Mayor's Community Message
26 March
HOUSING UPLIFT
Proposed residential developments at Gladesville, Macquarie Park and Ryde which will deliver more than 1,600 new homes in the City of Ryde were recently declared State Significant Developments by NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully.
As a result, these projects – which were fast-tracked by the State Government’s new three-member Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) – completely bypass the normal Council development approval process.
While Council is fully supportive of housing uplift in our local government area to help ease Sydney’s crippling housing crisis, I am concerned that we may lose vital infrastructure funding through the HDA process.
Developers and Council often enter into Voluntary Planning Agreements in which developers fund or provide essential supporting infrastructure such as footpaths, roadworks, and open space as part of project delivery. Under the HDA structure, this support is now uncertain, and its loss could impose a significant financial burden on our community.
I want to let the community know that I will continue to advocate strongly for collaboration with the NSW Government to ‘strike the right balance’ between housing uplift, local employment opportunities, and the infrastructure we need to accompany growing density and population.
NOWRUZ CELEBRATION
I was delighted to attend Council’s inaugural Nowruz celebration at Top Ryde City shopping centre on Thursday 20 March.
Nowruz, meaning "new day," is a traditional festival marking the beginning of spring and the Persian New Year, and is celebrated by over 300 million people worldwide. With over 3,000 years of history, it symbolises hope, prosperity, and new beginnings.
It was wonderful to see so many members of our Persian community gathered together for this meaningful occasion, which further enhances City of Ryde’s well-earned reputation as a uniquely diverse and harmonious place where all cultures are welcomed and celebrated.
MEET THE MAYOR
I had another enjoyable and constructive morning with members of our community at my latest Meet the Mayor event at Putney Beach on Saturday 22 March.
These informal, family-friendly gatherings offer a terrific opportunity for me to hear first-hand your concerns and your ideas about how we can work together to make the City of Ryde an even better place to live, work and play.
I’ll be holding another Meet the Mayor on Saturday 5 April at Meadowbank Park. Everyone is welcome, so bring the kids and enjoy a cup of coffee along with a friendly chat.
Sincerely,
Trenton Brown – Mayor