tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-307123132011-12-30T19:50:46.044+11:00Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.comBlogger761100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-34251171056710036232011-12-10T10:26:00.005+11:002011-12-11T15:25:29.548+11:00

The Department of Planning states ad nausea that its high-density policies provide housing choice. But one or the reasons for SOS resisting high-density housing being forced onto communities that do not want it is that this reduces choice for the housing that most people want – family friendly single-residential housing.SOS has been pointing out for years the tragic consequence of this policy –

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-68282047559154809632011-02-01T09:21:00.002+11:002011-02-01T09:28:56.428+11:00

The NSW Department of Planning has told councils that special purpose or special use lands such as for schools, hospitals, churches and community centres must be rezoned according to that of their surrounding areas. That mostly means they will be zoned for even more residential. So while densities will increase further, public land will be reduced. Where and how will children be educated and

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-294672598471575782010-12-08T11:49:00.003+11:002010-12-08T11:57:50.460+11:00

AMENDED MASTER PLAN FOR RHODES PENINSULAALAN JEFFERY povides a description of how the amenity of Rhodes is being destroyed by senseless overdevelopment as at the end of December 2010.Rhodes Peninsula continues to be abused by both the State Government and Canada Bay Council. The Master Plan is being massively amended during construction of this residential/commercial/retail development to permit

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-39268612213860798692010-07-28T10:07:00.009+10:002010-07-28T11:12:59.727+10:00

The 2008 oil crisis caused a substantial increase in fuel costs which, not surprisingly, at the time resulted in a decrease in car travel and an increase in the use of public transport in the United States. Some have used this occurrence to claim that there is a wide significant move from private to public transport and that this has resulted from policies to force higher densities into cities.

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-61092199816140632812010-05-15T14:36:00.003+10:002010-05-15T14:41:09.201+10:00

METROPOLITAN STRATEGY REVIEWComment on discussion paper:Sydney Greater Metropolitan Region12 May 20101. STRATEGY PROGRESS SO FARThe planning strategy adopted for the Metropolitan Region will have many longterm and irreversible consequences. The Government’s aims are listed in figure 2of the Metropolitan Strategy Review 2036 Discussion Paper. By use of the terms“city of cities” and “urban renewal”

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-78558298880876881462010-05-15T14:30:00.001+10:002010-05-15T14:31:33.901+10:00

Save Our Suburbs has another article in the prestigious international New Geography publication. Many Australians are most concerned about just how their children and grandchildren will ever be able to afford to buy a house, even with both partners working in good jobs. They will be doomed to be perpetual renters of a box in the sky as the Great Australian Aspiration of owning a family home

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-28416583803223189332010-05-15T14:15:00.001+10:002010-05-15T14:18:08.450+10:00

On 11 May Save Our Suburbs was interviewed by Phil Dobie from the website BNET. You can listen to the live interview on http://blogs.bnetau.com.au/aussierules/2010/05/12/bona-fide-nimbyism-btalk/Once on the site, to start listening turn on your computer speaker and click the button with the arrowhead that is above the photograph

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-76546913192451330172009-07-01T08:11:00.003+10:002009-07-01T08:23:00.441+10:00

We are faced with a growing population - the result of the increase of the world population and the Commonwealth Government's immigration policy. Whatever we do, there will be plusses and minuses. The high-density advocates claim it is better to cram us in closer together. But research undeniably shows that in Australia high-density is less sustainable than single-residential living. With

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-32528382445505447662009-06-20T17:00:00.001+10:002009-06-20T17:03:16.860+10:00

It is obvious that many of these academics, architects and planners take the city's existence for granted. They see the city just as a sculpture. They take it's existence for granted and do not seem to understand that a city only exists because of it's people.If a city is pleasant to live in, functionnal, beautiful, economically successful and offers affordable accomodation people want, then

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-14798947602945978872008-12-17T17:13:00.002+11:002008-12-17T17:18:49.611+11:00

Sadly, the engineering practicalities relating to transport proposals never seem to be considered by commentators. Wendell Cox writes as follows:ABC’s Background Briefing ran a story on Sunday (14 December) decrying the continued delay in expanding Sydney’s rail system. Regrettably, it was typical of a policy environment that appears to understand neither cities nor urban transport.The story

