THE former State Labor Government’s controversial Rozelle Metro station could be resurrected under secret plans by the government which had previously criticised the proposal as folly.

NSW Transport has written to Leichhardt Council to withhold concurrent development approval on the Rozelle Village site on Victoria Rd because it interferes with plans for the Rozelle Metro.

In 2009, the then Labor Government spent $500 million acquiring properties in the area to build an underground metro but was met with fierce opposition by locals and transport advocates.

media_camera Artist's impression of their proposed Rozelle Village plan for the former Balmain Tigers Leagues Club site.

The letter said Transport for NSW had undertaken an assessment on whether the development would have an impact on the CBD Metro corridor.

It said the proposed building basement and foundations would impact on the Rozelle Station cavern and concurrent approval for the development could not go ahead.

A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said the government was working with UrbanGrowth NSW to assess the future transport needs for the Bays Precinct near Rozelle.

“Transport corridors are put in place based on long term planning to ensure that, when the time comes, public transport can be delivered as easily and cost effectively as possible.”

“The development application process is the appropriate time to work with councils to ensure long term transport planning issues are addressed.”

Rozelle Village has been fighting for a decade to get two residential towers on the former Balmain Leagues Club site and had initially been in favour of the Metro, which would have solved some of the transport issues surrounding the development.

The development application is set to be heard by the Land and Environment Court next week but Transport for NSW’s plans may have thrown another spanner in the works.

Rozelle Village developer Ian Wright said the revelation that the Rozelle Metro plan was still alive was extraordinary.

“Without a doubt the revelation that the State Government is proceeding with the Rozelle Metro will create a very strong argument for a much larger development on this site,” he said.

“The current controls allow for two buildings with heights of just 12 and eight levels. I would expect that a development above a transport hub would have buildings in excess of 20 levels.”

media_camera The controversial Rozelle Metro station could be resurrected.

Premier Mike Baird announced the government’s plan for a new CBD metro line last month but there was no mention of the failed Rozelle metro station.

New metro stations were confirmed for Crows Nest, Victoria Cross (North Sydney), Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt St (near Park Street) and underground at Central.

When former Liberal Premier Barry O’Farrell announced his government’s 20-year vision for transport in 2012, he slammed the Rozelle metro plan.

“Our State has suffered because of shameful waste on transport projects which were never delivered, including the failed Rozelle Metro which saw $500 million down the drain,” the former premier said.

Former Labor premier Nathan Rees announced a $4 billion CBD metro line from Central Station to Rozelle in 2008.