I normally consider myself to be a YIMBY. I live in the big city for a reason, and I like amenities. I like new restaurants and bars, and new apartment buildings, and mixed use zoning. But right now I’m flabbergasted by the proposal to turn the old Telstra building on Broadway into the world’s largest backpacker hostel. The hostel would have over 1000 beds, and the DA proposal admits that it would have no car parking and likely hundreds of Uber pick-ups and drop-offs a day. The rubbish generated would be substantial, and waste management is already difficult in a mostly residential neighbourhood with narrow streets. I don’t understand why the City would approve something like this, when there is such a need for new permanent housing in the city. The only public amenity appears to be a rooftop bar. And why put a backpacker hostel here? We aren’t near a beach or anywhere backpackers would presumably like to visit. The suspicion is that it would turn into stealth student accomodation, and that calling it a hostel is a way around planning restrictions. The only people who would benefit from this hostel are the business owners, with everyone else in the neighbourhood forced to deal with an influx of transient visitors who – let’s face it – may not be the most respectful neighbours. If you also think this is a bad idea, please consider making a submission to the City of Sydney via this form. (Deadline is February 4th.)
