Newsletter 45 –  Luna Park and Lavender Green

Voices in the wilderness – Protecting our Open Space at Lavender Green

First the losses of large swathes of Cammeray Golf Course (to the Western Harbour Tunnel) and Bradfield Park (to cycle/e-bike tracks) now Lavender Green is at risk.

Back in July 2021 I asked – Is Luna Park a case of regulator capture? Yes, because the state environmental regulator does Luna Park’s bidding.

The evidence: Luna Park

• stood to benefit from a change in the planning controls contained in the 2018 changes to the State Environment Planning Policy (SEPP)as it applied to Luna Park- see newsletter 30 and
• would suffer no consequences for the building it had undertaken without approval.

Lavender Green (the northern end of the Luna Park site) was singled out for special protection.

The Government said of the SEPP
Any rides or amusements on Lavender Green will require a development application.”

There is no ambiguity here. In fact, Felicity Wilson (the local member) said:

New rides and amusements on Lavender Green may only proceed through a full development application process.

The DA process was promoted as the way of protecting Lavender Green – keeping it green.

Now, without Development Approval, Luna Park is, contrary to the conditions of the SEPP and the assurance given by Felicity Wilson, constructing a new amusement on Lavender Green – a skating rink

The skating rink is in the “pavilion” and that raises another issue – why, given the strict prohibition on any permanent building on Lavender Green has the “pavilion’, a storm rated structure, remained in place for more than 5 years?– see newsletter 5

Why has this open green space been alienated from the public and fenced off?

Lavender Green was always intended to be open green space.

Perhaps open green space has no value in the eyes of the NSW State Government. We would like to be assured otherwise.

Ian Mutton – imutton@crafers.com