Last year, the government confirmed Ingleside as a State-led rezoning. David Byrne’s American Utopia had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival. It screened in Sydney’s arthouses. This masterpiece allows reappreciation of Talking Heads ‘Once in a Lifetime’. The year was 1980. Showing artistic flair and deep meaning, Byrne asked: you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile, in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife. And you may ask yourself: well, how did I get here? To wake one day, questioning of that large automobile, that beautiful house.
In 1980, semi-rural Ingleside attracted animal lovers on small farms and migrants with market gardens. Others pursued unique interests such as religion, special school, animal welfare, and nurseries.
Ingleside also saw very wealthy individuals construct large houses with multiple car garages in semi-secluded large plots. To these persons, Talking Heads directed its lyrics, in awe at the lavish standard of living available to so few.
41 years on, the same lyrics may examine a perception that the impact of urbanisation upon society is detrimental. An urban pessimism because of the population pressure it brings. The contrary view is urbanisation gives opportunity for economic growth and human advancement. As living on the Northern Beaches is a wonderful place, it should be further developed.
Today, 985 people live across Ingleside, and it’s being opened to property developers. The geographic (EIE) area of impact, south of Mona Vale Road, at present has 130 residences. The plan is the NSW Government Draft Ingleside Place Strategy. It will add 980 new homes, placing 40% along Wilga Street.
On 27 July 2021, the local Council responded, unanimously voting to reject the strategy. It recognises serious issues. It wants the government to transfer public land for infrastructure, such as sports fields. Yet Council concedes the proposed homes have to go somewhere. If not all at Ingleside, then Brookvale is mooted. In government-speak, redistribution of the shortfall.
One can have sympathy for Council’s response. Opening Ingleside to housing has been on a government’s agenda since 1991, more recently in 2016. It is back on the agenda of the NSW Liberals. The Department of planning, industry and environment sought feedback via My Social Pin Point Map. Until 23 July, anyone could ‘pinpoint’ on the map and make comment.
View map here
We took a closer look: hoovered all 206 comments, processed catchwords, checked sentiment, putting each one in a category to create granularity.
The Pareto chart shows their heartbeats: 33 persons (16%) are anti-development NIMBYs. 23 persons (11%) card-carrying pro-development YIMBYs. Other people (68%) worry of traffic congestion and damage to the natural environment, fear bushfire and poor egress, dismay lack of infrastructure for water & sewerage. Queenwood Sports Precinct at 169 Mona Vale Road attracts special comments, as did the State Heritage Register listing curtilage of early European settlement at Ingleside.
Once in a lifetime is clarion call to government to ‘Get Right’ Ingleside. Muck it. The children will ask: How did we get here?