The Epping Property Owners Group has unveiled plans to redevelop Epping's CBD including at least 7 towers of 90 metres in height.

The Northern District Times (22/6/2011): http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/billion-dollar-plan-to-rebuild-epping/

yeah, right. nice try.

Epping is not especially pretty as it is.

“Epping is like a Third World country, it’s just been neglected, and needs renewal,” Mr Seehusen said.



Yes exactly.
And it's actually a pretty affluent area with house prices averaging at about $1m, middle class families. And it's right on a train line. I don't think there will be much of a NIMBY problem in this area... there isn't much to be proud of in Epping right now, and there is a population that has money and wants their suburb to be better.

Agree. Its very accessible and is crying out for large scale redevelopment

Very ambitious plan. Come on Mr Seehusen, tell us what you really think about Epping? Lol.

Read recently that the Parramatta and Hornsby Councils were taking on ideas to rejuvenate the Epping town centre. It will be of importance that both councils work together on this (the LGA boundary runs along the railway line and bisects the town centre).

The major hurdle to overcome in this idea is accessibility. I hope plans include additional access points for motorists to cross the railway line (Epping Road is the only general traffic overpass in the area and has been a bottleneck for many years).

Lived in Epping all my life... Have been waiting years for something like this but ideas such as these have been expressed numerous times to no real effect.

Crossing fingers but won't hold my breath.

As good as it looks, it wont become a reality in the short term.

Oh wow, you guys are deluding yourselves if you think the NIMBYs from the Epping Beecroft Civic trust will allow anything to be built in the area, let alone towers like this. Epping will stay as it is. They want no changes, also dont be surprised if they have another tilt at wrecking the NWRL (going further then they did last time) and the NSFC. They dont come much more NIMBY then these guys!

Lived in Epping all my life... Have been waiting years for something like this but ideas such as these have been expressed numerous times to no real effect.

Crossing fingers but won't hold my breath.

Yeah, that's the problem in Sydney. A lot of good, sensible ideas get put forward but don't actually go ahead. Hang in there Tim! It WILL happen one day!

Oh wow, you guys are deluding yourselves if you think the NIMBYs from the Epping Beecroft Civic trust will allow anything to be built in the area, let alone towers like this. Epping will stay as it is. They want no changes, also dont be surprised if they have another tilt at wrecking the NWRL (going further then they did last time) and the NSFC. They dont come much more NIMBY then these guys!

The NWRL is pretty much a goer whether people like it or not.

As if you're gunna see any highrise development in blue ribbon areas in the foreseeable future. LOL!

Shame about the NIMBYs, as Epping will be such a big transport hub when and if the NWRL and PERL are completed.

It is already a major transport hub. The NWRL will only increase its prominence.

Epping is not especially pretty as it is.

Yes exactly.
And it's actually a pretty affluent area with house prices averaging at about $1m, middle class families. And it's right on a train line. I don't think there will be much of a NIMBY problem in this area... there isn't much to be proud of in Epping right now, and there is a population that has money and wants their suburb to be better.

It seems like areas with lots of immigrants are uglier in general.
E.g. Epping has similar property values to many parts of the Sutherland Shire; yet the latter area looks much prettier.

Could it be that certain ethnicities are prone to making their private homes look "nice" (e.g. the revolting McMansions that apparently signify success) while failing to relate to the Australian ideal of an aesthetically pleasing neighbourhood?

Homes in Epping/Eastwood are stunning, but too expensive, I'd kill to move there from my McMansion in the hills lol. The Ryde area is my second most desired place to live in Sydney after the Inner West.

Homes in Epping/Eastwood are stunning, but too expensive, I'd kill to move there from my McMansion in the hills lol.

You must be one of those awful immigrants that aussieboy despises so much!

It seems like areas with lots of immigrants are uglier in general.
E.g. Epping has similar property values to many parts of the Sutherland Shire; yet the latter area looks much prettier.

