An Acknowledgement 

This project encompasses many stakeholders, including numerous businesses and landholders. It can’t consult with everybody, and by its nature will propose changes of use to most of the central Blackwood footprint.

Working this out so that everyone is a winner is one of the almost impossible challenges of the project, to be dealt with as the project matures.

But in particular for those who currently live in the Project area, we understand a house is also a home, and the Project may be distressing to some of you.

We apologise in advance, but we are going to be proposing massive change, which will impact some more than others.

But at the start, we emphasise the project is a fantasy, not a plan. But we hope we can make the Project work for you eventually, and that you may come to support it.

For other stakeholders it might be easier to see the positives in a new Blackwood, whether increased land values, more local business, or better quality housing.

Our aim is for the strong narrative around a reimagined Blackwood to build a positive consensus for change for all stakeholders.

Public works projects often have winners and losers. Sydney’s eastern tram is a classic example with so many businesses along the route driven to the wall in the process. And nobody likes being coerced, which is what land resumptions do.

Can we propose and manage major land use changes in the central Blackwood area and make everyone a winner?

It remains to be seen, but we’re not going to avoid the proposition, just because it’s difficult, or upsetting to some.

In later posts we will talk more about how the redevelopment of Blackwood can be equitable and fair, and how we might work towards having only winners.