Marrickville Metro expansion & the trees

View of trees in the unused space beside the main entrance at Marrickville Metro

AMP, which owns Marrickville Metro, plans to expand the shopping complex by 35,000 sq mts, more than doubling its size.  They intend to bypass planning restrictions from Marrickville Council & apply to the Joint Regional Planning Panel under Part 3A.  In my opinion it is highly likely that the plan will get the go ahead from the JRPP, as they seem happy to permit development that local Councils have indicated they are likely to refuse.

The Marrickville Greens are opposed to the proposed expansion of Marrickville Metro & you can read what they think about the issue by clicking on this link – http://marrickvillegreens.wordpress.com/issue/marrickville-metro-expansion/ I am unaware what Marrickville Labor or the Independent Councillors think about the proposed expansion.

On AMP’s Marrickville Metro web-site they say their research showed:

• One in 2 people found the idea of an expanded Metro “very appealing”
• 81% of Marrickville LGA residents thought that an upgraded Metro would serve the community better
• 58% liked both strip shopping locations & shopping centres

This is a seriously big Fig with a girth of many metres. It stands near the front entrance on Victoria Road.

Apart from the obvious impact this development will have on our local shopping strips & issues like increased traffic, pollution & delivery trucks, SoT’s main concern is the probable loss of all the mature trees which surround the Metro site & all the mature Eucalypts which line the surrounding roads.

Around the perimeter of the current Marrickville Metro there are 54 Figs, 13 Brushbox, 3 Camphor laurels, 1 Peppercorn, 1 Palm. There are 11 mature Eucalypts on Smidmore Street. This is a total of 83 mature trees & I did not include the smaller trees.

Looking at the drawing of the new Metro on AMPs web-site I would consider all these trees at risk of removal.  The artist’s impression of what the finished development will look like is interesting.  The drawing of the new Metro shows 3 London Plane trees & lots of paving.

AMP say they want feedback from the community.  They don’t appear to be asking how we feel about the expansion or whether we want it or not, but what kind of shops & amenities we would like. Regardless, you can write to AMP & give feedback. franchesca.garciadarke@ampcapital.com

Personally, I don’t want a bigger Metro. Two supermarkets are enough for me. I definitely do not want all those trees chopped down.  I believe that for the Inner West we need the opposite to concentration of large volumes of traffic towards 1 block of land. A sustainable inner Sydney needs shopping strips near where people live as opposed to being forced to use their car & travel for kilometres each time they go shopping.

AMP’s Marrickville Metro web-site is at the following link – http://www.marrickvillemetroshopping.com.au/developmentupdate.amx