Could it be that certain ethnicities are prone to making their private homes look "nice" (e.g. the revolting McMansions that apparently signify success) while failing to relate to the Australian ideal of an aesthetically pleasing neighbourhood?

I'm not sure what you are talking about - for example, Strathfield and Burwood are lovely areas thanks to migrants. Much better with them than without them. They have done a great job in fixing those dumps up from what they used to be.

Burwood has never really been a dump. It has always had a good shopping centre. The immigrants have enhanced it i.e. made it better.

It seems like areas with lots of immigrants are uglier in general.
E.g. Epping has similar property values to many parts of the Sutherland Shire; yet the latter area looks much prettier.

Could it be that certain ethnicities are prone to making their private homes look "nice" (e.g. the revolting McMansions that apparently signify success) while failing to relate to the Australian ideal of an aesthetically pleasing neighbourhood?

Yeah, Busby, Miller, Dharruk, Bidwill are all just LOVELY areas. To me, The Shire is a cashed-up bogan area which REALLY needs some work. Epping comes across as being far more civilised.

If it weren't for us, Sydney would be a sea of redbrick and fibro houses. No need to thank us immigrants for introducing style and good taste.

Here’s an idea to alleviate Epping’s traffic problems… The Epping By-pass Tunnel!!

Starting from the west side of Terrys Creek Bridge (on Epping’s eastern border), create a tunnel towards Carlingford Road to exit just passed Ryde Street on Epping’s western side. Then create two tunnels starting from under Essex Street and travelling north to meet Beecroft Road just before the M2 junction.

The tunnel under Carlingford Road could later be extended to just passed the Pennant Hills Road/Carlingford Road/Marsden Road junctions!

This way, most of Epping roads will only be dedicated to visitors, local traffic and passing traffic to & from Blaxland Road.

A bit of a pipe dream I know but couldn’t help but put it out there!

Hey Dudeeeeee - a proposed tunnel of that scale would perform a role similar to the M2. Through traffic to Carlingford should use the M2 and exit at Pennant Hills Rd, although I'm sure this would impress the toll dodgers among us. :tongue2:

Personally, I think the north-south corridor (Eastwood to Beecroft) requires more attention along with local traffic connections. Perhaps a second bridge connecting Carlingford Rd and Cambridge St would help. And a third bridge to the south (say Maida Rd to High St).

What do you folks reckon? [Awaits sh1t flying in my direction]

I think it needs a quicker bus to West Pennant Hills - 18 minutes.

If it involves terraforming robots, I'll support that!

If it weren't for us, Sydney would be a sea of redbrick and fibro houses. No need to thank us immigrants for introducing style and good taste.

Actually, Sydney would be dominated by Newtown-style terraces and Californian bungalows

So where are all the Popov/Burley Katon Halliday houses in Sydney's west???

recent aerial of epping
some highrise, 8storeys tallest
i wizz through it everyday on train but most of time im in a coma.
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/9757/epping.jpg

I was viewing the Sydway as well and its such a compact CBD. The picture above confirms it.

Apart from some blocks of three storey walk ups, alot of future development will have to occur on areas of freestanding homes and that means the NIMBY's will be out in very large numbers.

It's been a bugger of a place to drive through for as long as I can remember. Everything grinds to a halt at the rail bridge - it's been a while; have they widened that little beauty yet?

The pic Culwalla submitted perfectly demonstrates the traffic corridor in question (you should see it in peak hour!)...

A tunnel would fix that up!

Any redevelopment of Epping should be welcomed as it is a major transport hub and will become even moreso with the planned rail links in the future.

Running against this is a very active nimby group that has thwarted many proposals to increase denisty in Epping for more than 20 years. They have largely succeeded in getting dumbed down cheap versions of what could have been some great developments. The cnr of Beecroft rd and Carlingford rd comes to mind where an 8 or 9 storey apatmnt building now sits but which was originally proposed for close to 20 stories but the nimbys won that.

