Dear Parishioners & Friends of Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral,

Have your Say and Sign this petition and share it with people you know.

On 10 August 2022 the Parish received a Notice of Exhibition from the Department of Planning and Environment for a planning proposal at 2A Gregory Place Harris Park. The development is situated closely on the adjoining lands, at the rear of the Church which can be seen on the google satellite map attached. The development will comprise a total of 3 buildings each with 8 levels and totalling 483 residential apartments.

Some of the concerns the proposed development raises for the Parish include:

 1.       Inconsistent with the heritage of the area

Presently Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral is a significant landmark in the Western Sydney and in particular the Parramatta area. The statue of Our Lady is widely recognised and is significant to many of the Catholic and other Christian faithful in the area. Further, the parish is situated in a conservation precinct which includes Elizabeth Farm and the area has significant cultural history. The area is an excellent example of the stages of indigenous history, colonial history and the waves of migration that have occurred in the area.  The proposed series of buildings is substantial and overpowering. It will limit the visibility of the Parish and the Church building. More importantly the development is inconsistent with current natural and building landscapes around the Parish and of the overall area in general. It is out of place in terms of the history which is so significant around it. That includes the heritage conservation area of Elizabeth Farm surrounding the parish and Hambeldon Cottage Museum which will be in front of the proposed development.  

2.  Privacy and Shadowing

The height of the residential apartments is considerable and will be as high as the of the statue of Our Lady at the top of the Church. The plans also show proposed roof top gardens and landscaping that overlook the parish precinct and Church. The Church is a significant place of worship and this will raise issues in relation to privacy, as the apartment will be looking into the Church, and the parish and community precinct. The current plans demonstrate shadowing which will occur from the units which will impact on the light that will enter the Church. Further, such a significant development will hamper the activities that currently occur in the Parish.

3.    Increased traffic and noise impacts

The development is considerable and will have traffic and noise impacts on the Parish and the surrounding Parramatta area in general. The development will exacerbate the current traffic issues facing Parramatta at present. Hassell Street and the surrounding streets leading in and out of Parramatta already have major traffic issues which have not been addressed. The will be further exacerbated by a development of this size. Presently, the lots contain industrial factories and the activities of the Parish do not impact on the area. Having residential apartments located so closely to the Parish and school precinct will significantly reduce the ability to function as a worship community in the area.

Have your say:

a) Sign this petition and share it with people you know.

b) Draft and lodge a submission and/or ask others to do the same before close of business Monday 29 August 2022 using the link: https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/gregory-place-build-rent 

Should you require any further information please contact the Maronite Chancery by email to info@maronite.org.au

PLEASE NOTE: Donations made on this website (change.org) DOES NOT go to the church or the cause of this petition. 

Photo source: https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=PDA-31073734%2120211102T210413.326%20GMT