Member for Macquarie Fields, Anoulack Chanthivong MP, has voiced his strong opposition to a development proposal in Edmondson Park that is set to drastically change the suburb by unleashing a tidal wave of new houses and flats – up to 3286 dwellings from 440 currently.

“This almost eight-fold increase in dwellings is totally out of control and typical of the Liberal Government’s unfair planning agenda,” Mr Chanthivong said.

“It goes completely against my Stop the Squeeze campaign, which highlighted residents’ concerns and angst about overdevelopment in our suburbs.

“Lack of infrastructure, inadequate commuter carparking, unreliable train services, absence of new schools, general overcrowding, traffic congestion and threats to our vital green open space are issues people in my electorate deal with on a daily basis.

“Yet here comes a proposal from the Liberal Government’s property developer Landcom that is set to create an explosion in density and high-rises in Edmondson Park.

“People deserve better than living in shoeboxes and squashed in like sardines. More urban splatter is not what people want and it’s not conducive to a healthy living environment. It’s time to Stop the Squeeze.”

Mr Chanthivong has called on community members to have a say on the proposals, currently on public exhibition until 4 December 2018.

“Every submission will help strengthen the campaign against overdevelopment in our area. It’s important to speak up now before it’s too late,” Mr Chanthivong said.

In addition to increasing approved dwellings from 440 to 3286, Landcom’s proposed changes to its Edmondson Park Town Centre Concept Plan include:

• Inclusion of high-rise apartments
• Increasing height limits from 24 metres to 37 metres (8 storeys to 12 storeys)
• Reducing the size of the land set aside for a primary and high school.

An overwhelming 98% of Stop the Squeeze survey respondents said they have had enough of development in their suburb; 96% of people think developers have too power; 95% of residents do not support more development in their suburb and 98% of locals say it is important to retain the area’s green open space and suburban charm.

Information on the proposed development and how to make a submission can be found at http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=8607