Too far away from the city to add anything, why not knock it down and turn it into farmland. :lol:
This is Nimby country, not a chance :bash:

The Epping Civic Trust's response to the Property Owners Group's proposal...

The Northern District Times (6/7/2011): http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/new-epping-cbd-concept-branded-a-failure/

:ohno:

Where's Part 3A when you need it? :)

Epping is a great little centre that has a lot of potential. :)

I think the proposal to put high rise on the Block bounded by Beecroft, Rawson, Bridge and Carlingford is great. Buildings need to go higher than the exisiting Genesis block as that's too stumpy. I'd also nominate the Coles on Rawson St as a great development site (go 15-20 floors at least here), with a replacement supermarket and other stores on the bottom. Get rid of the council car park and make a square with cafes, shops, bars etc... not an extension of Boronia Park.

Development opportunities on the east side are a bit more limited. I think it may be worth investigating the possibility of high rise towers atop the existing station, like at Chatswood or St Leonards. A second bridge is definately needed before this development can proceed though.

The Epping Civic Trust's response to the Property Owners Group's proposal...

The Northern District Times (6/7/2011): http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/new-epping-cbd-concept-branded-a-failure/

LOL! Didn't see that response coming... :ohno:


3A didn't help either as the previous Labor Government was only willing to use it in places like Ku-Ring-Gai where there was no political fallout for them. They had their chance to remake Epping but didn't take it, would have been a more worthwhile use of 3A powers than a few appartment blocks in Turramurra :lol:

LOL! Didn't see that response coming... :ohno:


3A didn't help either as the previous Labor Government was only willing to use it in places like Ku-Ring-Gai where there was no political fallout for them. They had their chance to remake Epping but didn't take it, would have been a more worthwhile use of 3A powers than a few appartment blocks in Turramurra :lol:

I think they forced Burwood council to build more than they were building but apart from that as you said only where there were absolutely no political risks. Anyway Epping is Liberal leaning and generally higher density areas are more labor leaning so they could've have a longterm political gain.

:cucumber:

Damn I stuffed up my signature

should be be:
"I love the screams of Nimbies in the morning, sounds like victory"

The Epping Civic Trust's response to the Property Owners Group's proposal...

The Northern District Times (6/7/2011): http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/new-epping-cbd-concept-branded-a-failure/

Traffic looks to be the major issue but also the provision of community facilities. Overdevelopment was not so much the issue.

Whats a ''Civic Trust'' anyway and what are their powers ? ?
Am i right to guess that its just anouther nimby, self interest group with a self elected head knob taking it upon themselves to represent the whole ''community'' ?

Another interest group sadly.

The Epping Chamber of Commerce has given the vision it's blessing.

Source: The Northern District Times, 20/7/2011

http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/epping-revamp-gains-support/

“Broadly, there is in general support of what EPOG is proposing, but it is certainly not unanimous.”

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/itll-make-epping-community-scream/story-fn6b3v4f-1226100272412


It'll make Epping community scream

Jesse Phillips
From:The Sunday Telegraph
July 24, 201112:00AM

http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2011/01/12/1225986/516069-units.jpg

More of this: Artist impression of a development in Epping. Source: Supplied


A PARRAMATTA councillor is expecting the Epping community to "scream its head off" when it sees what is planned for the suburb next week.

A joint study with neighbouring Hornsby Council into the future of the Epping town centre has flagged a need for 22-storey residential buildings to accommodate an extra 10,000 people.

The study was commissioned because Epping has been earmarked as a residential growth hub because it is on a train line with a link to Chatswood.

The state government is also sitting on plans for the Parramatta to Epping Rail Link and the North West Rail Link - which will further influence policy makers to increase residential density in Epping.

But one Parramatta councillor, Lorraine Wearne, has conceded "the community may scream its head off" when it sees what is being planned.

