A brief history of COFA’s redevelopment project

In 2002, COFA lodged the ad-hoc DA 1431 with Council for the construction of an Art Museum & Gallery on the Selwyn Street residential frontage of its campus. No small project, this would be the third largest gallery in Sydney.

The Community objects and requests a Masterplan for the whole COFA Campus site that would reorient the campus and Gallery towards its non-residential frontages on Oxford Street and Greens Road.

In June 2004, UNSW withdraws DA 1431 and agrees to work with Sydney City Council and the community on a comprehensive Masterplan.

From 2005 to 2008, much work was done by all parties. The UNSW, the Community and Council negotiated a Development Control Plan that made everyone a winner. COFA got a campus-wide agreement, and the Community got its wish for reorientation plus an agreement for all access – during development and on project completion – to come via Greens Road.

This new masterplanned DA was approved by Council in June 2008 and by the NSW Planning Minister. Demolition and construction was expected to start at the end of 2008, but the Global Financial Crisis intervened. COFA lost its private funding and the project was put on hold for a year.

COFA then applied for a share of Kevin Rudd’s Federal stimulus funding. In May 2009, $48 million is granted and the project was, once again, full steam ahead.

In July 2009, the Community lobbied to be part of the process in line with DA approval, but was told that COFA was still developing its plans. Soon after, COFA announced that the project had been delayed to mid 2010.

Then, on 20 November 2009, an impromptu Construction Liaison Committee meeting was called. The Community was told that UNSW COFA had a change of priorities and things were now steaming ahead in December, in a matter of weeks.

COFA informed residents that, back in October, it had already lodged and had approved by Council a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) to use the one-way system of residential streets at the rear of the campus for its demolition construction route – unbeknownst to the Community and contrary to its consent conditions.

In December 2009, the Community holds an urgent meeting with Sydney City Council and UNSW representatives. Council withdraws approval of the CTMP, as COFA failed to comply with the DA requirement to table and discuss the construction traffic routes at the Community meeting.

On 14 January 2010, UNSW/COFA unveils a revised CTMP that still results in truck traffic using residential streets. While it reduces the number of residents directly affected, it doubles the impact for many homes.

Both COFA’s proposed truck routes run contrary to the repeated commitments made in COFA’s DA to use the non-residential access route on Greens Road.

Below are just two extracts from COFA’s 2008 masterplan DA approved by consent authorities. Similar commitments to use Greens Road for the redevelopment recur throughout the consent documents.

“The new 1.5 storey height loading dock accessed from Greens Rd will be formed as an initial activity. This access will be extended through Block F, providing large vehicle access to the central courtyard area of the campus, the three buildings to be demolished, and the worksite for the construction of new Block D, the Courtyard, and the Gallery.”

“Greens Rd currently provides the major vehicular access to the site. Construction traffic will access the redevelopment site from Greens Rd. A detailed traffic management plan will be developed by the Contractor, to ensure that a safe pedestrian and vehicle environment is maintained.”

All the Community is asking is for UNSW COFA to do what it said it would and comply with the letter and spirit of its development consent.