moore said Mr Sartor had every opportunity to intervene earlier through the committee. "We're on a slippery slope to slums of the future," she said.

Mr Sartor said June 21 he would not increase the number of dwellings on the site – the equivalent of four city blocks. He accused the council of imposing too many restrictions and placing heritage orders on things not of heritage value. He said the development would now begin within 12 months.

"The project has been tangled up in red tape at Town Hall for three years," Mr Sartor said. He said the developer contribution would be no more than 3 per cent of the Broadway development value. It would also add affordable housing in the Chippendale area.

Foster’s spokesman Geoff Donohue told The Daily Telegraph last week that the company did not want any more delays to the project. Once approved, it was likely Fosters would sell the site to a developer.

"The whole process has been a long process but it's a very huge and important site," Mr Donohue said. "The good thing is none of work we've done to date has been lost," he said.

23 June, 2006