Cr Wearne, who helped work on the joint study, said 22 storeys might be too hard a sell.

"We are happy to have high rise in Epping but we have to get the public transport," she said.

"I would think about 16 to 18 storeys is more likely to be accepted.

"But until those things (public transport) are resolved it's going to be very, very difficult to deal with these things the study envisages."

Cr Wearne said the area's roads were already clogged. "If the cars can't come in and get out of the place at the moment, how on earth can we function if we put an extra 10,000 people in with an extra 8000 cars?" she said.

However, while Cr Wearne argues that the study might go too far, a group representing 25 property owners - who own 65 per cent of the land in the Epping CBD - insist even bigger buildings are needed.

Ben Seehusen, from the Epping Property Owners' Groups, said buildings at least 27 storeys high were needed.

"Where's the difference between 22 storeys and 27 storeys?" he said.

"We're not talking about turning it into Chatswood."

Cr Wearne said the group were just trying to "to line their pockets" at the expense of the community.

Parramatta City Council will consider whether to put the study on public display this week.

The community? No, certain members of the community, but not the entire community. Love the way they include everyone as though it were unanimous and not just the usual small vocal group who usually stir up a few more with wild exaggeration and downright misrepresentation.

[url]"Where's the difference between 22 storeys and 27 storeys?" he said.

How dare the council be this pro-development.
Many of the Buildings in the centre of the CBD are less than 27 storey's, WT is only 72.
Green Square's tallest building is only 28 storey's.
But I presume in Sydney tradition this tower will be melted down to 6 storeys.
I do think that this should be built until closer areas to the CBD are built up.

Would there be any way to have a force switch of councillors between the CofS and Parramatta council?

I live pretty close to that area and personally I can't wait to see it happening :)

Congestion would be a problem though - Epping Road especially is a nightmare during peak hours. I'll be eager to see how they'll work around this.

Will be interesting to see what is proposed by the council. The whole of Rawson St is likely to go, and hopefully redevelopment of Bridge St (although this is unlikely given the number of strata units). I think the proposed towers would need stay as close as possible to the station for TOD , also given the councils Eastwood-Epping heritage conservation area begins fairly close to the station.

Would like to see active street frontages as well with shops and offices, rather than just units on the ground floors. Would be better to go higher in a small area rather than have 3 floor walk ups spread everywhere.

Why would you want to drive if public transport is literally at your door?

The Epping Chamber of Commerce has given the vision it's blessing.

Source: The Northern District Times, 20/7/2011

http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/epping-revamp-gains-support/

Interesting that the comments on this article are very positive of the idea. I wonder how many of the three commenters are also members of EPOG?? Hopefully they are just general members of the community as it would be amazing if this was a commonly held view.

Epping will be another Dubai! *swoon*

phht more like it will be 5 story max area and thats with the bitches giving considerable ground

Wow it was quick!!

Epping plan shelved already
http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/epping-plan-shelved-already/

It means we will have to settle for 14 storeys for the time being under the proposed LEP.

http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/epping-plan-shelved-already/
> 22 story
> high rise

:ohno:

Wow, I am shocked... :lol:

14 will become 4 storeys MAX.

I have been an Eppingster all my life and I for one am getting f*#ckin' sick with this!..

Epping's traffic problems stem from though traffic from built up areas to the west such as Carlingford, Nth Rocks & basically the entire Hills District... The poor design & lack of transport of these growth areas have only made the Epping Bottleneck even more unbearable...

What happened when the M2 was opened?.. The traffic in Epping only intensified & has gotten worst since then!..

Since absolutely nothing will ever be done about the roads around Epping I pose a choice... Would you rather?:

a) Don't development Epping (leaving a collection of vacant & struggling businesses), continue developing 10's of thousands of dwellings West of the community (which Parra & Hornsby Council has no say over) and watch the traffic intensify & CBD fold.