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-49392932365405242008-12-09T08:00:00.003+11:002008-12-09T08:13:01.523+11:00

Why, people ask, does Sydney not emulate the density of Paris? Then everyone can use public transport and Sydney's transport problems will be solved.Yes, it is a delight for tourists to travel around Central Paris.But they are referring to the part of Paris seen by tourists and town planners. What they see is the old central Paris, built before the advent of motorised transport. Such old cities

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-26503334792775987902008-10-17T08:57:00.001+11:002008-10-17T08:58:48.290+11:00

It is clear that the Rudd government has given housing affordability a prominent place in its agenda. The government’s efforts to reduce infrastructure fees on the fringe of Canberra are surely a step in the right direction, since such fees are, along with urban consolidation land rationing, responsible for destroying housing affordability.In further pursuit of housing affordability, the Rudd

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-46815564330516124312008-09-09T08:52:00.005+10:002008-09-09T09:04:32.373+10:00

Save Our Suburbs has been fighting over-development for 9 years. We have challenged the Government to show their high-density policies, which are so devastating to local communities, are to the benefit of the broader public. But they always shrink from the challenge, slinking back into their cushy offices and slamming the doors. Our tenth such antagonist, Minister of Planning, Frank Sartor

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-78837214231637548422008-08-02T17:50:00.001+10:002008-08-02T17:52:19.206+10:00

In our fight against political donations, I have occasion to mention the recorded case of NSW Premier Robert Askin receiving $15,000 in a brown paper bag in relation to a development proposal. I then encounter raised eyebrows. Many people just do not want to believe this. But it is necessary to fully appreciate how deeply embedded is this practice in NSW. More on donations is now emerging from

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-84046396158188962442008-08-02T17:46:00.002+10:002008-08-02T17:49:16.692+10:00

"FIRST WORD" LETTERSydney Morning Herald 21 June 2008 Why planning needs the voice of the communityThe passage of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Bill 2008 late last Tuesday night will sound the death of community participation in planning in NSW.The then premier Neville Wran introduced in 1979 the original Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. In the decade before this,

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-85706170256415124692008-08-02T17:35:00.003+10:002008-08-02T17:40:23.439+10:00

SAVE OUR SUBURBS MEDIA RELEASE23 February 2008Save Our Suburbs demands inquiry into Government Planning PoliciesThe staggering revelations about developer donations inevitably lead to questions about the NSW Government’s high-density policies (termed “urban consolidation”). The Department of Planning has never provided credible justification for this policy which provides huge profits for

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-78247514859670861842008-01-08T10:26:00.000+11:002008-01-08T10:33:26.612+11:00

The NSW Government has announced an inquiry into improving the planing system and has requested public comment. The address to send submissions is given as "Planning Reform".An SOS member has written to this address as follows:Dear Sir/Madam, Another point I should have made is my strong objection to your use of the term “reform” when you are putting proposed changes out for public comment on

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-63452183770422279592008-01-04T11:24:00.000+11:002008-01-04T16:01:17.635+11:00

SOS member Adrien Krebs has done some research on the cost of housing. He writes:In yesterday's Australian Financial Review (2 January 2008) an article entitled Adelaide Steals Perth's Crown mentions that the median house price in Australia in 2007 was $482 601 and that of a unit was $386 873.So out of curiosity I did a little research and found the median home (I assume house and unit all

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-40323543844817437202007-12-20T18:07:00.000+11:002008-01-04T10:28:23.885+11:00

Sunday Telegraph.com.au 4 November 07It is astounding to learn that Landcom, an organisation set up by the New South Wales Government to offer affordable houses on the city fringe, is demanding up to an outrageous $380,000 for newly released housing lots in Helensburgh (“High-rise towers for the aged”, Sunday Telegraph 28 October). Such prices cannot be justified as agricultural land sells

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-54783656882170102682007-11-05T16:04:00.000+11:002007-11-21T15:51:56.163+11:00

