The General Manager, Newcastle City
Council
King Street Newcastle NSW 2300
26 December 2018
King Edward Park Event
Management Drop - The Festival Pty Ltd
Council’s attention is drawn to a notice that appeared in King Edward
Park Newcastle at the Terrace.
Parks and Playgrounds Movement have had a long interest in King Edward
Park since our establishment in 1952 and actively support the Newcastle City
Council in the professional implementation of the official Plan of Management
for the Park.
In response to the Community Lands Notice (see photo) Parks and Playgrounds
Movement Inc wishes to submit an Objection to Council’s proposal to issue a
License or Lease as advertised on the notice on the following grounds:
1 Council has not given reasonable time for the public exhibition during
the Christmas Season to allow the public to respond to the proposed License of
Lease.
2. Council has not provided the public with adequate access to the
Public Exhibition of proposed License or Lease.
3. Council has not provided an assessment of how the License or Lease
will impact the Park and its environs.
4. Council has not made the proposed license or lease publicly available
on its official website and it has not explained where the proposal complies
with the Heritage Places Strategic Plan and Plans of Management for the Park.
Parks and Playgrounds Movement is of the opinion that King Edward Park
is not a suitable location for this type of festival which requires a clear
perimeter fence, a number of structures and intrusive loud music and the
service and sale of alcohol and is not available freely to the general public
for the purpose of Public Recreation.
Furthermore we believe that a Festival of this nature should be held on
a generally flat area that can be adequately enclosed and effectively policed.
The Newcastle Show-ground would be a more effective location with its close
access to Public Transport and has facilities for the sale and service of Alcohol
and extensive parking.
We note that the Community Lands Notice states that submissions will
close on the 28th of Dec 2018. We believe that the notification of
closure in the Festive Season is unsatisfactory and Council should exhibit in
detail the proposal as a DA and carefully review the impact of the proposed
activity. We maintain that this is the obvious intention of the Plan of
Management that event management requires impact assessment.
King Edward Park is Newcastle’s premier park established by an initiative
of James Hannell our first Mayor and Member of the NSW Legislative Council. It
has been used as a family friendly park steeped in history and heritage and
open to the general public for the purpose of public recreation for all of its
life.
When contacted, the Council was unable to provide detail of the activity
proposed by The Drop Festival Pty Ltd and there didn’t seem to be a proper
Development Application submitted by the Company or a properly exhibited proposal
of the activity. We believe that Council also requires the current registered
name and ACN of the proponent Company. The Drop Festival Pty Ltd is not currently
a registered Company or business name (24/12/2018)
We ask Councillors to note
that the official Heritage Places Strategic Plan and Plans of Management for the Park
specifically states with reference to Event Management:
“1. The impacts of major events (Mattara Hill Climb, pictures in the
park, musical events and Carols by Candlelight) needs to be reviewed to ensure
that degradation of park values and environment does not occur.
We maintain that Council has
a statutory obligation to observe the intention of adopted Plan of Management
for the park and ensure that events in the park are family friendly and have no
likely impact on the neighbourhood or heritage values and the dedicated purpose
of the park.
We would be pleased to
discuss these matters with Councillors in the New Year.