OR

b) Develop as planned & have the above mentioned dwellings (in option "a") created in Epping which WILL create & justify new businesses & transport links.

Remember, 10000 people living in Epping CBD have more of a chance of riding the train or bus than placing the same population out west in Kellyville or Rouse Hill where people would drive EVEN if they had bloody train station!!

My logic is undeniable!!!

lol w.t.f.

^^excactly. A lot of the traffic at epping's created by the people from the hills district who have no choice but to pass through epping. So like you said why not develop a future major transport hub and hugely increase the chances of getting the future population growth to use public transport, leaving the area less congested? The nwrl that we're getting should take a good amount of cars off epping too.

again, W.T.F.

Decision stalls rejuvenation hopes

HORNSBY Deputy Mayor Michael Hutchence said he was disappointed that Parramatta Council voted against putting the Joint Epping Town Centre study on public exhibition.

Cr Hutchence said the decision was premature and he vowed to press on with a redevelopment of Epping.

“Finally there was an opportunity for Epping to be fixed up and improved with both councils working together,” Cr Hutchence said yesterday morning.

“For this to happen, it is disappointing. However, it is my hope that we can still work together with Parramatta Council.

“At this stage we just wanted to put it on public exhibition, but Parramatta residents are not having the opportunity to see what is proposed.

“I am keen for it to go on public exhibition to at last get feedback.

“There is no technical reason why we couldn’t go ahead with our plans, but it is a joint study so my hope is we can get it back on track.”

Cr Hutchence said Hornsby Council would discuss the Joint Epping Town Centre next week.

“There needs to be some change in Epping,” he said.

http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/decision-stalls-rejuvenation-hopes/

Epping has sah much potential. Sad.

EDIT: But actually then again, I don't understand why you would live in an apartment out in the suburbs :S Apartment towers should be kept to within 7km of CBD (Nothing should be built under 10 stories within this radius IMO). And perhaps around Parramatta since it's 2nd CBD.

Nah. Build it up. Epping is a major rail junction, to be more so. Has a 6 lane motorway running under it. Not sure what more you can do to avoid 'congestion' - which a lot of PT advocates now regard as self-limiting anyway.

If there is any place that you could develop further with residential, commercial and retail on site, it would be Epping. As others have said, definitely better than trying to achieve the same result in Kellyville or Rouse Hill or whatever.

Epping has sah much potential. Sad.

EDIT: But actually then again, I don't understand why you would live in an apartment out in the suburbs :S Apartment towers should be kept to within 7km of CBD (Nothing should be built under 10 stories within this radius IMO). And perhaps around Parramatta since it's 2nd CBD.

I can see that as a possible ulterior motive of Parramatta City Council - maybe they feel Epping could become a competitor for Parramatta CBD in terms of development if planning restrictions are relaxed?? Don't really get it to be honest, as several have mentioned further development in Epping CBD would not necessarily increase traffic through the suburb if development is in the form of high density residential, thus utilising the improved transport facilities.

Epping has sah much potential. Sad.

EDIT: But actually then again, I don't understand why you would live in an apartment out in the suburbs :S Apartment towers should be kept to within 7km of CBD (Nothing should be built under 10 stories within this radius IMO). And perhaps around Parramatta since it's 2nd CBD.

Mabey 10km nothing should be built (or exist) below 15storey's (except under air routes) and we can forget Parramatta and Urban sprawl :)

I see Epping as a mini St. Leonards in the making..& more so in terms of transport hubs!.. It IS already but isn't cause of the BS that comes out of these council dipsh%*ts...

Remember that there are two councils involved here, not one.

The Northern District Times (3/8/2011) on the latest on his vision.

State MP for Epping Greg Smith and Federal Liberal MP for Bennelong John Alexander have indicated their support for Highrise around Epping Station.

Greg Smith does want a 16 storey height limit.

The Northern District Times (3/8/2011) on the latest on his vision.