Accounting for greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) is no simple matter in urban transport. It is not as simple as the GHG emissions from the vehicles themselves. For example, there is the vehicle manufacturing process. There is also vehicle maintenance and the energy used to keep stations and administrative facilities open. There is simply no central source of information for such data, a situation

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-66757991260354860262007-11-04T12:42:00.000+11:002007-11-04T12:45:14.371+11:00

Sunday Telegraph 4 November 2007It is astounding to learn that Landcom, an organisation set up by the New South Wales Government to offer affordable houses on the city fringe, is demanding up to an outrageous $380,000 for newly released housing lots in Helensburgh ("High-rise towers for the aged", Sunday Telegraph 28 October). Such prices cannot be justified as agricultural land sells for the

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-66856103321526706722007-11-04T12:33:00.000+11:002007-11-04T12:41:54.020+11:00

North Shore Times 2 November 2007Victoria Brookman (Labor candidate), the furore about Frank Sartor’s grab of Ku-ring-gai Council’s planning powers is no mere political beat-up (Times October 26). The community is objecting to the Department of Planning devising ever more despotic ways of forcing high-density into the community. There can be no doubt the residents overwhelmingly reject

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-8086157437071577002007-10-31T07:08:00.000+11:002007-10-31T10:05:58.867+11:00

Contrary to the repeated claims of high-density advocates that public transport travel is environmentally far superior to travel in cars, it has now been found that this is not the case. Greenhouse gas emission data posted by Demographia shows that the average petrol car in Australia in 2006 emitted 188 grams CO2 equivalent per passenger km and the figure for the more efficient cars now is as

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-53812017517414202942007-10-22T08:26:00.000+10:002007-10-22T08:31:03.313+10:00

Densification arising has not reduced automobile use in Australian urban areas, despite the claims and expectations of urban consolidation policy ("smart growth") proponents. Urban consolidation policies have been adopted in virtually all of Australia's large urban areas. Their principal focus has been to force new development away from the urban fringe, while densifying already developed areas.

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-9351550248427376772007-10-06T09:54:00.000+10:002007-10-06T09:57:50.170+10:00

Less than 0.3 percent of Australia's land area is in development. In the upside-down world of politics, it should come Less than 0.3 percent of Australia's land area is in urban development. In the upside-down world of politics, it as no surprise that public policy virtually bans urban development in the other 99.7 percent. Every large urban area has adopted "urban consolidation" policies ("smart

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-10551388940821194372007-09-29T09:53:00.000+10:002007-09-29T09:59:17.142+10:00

Brickworks, one of Australia's largest building materials suppliers, has warned that the Sydney area is about to enter its most prolonged housing construction downturn since the Great Depression, according to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald.Sydney house prices have exploded relative to incomes. In just 10 years, the cost of the median price house, including mortgage interest, has risen

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-30462519195902145872007-09-29T09:36:00.000+10:002007-09-29T09:57:57.606+10:00

The efficient circulation of people and goods are as vital to a city as is the circulation of blood in the body. Restrict the flow and the results are harmful. Yet there are people who vigorously oppose the building of new roads - they say new roads will just fill up with traffic. But that indicates a pentup demand - people do not just drive around for the fun of it. The anti-road advocates

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-55695142753126611052007-09-24T11:35:00.000+10:002007-09-25T12:28:05.361+10:00

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald of 24 September 2007 describes the exodus of jobs from downtown Sydney to suburban office parks like Norwest and Macquarie Park. This is simply the continuation of a trend that has long been underway, not only in Sydney, but also in Paris, Portland and Pheonix.The clueless NSW State government, which oversees transport and planning, imagines somehow that

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-8387390422368178982007-07-22T08:00:00.000+10:002007-09-25T12:29:06.095+10:00

The Housing Industry Association was one developer body that stood against higher densities, preferring the alternative of new homes on greenfield sites. No longer. In a press release today the organisation says there is an urgent need to increase the supply of affordable rental housing. That means high density. Save Our Suburbs is issuing the following press release: An Appalling Call says

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-82825428207020365802007-07-22T07:59:00.000+10:002007-09-25T12:56:06.112+10:00

