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Save Leamington Avenue, Newtown

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This morning I had breakie at Ism Cafe on Wilson Street and after enjoying my spanish omlette and toast, which by the way was delicious, I walked out of the cafe and a poster on their front window titled SAVE LEAMINGTON AVENUE caught my eye. The poster outlined possible plans to demolish a block of historic houses in Newtown to make way for the government to build a controversial new CityRail ”relief line”.

I had no idea about this situation but found the article below that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald on June 4 2010, outlining the possible future for residents of Leamington Avenue, Newtown. The thought of families losing their homes is devastating. There is a meeting for residents and supporters tomorrow to discuss the issue.

SAVE LEAMINGTON AVENUE – SAVE OUR HOMES
MONDAY 5 JULY
5.15pm – 7.15pm
DARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL
(cnr Abercrombie St and Golden Grove, entrance in Abercrombie St)

For more information on the issue visit redwatch or contact Sue McCreadie at saveleamingtonavenue@gmail.com

SMH Article – Rail tunnel plan threatens historic homes

ANDREW WEST
June 4, 2010

Uncertain future ... a row of houses on Leamington Avenue, Newtown, that RailCorp is thinking of demolishing.

Uncertain future … a row of houses on Leamington Avenue, Newtown, that RailCorp is thinking of demolishing.
Photo: Dallas Kilponen

JUST two months after the NSW government spared the heritage suburbs of Pyrmont and Rozelle by dumping the CBD Metro, another historic precinct is under threat from another controversial transport plan.

It has been leaked to the Herald that a block of historic homes between Leamington Avenue and Leamington Lane, Newtown, may be demolished so the government can build a $4.53 billion CityRail ”relief line” under Sussex Street.

RailCorp has confirmed that it has plans, dating back eight years, that would require the acquisition of properties for a ”dive” that would allow trains to enter the new five-kilometre tunnel running from Eveleigh – a precinct between Macdonaldtown and Redfern stations – to Wynyard.

,addSmall: true ,smallText: "Advertisement: Story continues below" }) ); } ); // ]]>”Early work into a city relief line – essentially another rail corridor through the city – suggested that the construction would require some properties in the Leamington Avenue area to be resumed,” the rail agency wrote in an email to the Herald.

The Herald understands a 2002 report by Hyder Consulting, MetroWest: Construction Site Investigation, shows the government would need to turn Leamington Avenue into a huge construction zone.

The neighbourhood would be spared if the government built it relief line between Redfern and Circular Quay, on an alternative route under Pitt Street. But the Premier, Kristina Keneally, said in February she might reserve that corridor for future Metro trains.

RailCorp says it may not need the properties if it can use a government site at North Eveleigh for building the tunnel entrance.

”That work is continuing, with no final decisions yet made,” the RailCorp email said. ”As is the case with every major infrastructure project, the community will be given opportunities to have their say on the proposal.”

One resident, Louise Alley, who lives in Holdsworth Street, metres from the proposed demolition zone, predicted another dispute with the government – in the seat of the Deputy Premier, Carmel Tebbutt, who is vulnerable to the Greens – if the plan proceeds.

”Look at what the residents and businesses in Balmain and Pyrmont had to suffer – speculation about their future for more than a year – because of the Metro, and it all came to nothing,” she said. ”It’s extremely disappointing that this plan has emerged as the result of a leak and not through consultation with the residents.”

The government says building the relief line on the western side of the city would bring passengers from the western suburbs into the city faster and relieve congestion at Town Hall and Wynyard but has so far refused to release the analysis to support its claim.


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