DEAR News Of The Area,
TRAFFIC and parking studies have recently been released in support of proposed rezoning of public land at the Jetty Foreshores by the government’s property developer, Property and Development NSW (PDNSW).
I have a number of serious concerns regarding these studies and the lack of transparency in identifying potential issues. SCT Consulting, working for PDNSW, has identified a shortfall in parking places of about 300 after basement parking and additional parking spaces are accounted for.
They then assume this shortfall can be taken up from the adjoining streets and public carparks.
Those public spaces should be retained for public use, for future growth and for busy periods.
The developer (PDNSW) should be required to accommodate all necessary parking within the development site, so access to parking can be guaranteed by title and public spaces retained for public use.
This would be best practice and a normal requirement under Council’s Development Control Plan.
The other concern I have relates to traffic movement where analysis of SCT’s modelling has identified that there will be a significant increase in traffic movement generally in the Jetty area including Camperdown St and Harbour Drive/Orlando St.
Traffic in Camperdown St is predicted to increase by 67 percent by 2033, 51 percent of that is directly attributed to the proposed development on the foreshores.
This equates to a peak of 575 vehicles per hour on a Neighbourhood Street that Transport for NSW guidelines suggest should not exceed 300 v/hr.
Harbour Dr and Orlando St are at capacity now.
Traffic volumes are expected to increase significantly on both the main thoroughfares and along local streets.
Previous studies by Council’s consultants have recommended a realignment of Harbour Dr and signalisation of the intersection with Orlando St.
These works were designed to cater for expansion of the Jetty strip and neighbouring developments that are proposed under current zonings.
They were not designed to resolve the issues created by a major rezoning and expansion of development on the Jetty Foreshores.
Resolution of these issues is fundamental to the viability of the proposed rezoning of the Foreshore land.
These issues have been glossed over by SCT by adopting inappropriate planning periods and unrealistic growth figures.
Concerned residents should take the opportunity to speak out about these issues by lodging a written submission to the Dept of Planning before 30 June.
Regards,
Bruce FIDGE,
Civil engineer (retired).
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