The Sydney Morning Herald 20 July 2007 reports that 20,000 houses are to be "squeezed into some of Sydney's most densely populated areas". Botany Bay has to cram in 6500 more homes, Randwick 8400, Waverley 2200 and Woollarha 2900. This is a rude shock for some of the residents who were hoping that their current high densities would quarantine them from more impositions. They can now look

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-23832618324608221122007-07-22T07:56:00.000+10:002007-09-25T12:57:31.853+10:00

SOS in Adelaide report on some points made by Patrick Troy (Emeritus Professor and Visiting Fellow, Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, ANU) in his address at their April 2007 AGM:"Developers have inordinate influence""We must make the planning process public.""Granny-flats were built in back-yards in the 1970s. Advocates said this would free up big houses for families. There never

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-3568578761523175162007-07-22T07:51:00.001+10:002007-09-25T14:56:24.313+10:00

It seems like I encounter the fantasies preached by Portland missionaries on every shore. Unlike their 19th century counterparts, the Portland evangelists promise not a Paradise-in-the-Hereafter, but rather a Paradise-Now. In their zeal, they mistake their delusions for reality. One of the more recent such Epistles is "Portland's Green Dividend," by Joe Courtwright . A verse-by-verse rebuttal is

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-19840165343833726642007-07-22T07:40:00.000+10:002007-09-25T14:55:49.290+10:00

The myths of Portland (Oregon) which claims to be the archetype of "SmartGrowth" policies (termed "Urban Consolidation" in Sydney) continue to be propounded. In an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald (13 June 07) Elizabeth Farrelly breathlessly writes about a visit from one of its ambassadors, Susan Anderson who raved that "Portland's remarkable achievements are expressed as savings in

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-21138411771214564802007-07-15T07:51:00.000+10:002007-09-25T14:57:17.871+10:00

In spite of more than a decade of the State Government forcing high-density into Sydney communities on the pretext that people would use public transport instead of cars, Wendell Cox finds that the share of travel by public transport is not only dropping but this decline is accelerating. He discusses the reasons for this.PUBLIC TRANSPORT LOSSES ACCELERATE IN SYDNEYBy Wendell CoxFor years, the

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-77888991463521146822007-07-13T10:16:00.000+10:002007-09-25T14:57:45.094+10:00

Wendell Cox has been surveying the latest information on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and observes that the Australian Conservation Foundation's findings on the emissions from different areas provide some surprising results. People living in the higher density Eastern and Inner Northern Suburbs emit more greenhouse gases than do people living in the lower density single-residential Western suburbs:

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-80330472372595971372007-07-10T11:55:00.000+10:002007-09-25T14:58:19.153+10:00

From the Australian Financial Review, 5 July 2007The Labor Party argues its stingy land release policies did not drive up housing prices, then claims it would be unwise to release more land because that would drop the prices that would not have risen if they had had not been so stingy about releasing land. It is time to move from double talk to the land releases that would restore housing

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-77278795508518628172007-07-10T11:52:00.000+10:002007-09-25T14:58:41.914+10:00

From the Inner West Courier, 27 June 2007DAVID Champ is only eight years old, but he is already fighting for the preservation of his neighbourhood. Along with his mum, Susan McGrath-Champ, and 10-year-old sister Michelle who has collected signatures on three petitions, David is part of a groundswell of opposition to plans to dramatically increase the population of Burwood.David has made his own

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-82345521699656637832007-07-10T11:51:00.000+10:002007-09-25T14:59:20.616+10:00

We also need to firmly reject the claim that densifying cities is happening all over the world. In a recent radio interview Professor Schlomo Angel, Adjunct Professor of Urban Planning, New York University said that densities are coming down in the great majority of cities all over the world. As people get richer they live better and for most living better means living in suburbs. Cities are

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-76343842136161718082007-07-10T11:50:00.000+10:002007-09-25T14:59:43.610+10:00

We need to firmly reject the deceitful propaganda of the overdevelopment brigade. For example they keep on claiming, or insinuating that high-density is "more sustainable". But my research shows single residential is more sustainable. A recent study shows the energy use per person in high-rise is double that of those living in single-residential dwellings. Think of power-hungry lifts, clothes

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-16510361373781817052007-07-10T11:49:00.001+10:002007-09-25T15:00:10.109+10:00

For decades the formidible combination of developers bestowing political donations, politicians receiving them and their bureaucrat lackeys has been more than a match for community groups opposing overdevelopment. The community is eventually worn down and the opposition ebbs away. Not so with CAPO, the Ryde community group opposing the overdevelopment of the Royal Rehabilitation Centre in Ryde.

