The people of the Inner West love our neighbourhood - and in particular enjoy the beauty and history of Sydney Park and the Brickworks area at the south end of King St.

The NSW Government and Sydney Trains are about to ruin this for all of us by erecting an enormous 8 x 2 meter (7936mm horizontally and 2048mm vertically) digital advertising billboard at the corner of Sydney Park Road and King St.

This visual monstrosity will rise 5.7 meters above the footpath pushing advertisements 24 hours a day to all drivers and pedestrians in and around the area, and will partially block the view to Sydney Park from King St.

It seems that Sydney Trains and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment don't care about our environment and are happy to install this hideous eyesore from JCDecaux on our streets.  And what's worse - it will be installed only a handful of metres away from an existing enormous JCDecaux billboard which is on the side of the One Playground Gym on King St. 

It seems that money and advertising revenue are all that matter.  

This billboard :

• Will visually pollute the local area
• Does not fit with the natural and heritage environment of Sydney park and surrounding area
• Will have an extremely adverse impact on residents living in the adjacent buildings due to its size and the light emitted, proximity to individual homes, and 24 hour operation.
• Has safety implications as it will distract drivers in an area where families and young children are walking (heavy pedestrian area due to proximity to Sydney Park amenities) 

Say NO this this by please doing the following:

1. Sign this petition and share it on your social accounts
2. email Paul Scully - the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces - who is authorised to approve or reject the proposal, and ask him to reject it (you can use the email template below) -  office@scully.minister.nsw.gov.au

Say NO to this unnecessary, intrusive, unsightly and dangerous, blatant revenue generating exercise.   

_______________________________________________________________________

E-MAIL TEMPLATE

TO: office@scully.minister.nsw.gov.au;
CC: jenny.leong@parliament.nsw.gov.au; wollongong@parliament.nsw.gov.au; david.mclaughlin@waveydaveydesigns.com

SUBJECT: Objections to DA 23/14504 - Digital Signage and Monopole - Sydney Park Road, Erskineville. 

 

Dear Minister Scully

I’m writing to you to express my objection to the proposed installation of a large digital billboard at Sydney Park Road, Erskineville (DA 23/14504)

I ask you to listen to – and act upon – the large number of varied and valid objections that have been submitted to date by both the public and by town planning professionals. 

Minister, so far:

• 161 local residents have proactively accessed the on-line DA feedback portal provided by the Department of Planning and Environment to OBJECT to the installation of the billboard.
• Senior Town Planners from both City of Sydney Council and Inner West Council have provided thorough and detailed objections via submissions sent to the Department of Planning and Environment
• A number of concerned locals have reached out to Local Member for Newtown Jenny Leong seeking her help to ensure the proposal is rejected, prompting Jenny to write directly to you asking you to intervene.
• Over 500 concerned residents have signed a Change.org petition to express their opposition and objection to the installation of this billboard.
• Media organisation Mumbrella have written an article on our efforts to demonstrate how the community have come together to oppose this application.

Minister, I ask you to listen to the local constituents and be guided in your decision making by their wishes and concerns – rather than being guided by a need to generate revenue.   

The reasons for objection are expressed in great detail by the Town Planners; by the 161 locals who formally objected via the portal; and via the comments and signatures of the 500+ locals who have signed the petition.  

To summarise, we object to the installation of this billboard because of the: 

• Excessive scale of the installation, which will detract from the character of the streetscape, and surrounding views and vistas.
• Safety implications to road users and pedestrians.  The billboard is designed to distract motorists in the lead up to Sydney Park Junction - an area used heavily by families accessing the park, and by cyclists using the cycle way.   It is already an accident-prone zone – distracting drivers in this area is dangerous and irresponsible.
• Impacts to the landscape and heritage significance of Sydney Park and brickworks.
• Impact to the residents of the neighbouring residential buildings, particularly caused by the excessive light and the 24x7 proposed operation.
• Excessive advertising already present in the immediate area – notably another huge JC Decaux billboard on the adjacent St (Concord St) and advertising on bus stops and walls all around the proposed site.  This will add further visual clutter to a residential area that needs regeneration.

Minister, the billboard is of no value whatsoever to the local community and its sole purpose is to act as a revenue stream for NSW Trains / NSW Department of Transport.

We ask you to do the right thing and reject this application.

I look forward to hearing from you.