Parramatta council bent over backwards to help WESTFIELD and kill all other biz activities in PARRAMATTA
A block of prime government land in the heart of Parramatta’s central business district has been sold without tender to Frank Lowy’s Westfield so the company can link its shopping mall directly with the new $100-million train and bus interchange.
The development includes a new skybridge, funnelling commuters away from businesses at street level directly into a new cinema complex and Westfield’s shopping centre and carparks.
The budget committee of the NSW cabinet has given approval for Parramatta Rail Link, the authority in charge of the interchange, to negotiate a deal.
The plan was originally opposed by Parramatta Council, which owns the air-space rights over Church Street where the skybridge is to pass. The deputy mayor of Parramatta, Julia Finn, said the bridge would be unsightly, “extremely damaging” for street-level businesses and would remove pedestrians from Church Street.
But at an extraordinary council meeting held three nights before Christmas, a majority of councillors rescinded their original opposition but resolved to seek Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) advice on the plan.
The council voted to “request advice from the ICAC on the appropriateness and legality of the State Government entering into exclusive negotiations with Westfield and whether this is in accordance with State Government legislation on the issue.”
Councillors also required Westfield to give a minimum of $50,000 a year for at least five years to promote business and cultural activities in and around Parramatta’s Chinatown – the area directly below the sky bridge. Westfield will also be asked to pay for an independent study to find ways to encourage more street-level traffic.
The Parramatta shopping complex is Westfield’s largest in NSW and also contains an ageing Village cinema complex.
The state-owned land is bounded by Church, Fitzwilliam and Argyle Streets. Westfield proposes to house 11 new cinemas for Village on the western side, opposite its shopping centre and adjacent to the rail and bus interchange. The eastern side of the block is earmarked for restaurants and cafes.
It is understood the Government believes the development will improve the amenity of the area at night, particularly around the transport interchange, and would allow better use of existing car parking, and avoid more traffic in the CBD.
A Westfield spokesman did not want to comment on the council’s move yesterday, but said the company always followed due process.
information above from = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/…&oneclick=true
^old news above (parra) \/ News news below
Westfield parramatta is partners with riverside too now!!!!!!!
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=168700
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– I can tell you that EVERY ONE has been ripped off by Westfield – tenants, workers – everyone. Why? because they are jews. I would not dream of imposing on my tenants conditions that westfield impose on their tenants. They force upon them contracts which bind the tenants making it impossible to leave without a debt. That’s why the lebo’s robbed westfield – they would steal things and sell them to friends for a discount price. I even heard that they would accept orders – like – someone would say “can you please bring me size 10 , pale blue print halter neck silk dress from Blah blah store and the next day they would have it! That’s how easily the lebs could shoplift!