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-11761966924939946292007-07-10T11:46:00.000+10:002007-09-25T15:00:39.128+10:00

The North Shore Times published this letter on 13 June, but without the last two sentences (in italics). The reason for skyrocketing rents and housing costs ("Pack your bags", Times 6 June) is quite simply the time-honoured principle of supply and demand. The 2003 report of the Productivity Commission reveals the NSW Government has artificially strangled the supply of land available for

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-52532272900749103572007-07-10T11:44:00.000+10:002007-09-25T15:01:15.713+10:00

CHILDREN IN HIGH-RISE Last week the North Shore Times ran several major articles on the effects on children being brought up in high-rise. The paper asked Premier Morris Iemma whether his government was providing enough outdoor space to cater for the thousands of people pouring into the units forced into our communities. In typical politician style the Premier ignored the question by responding

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-15943660665821637962007-07-10T11:42:00.000+10:002007-09-25T15:01:57.401+10:00

Last year the State Government passed planning legislation that caused a huge outcry. This amendment to the Environmental Planning and Assement Act allows the Planning Minister Frank Sartor to seize control from councils of development proposals it considers "state significant". The amendment permits the Minister to approve development proposals that democratically elected councils object to.

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-11220899410723481642007-07-10T11:38:00.000+10:002007-09-25T15:02:30.233+10:00

A gift for charitiesSydney Morning Herald, 11 may 2007, page 10 The hypocrisy of Morris Iemma and Barry O'Farrell wanting to investigate political donations is mind-boggling ("Show us the money", May 10). If they were genuine, all the Liberal and Labor parties have to do is to pass on to charity the huge donations they receive from developers who are hell-bent on turning Sydney into an

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-245193717913270402007-04-14T10:01:00.000+10:002007-09-25T15:02:53.703+10:00

Australians Have Less to Spend due to Bloated House PricesAccording to the Sydney Morning Herald a survey in the Fujitsu/JP Morgan Mortgage Industry Report indicated that one-quarter of households has had to reduce spending to pay home mortgages in the bloated property markets of Australia. The Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey reported earlier this year that housing prices

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-88307962056511970192007-04-05T15:42:00.000+10:002007-09-25T15:03:19.331+10:00

The land rationing policies of the New South Wales Government have resulted in the price of a house on Sydney's outskirts to balloon out at $500,000 each instead of the figure of about $200,000 which it would be if left to market forces. The $200,000 amount is made up of $100,000 to build the house, $50,000 to service the land, $30,000 for land on the outskirts converted to residential and the

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-71911873328088721332007-03-30T14:40:00.000+10:002007-09-25T15:04:50.133+10:00

Suburbs Still the Choice in Canada (Despite Urban Elite Delusions)An article in the Globe and Mail, Canada's oldest national newspaper, trumpets the results of the just announced national census with: the 2006 census data say population growth is exploding around Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa-Gatineau, Calgary and Edmonton. For the first time the city of Toronto comprises less than half

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-58811243086317738872007-03-30T14:11:00.000+10:002007-09-25T15:05:27.312+10:00

Regulation breeds seizure in a two-speed US housing marketSummaryMuch has been written about the housing industry slowdown in the United States and the "housing bubble" evident in overvalued house prices. In fact, only part of the US market is experiencing overvalued housing prices, with the rest of the nation enjoying historic housing affordability ratios in what has become a two-speed housing

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-64625065472075425232007-03-08T08:21:00.000+11:002007-09-25T15:06:18.972+10:00