State MP for Epping Greg Smith and Federal Liberal MP for Bennelong John Alexander have indicated their support for Highrise around Epping Station.

Greg Smith does want a 16 storey height limit.
Greg Smith & John Alexander are both tools... But here's hoping something happens...

Why call them tools if they have indicated support for highrise towers?

Mainly because they were both aware of the proposal before we were & yet throw their weight behind the idea only after being rejected by Parra Council... Its all politics!

Epping Town Centre Study released! :banana:

http://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/planning-and-building/epping-town-centre-study

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/6707/eppingheight.gif

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/6356/eppingtowncentre.jpg

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/2496/eppingtowncentre2.jpg

It is not too intrusive on the lower density parts of the suburbs. A nice compact CBD with a good spread of highrise. A good concept so far.

Some seem to forget how suburbs such as Strathfield have highrise towers located next to the railway station and shopping centre, keeping away from the lower density areas. I remember my uni days at Strathfield and you never noticed the highrises from many angles anyways.

Looks fantastic!

I think that is fantastic! Pity it wont happen :(

What do you mean - the plan has been released for public comment.

When they said they have some high rises i thought they just meant a few... but wow.... this is incredible! And it looks to be quite a nice skyline too

now comes the inevitable NIMBY onslought though. hope hornsby council will stand firm.

Why call them tools if they have indicated support for highrise towers?

Because they are Liberal... don't worry about The Dude, he's as Labor as they get.

Personally, I don't care about the politics of it, as long as SOMETHING happens. But geez, they will need to sort out the traffic issues.

We know NSW Labor prefer skyscrapers over the Liberal counterparts, but we have seen little difference between both parties as of late.

I'm sure there are a lot of opposition considering there are lots of churches in vicinity and retirement homes.

The Epping club has a firm grip on that area especially if it overshadows that building or their arcade.

It might be the best opportunity for the club to cash in - think of the other major clubs that are seeking to build apartment towers, hotels etc above or around their clubs.

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/6356/eppingtowncentre.jpg


What a beauty!!!

Please do this. Cut Parramatta off from Hornsby. Just do it!

I am just so happy!

:banana:

We know NSW Labor prefer skyscrapers over the Liberal counterparts, but we have seen little difference between both parties as of late.

Seriously, you find more difference of opinion within the parties than you will find policies differences between Labor and Liberal.

Northern District Times (24/8/2011) reports that a group of landowners want to break away from Parramatta Council on the Parramatta side of the Epping CBD after the council's refusal to support the town centre plan. Good work.

Northern District Times (31/8/2011): Cr Lorraine Wearne from Parramatta Council features in an article about the council's opposition to proposed town plans. She supports development of 6-14 storeys arguing she wants variety. Also she is concerned over traffic and transport.

But hey doesn't the plan call for buildings of varying heights? - 4 to 22 storeys?

The Epping Town Centre plan goes on display today. Information can be sought from the Hornsby Council website - www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au

http://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/planning-and-building/epping-town-centre-study

Seems fairly positive:

89% of traffic in Epping is through-traffic - long term vision to do away with this by 50%
72m high limit for the highest zoned site
Considers mixed use where appropriate
Only 37% of Epping residents take public transport to work, and this considered high in Sydney


Here's the hight-limit map:
http://i.imgur.com/NDHII.png

There was recently a public meeting arranged for locals by the Epping Civic Trust. No coverage by the local press about it. It was held back on October 18.

The Epping Civic Trust is disappointed with the lack of submissions to the Epping Town Centre study especially with the plans to increase building heights.

Source: The Northern District Times (23/11/2011)

I made a submission that congratulated them for pushing for high density around public transport and decreasing through-traffic from cars. Best way to fight the Nimby's.

The amount of development around Epping Station is a joke. It is a major CityRail and bus interchange, and will become even more so with the NWRL and PERL (if it ever goes ahead). We need high rises around the station like in Chatswood or Strathfield.