Macquarie Fields MP Anoulack Chanthivong has called on the Liberal Government to allay the fears of local residents by ensuring the educational needs of Hurlstone Agricultural School are put ahead of plans to sell the school’s land to developers.
Mr Chanthivong has written to the Minister for Planning calling for an immediate suspension of Landcom’s Glenfield Precinct masterplan, to enable Hurlstone Agricultural High School to formulate a business case with the broader school community.
“It is essential that any plans for the Glenfield Precinct meet the needs of Hurlstone Agricultural High School first and foremost,” Mr Chanthivong said.
“The Hurlstone Farm and its adjoining land must be retained to ensure the school can continue its long and proud agricultural tradition. It is imperative that plans for Hurlstone’s future take into account the agricultural and farming needs of the school, including a fully-functioning dairy.”
Mr Chanthivong waged a successful and hard-fought campaign to retain Hurlstone Agricultural High School at Glenfield but he insists the fight continues to save the Hurlstone Farm and surrounding land from overdevelopment.
Mr Chanthivong said retaining the green open space was also vital for students’ well-being, particularly for those at the hilltop schools of Ajuga, Campbell House and Glenfield Park. The students at these schools have special needs and the green vista is crucial to their schooling and overall well-being.
“The school community is rightly concerned that the masterplan for the adjoining subdivision will supersede a business case for the school. If this happens, the school’s agricultural future is in jeopardy.
“From the outset, the Liberal Government only ever saw dollar signs as it considered the Hurlstone Farm’s future and pursued its own greedy overdevelopment agenda. Our community won’t stand for this. Once the green open space is sold off to developers it will be gone forever.
“The preservation of green open space is also vitally important for our growing community, which is already bearing the brunt of overdevelopment.”
Mr Chanthivong said feedback from recent community consultation conducted at the school also highlighted the urgent need to upgrade boarding facilities and the importance of further consultation.
“The school community is demanding the Liberal Government provide certainty over the school’s agricultural future, and this includes a fully-functioning dairy and working farm. Hands Off Hurlstone!”
Help save the Hurlstone Farm and vital green open space by signing Mr Chanthivong’s petition to stop the sell-off of Hurlstone’s land at https://www.letsbackanoulack.com/petitions/save-the-land-at-hurlstone/