To Letters, Sydney Morning Herald, 6 March 2007Simon Daley perpetuates the discredited myths promulgated by high-density advocates (letters 6 March 2007). The housing affordability crisis has resulted from the State Government throttling the release of housing land. Anything in short supply rises in price. Not only has the proliferation of units during the past 15 years not prevented the crisis

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-17647333119795813332007-03-02T08:09:00.000+11:002007-09-25T15:06:50.598+10:00

The Daily TelegraphEdition 1 - StateTHU 01 MAR 2007, Page 028 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Both sides of politics let the faithful down Another bungle from the Labor Party (“Calamity Costa cut out of poll picture,” The Daily Telegraph, February 28). Is Morris Iemma trying to catch up with Peter Debnam? Both major parties have shown themselves to be grossly incompetent. One way or another, both have

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-15017238097984182562007-02-27T14:58:00.000+11:002007-09-25T15:07:13.009+10:00

Evidence given before the WA Corruption and Crime Commision:DEVELOPER AUSTRALAND ADMITS SECRET PAYMENTS TO HELP WIN GOVERNMENT APPROVAL The Australian Financial Review (19 and 20 February 2007) reports on evidence given before the WA Corruption and Crime Commision. Property Developer Australand's senior executive in Perth, Chris Lewis admitted he put together a deal for Australand to secretly

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-4691363265573039632007-02-27T14:55:00.000+11:002007-09-25T15:07:52.832+10:00

HORRIFYING REPORTS ON APARTMENT LIVING According to surveys about fifteen per cent of people in Sydney prefer to live in units. Through its draconian dictatorial actions the State Government is trying to force more of Sydney's population to live in units. Councils that do not rezone single residential lots to multidwelling get their planning powers taken away. The horrifying consequences are

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1997560752566449642007-02-22T10:29:00.000+11:002007-02-27T14:53:15.661+11:00

From: Jenny Yule To: SMH Letters Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 8:49 PMSubject: Battle for NSW article: Let Sydney Grow ...Dear sir/madam,So developers say "Let Sydney grow or lose $6b"? (SMH, 26 Feb). How about "let Sydney grow and lose what is left of our clean air, green space, and quality of life? Let Sydney grow and watch our traffic system deteriorate even further and social problems

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-46839769718479415642007-02-16T10:35:00.000+11:002007-09-26T13:50:04.680+10:00

IT IS INCREDIBLE THE LIES THE ZEALOTS GET AWAY WITH!They have been telling us for years that high-density is "more sustainable". But...The following letter was published in the National Post newspaper in the USA, Thursday, February 15, 2007Two bad ideas from British ColumbiaNational PostPublished: Thursday, February 15, 2007Re: It's Time To Talk About Urban Density, Sam Sullivan, Feb. 13.

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-21595301840885716252007-01-07T08:00:00.000+11:002007-01-18T17:39:03.054+11:00

Cut out the cancer sourceLocal residents band together to oppose an overdevelopment in their area. They stage protests, write letters and organise petitions and marches. They learn about planning issues, collect money and take their fight to the Land and Environment Court. After all these efforts the best they can usually hope for is a minor reduction in the overdevelopment proposal they oppose.

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-79949373880010894922007-01-03T15:45:00.000+11:002007-01-03T15:47:20.257+11:00

Sydney Transport blog 2 20070102Perhaps the Sydney Morning Herald is beginning to "get it." In 27 December editorial entitled "Planning with a Shovel," the paper noted that New South Wales densification policies promise to "clog the city with cars." The paper goes on to decry the ineffective government policies that have failed to materially improve public transport. That was vividly illustrated

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-79223209638564950072007-01-03T14:52:00.000+11:002007-01-03T15:01:23.909+11:00

To Sydney Morning Herald29 December 2006Frank Sartor, is there a government strategy to force people out of their homes in fully built-up areas? Otherwise how will all these flats be squeezed in? As Ku-ring-gai has no space, does the minister have a secret plan to develop its national parks, as suggested by one prominent Sydney developer? How does all this increased high-rise density square with

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-83874897603699313662007-01-03T14:49:00.000+11:002007-01-03T17:49:50.494+11:00

To Sydney Morning Herald28 December 2006The Department of Planning, under the "guidance" of the omnipotent Frank Sartor, continues to spread its tentacles throughout our beautiful city. Sydney will cease being beautiful if the Department has its way, and will deteriorate into a cramped, traffic-choked, polluted mass of multi storey developments with inadequate infrastructures and, of course, not

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-72719026461073485462006-12-15T12:50:00.000+11:002006-12-15T12:57:12.766+11:00

SMART GROWTH AGENDA SEEKING LESS HOME OWNERSHIP? VIEW FROM AUSTRALIAby Wendell CoxElizabeth Farrelly of the Sydney Morning Herald may have revealed the ultimate urban consolidation (smart growth or anti-suburban) agenda in a December 13 column entitled The End of the Great Australian Dream Cannot Come Soon Enough. The Great Australian Dream is the "down under" equivalent of the American Dream of

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-12253238793240786972006-12-15T12:45:00.000+11:002006-12-15T14:18:24.808+11:00

To Sydney Morning Herald 13 December 2006Dear Editor,"The end of the Great Australian Dream can’t come soon enough" – Elizabeth Farrelly – 13 December 2006It is pleasing to see Elizabeth Farrelly realizes now that there is a great coalescence of agreement between the left and the right in Australia (and elsewhere for that matter) in that land must be opened up to allow people affordable

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1165281298384141522006-12-05T12:11:00.000+11:002006-12-05T12:14:58.386+11:00

We hear more and more frequently the outlandish claim made by the high-density fanatics that high-density is good for our health. Naturally no proof has been provided for this assertion. For me the most memorable performance of this type was the seminar in September featuring Professor Howard Frumkin and Professor Anthony Capon. SOS member Adrien Krebs writes as follows: Due to my experience of

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1165281025365677102006-12-05T12:08:00.000+11:002006-12-05T12:10:25.366+11:00

The Save Our Suburbs anti political donations campain has travelled along a long road but we are getting there. The newspapers have been full of the NSW Taskforce calling for a blanket ban on political donations "to tackle public concerns that money is corrupting the planning process". The misleading name of this organisation tends to hide the fact that it represents some of the biggest

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1165280885697519422006-12-05T12:05:00.000+11:002006-12-05T12:08:05.706+11:00

Wendell Cox was interviewed by Alan Jones who started off by saying we hear rents can go up by 40% as the number of homes being built drops to its lowest level for 30 years, proving Wendell Cox’s previous predictions correct.Some quotes from Wendell’s reply:"This is happening because, you have got, really I must say to be charitable, some of the most stupid public policies ever conceived of by

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1161388841208367642006-10-21T09:57:00.000+10:002006-11-14T16:45:21.663+11:00

Robert Bruegmann, professor of art history, architecture and urban planning at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and author of an incredibly successful book, Sprawl: A Compact History has just spent a week in Sydney. While in Sydney he addressed a luncheon for the Housing Industry Association, participated in the "Rethinking Suburbia" discussion at UNSW, spoke at a meeting of the Urban

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1160880426182385832006-10-15T12:45:00.000+10:002006-10-15T12:47:06.190+10:00

In an attempt to counter some of the official propaganda on health and high-density, I wrote the following to the Sunday Telegraph. This was responding to a report in the issue last Sunday that the State Government has secretly axed the air quality monitoring program. Five air quality monitoring sites have been shut down and the staff sacked. The letter was printed in the edition of 8 October

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1160103463495602752006-10-06T12:51:00.000+10:002006-10-06T13:04:16.363+10:00

I realise the term "Orwellian" is becoming an overused cliche but there is no better term to describe our State Government's actions. The writer George Orwell is famous for his books Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm. He originated the phrases "Big Brother" and "thought police". "Orwellian" has come to refer to government oppression, particularly to euphemistic and misleading language

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1158888879382607772006-09-22T11:17:00.000+10:002006-09-22T11:34:39.406+10:00

On 12 September 2006 I attended a research seminar at the Sydney University Institute of Transport and Logistic Studies. The well-attended seminar featured one of the directors of NSW Department of Planning. The presentation provided a sobering real life example of the the BBC TV comedy series "Yes, Minister". The speaker told us about the plans, strategies, committees, subcommittees,

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1158887841412010622006-09-22T11:14:00.001+10:002006-10-15T09:56:42.163+10:00

Daily Telegraph 14 September 2006Clean air sacrificed in the crushYour article on smog is a withering indictment of the Government’s urban densification policies ("City smog kills 1400," The Daily Telegraph, September 12).Concentrating more people in a given area means more cars in that area and more congestion. This will cause more air pollution than would be the case with low density.The

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1158887809788427702006-09-22T11:14:00.000+10:002006-10-02T16:44:26.216+10:00

Daily Telegraph 14 September 2006Clean air sacrificed in the crushYour article on smog is a withering indictment of the Government’s urban densification policies ("City smog kills 1400," The Daily Telegraph, September 12).Concentrating more people in a given area means more cars in that area and more congestion. This will cause more air pollution than would be the case with low density.The

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1157582190714215142006-09-07T08:24:00.000+10:002006-09-30T16:31:03.920+10:00

Sent to Sydney Morning Herald 14 August 2006Professor Capon implies that increasing residential density will alleviate the epidemics of obesity, depression and asthma (Finding a cure for our sick cities, August 14).Our suburbs have been with us for 60 years, yet obesity is a new phenomenon. Also, in Sweden it has been shown that the rates for psychosis and depression are greater in denser areas.

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1156806229604146742006-08-29T08:56:00.000+10:002006-08-29T09:03:49.620+10:00

On 28 August Wendell Cox, one of the speakers at the SOS forum of 19 August was interviewed by Alan Jones on prime time on Sydney's most popular radio station, 2GB (673,000 listeners).You can see the illustrations from Wendell Cox's presentation at the SOS forum on the SOS website http://www.sos.org.au/new_newsletters/August_2006_conference.htmor on this BlogThese illustrations will substantiate

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1156652820169043132006-08-27T14:19:00.000+10:002006-09-08T17:54:24.906+10:00

The SOS Forum NSW Planning – Off the Rails? was held on Saturday 19 August at the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney.Speakers at the forum included:-Mr Wendell Cox, a controversial author from the USA described as the world’s foremost opponent of urban consolidation, who is concerned about the high rise epidemic hitting major cities across the world and laments the tragedy

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1154311229680016762006-07-31T11:58:00.000+10:002006-08-03T10:34:32.113+10:00

One of the many invalid justifications promulgated by the NSW Department of Planning for forcing high-density onto communities is that empty nesters wish to move into these constructions. We all know this is mostly not the case. Empty nesters tend to prefer to remain in their own home or move to a smaller stand-alone house. A report issued by the Victorian Department of Sustainability and the

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1152928876137109932006-07-15T11:53:00.000+10:002006-08-19T11:41:11.276+10:00

The Sydney Morning Herald (13 July) reports that the State Government has initiated a contest to rename Darling Harbour East where the current working harbour container wharf is being "redeveloped" into what will mainly comprise high-rise development.Under the heading Heights is right - of spin and greed letters in today's paper (15-16 July) suggest names such as "Darling Harbour Heights", "Spin

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1152923652184948722006-07-15T10:29:00.000+10:002006-07-27T18:26:20.606+10:00

NSW People deserve betterLetter published in North Shore Times, Friday, July 14, 2006, Page 31Contrary to Peter Sinclair’s assertions (NST 30 June) Save Our Suburbs offers practical solutions to New South Wales’ planning debacle. We advocate a viable decentralisation policy drawing on international experience, particularly that of the European Union.Whole of state development would include

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30712313.post-1152149832978676702006-07-06T11:28:00.000+10:002006-09-03T19:58:05.276+10:00

Hi SOS MembersWe have frequently brought to your attention that the planning strategies for our suburbs submitted by local Councils to the Department of Planning are not really assessed by that department. The Department gives these strategies to a "Residential Strategy Advisory Committee" to assess. This committee is comprised of developers and bureaucrats who cooperate with the Department.

Tony Recseihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14952570901699472530noreply@blogger.com2