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Approval of a bulk power supply connection point at the south-eastern end of the Sydney Metro Northwest has not yet been completed. According to Sydney Metro, the most suitable supply for the Sydney Metro Northwest at the south-eastern end has been identified as Ausgrid’s Willoughby Subtransmission Substation (STS). The proposal is therefore required to provide a dedicated 33kV connection between the Ausgrid Willoughby STS and the Sydney Metro Northwest (at Chatswood North/Roseville) in order to meet the reliable supply of electricity requirements. Continue reading →

We have received the following information from Mayor Gail Giles-Gidney:

The following submission regarding the proposed amalgamation of Willoughby, North Sydney and parts of Lane Cove Councils has been lodged with the Boundaries Commission. The submission is based on the resolution carried unanimously by Association members.

The Chatswood West Ward Progress Association represents approximately 18,000 persons within the Willoughby City area. The issue of amalgamation has been discussed at the Association on numerous ocassions. At its last meeting, the Association determined:

Prefer not to be amalgamated, however, if amalgamated we favour:

 Popularly elected Mayor
 4 wards of three Councillors
 Part-time Councilors (as at present)
 Pre-election local government training of candidates
 Centrally located office (St Leonards)
 Inclusion of the whole of St Leonards within the new LGA
 Name of new Council: Lower North Shore Council
 Maintenance of Progress Associations rather than Precinct Committees
 Continuation of Willoughby Council services and the E-restore Levy

There was also some support for including the whole of the current Lane Cove Council area in the amalgamation of Willoughby and North Sydney Councils. This was on the basis of communities of interest. For thirty years prior to 1895, the current Lane Cove area was a Ward of the then Willoughby Municipal Council.

An additional aspects of amalgamations was that it is preferred that LGA boundaries are not down the middle of streets (this can destroy communities of interest). Rather boundaries should be along natural features or the back fences of properties fronting major roads.

At the meeting of the Association last Thursday over 100 persons voted against the proposed high rise development between Chatswood Public School and Kenneth Slessor Park.

Below is an extract from the Minutes of the meeting plus links to various documents associated with the ‘No’ campaign.

Comments can be lodge at email@willoughby.nsw.gov.au by 5 PM Friday 26 February 2016.

688-692 Pacific Highway: Over eighty residents attended the meeting to consider this matter. Needless to say their was a unanimous call for Council to refuse this application. A Petition was available for signing and residents were briefed on a variety of actions they could take.

The main basis for objections raised were:

• Proposal massively over the planning regulations for the site
• Significant loss of amenity for nearby neighbours
• Dangers to primary school children associated with increased traffic to the site
• Perception of inappropriate handling of the application by Council’s planning officers

The community response to the proposal (due to Willoughby Coincil by 25 February 2016 will include a petition, letters of objection, lobbying of Councilors and a press campaign.

MOTION

This meeting of CWWPA moves that:

• Willoughby Council oppose any high rise tower development adjacent to Chatswood Public School and adjacent to Kenneth Slessor Park and rejects any rezoning of 688-692 Pacific Highway and thus rejects the development proposal for this land now before Council.
• Such a rezoning would completely destroy Council’s long established principle of maintaining the highway as forming the natural boundary between the CBD and the dormitory residential areas to the west.
• We believe the Council Planning Manager’s initial recommendation to Council to support the development “in principle” failed to address clearly stated major concerns as expressed in the commissioned Urban Design Report by Kennedy and Associates:

“the previous approach of allowing the Pacific Highway to provide a natural demarcation between the CBD and its surrounds was sensible, practical and manageable.” and… (Council must consider) “whether it is an appropriate strategy to permit high rise development of this type on the western side of the Highway and whether it will establish a precedent that will open the doors for other similar developments along the western side of the Highway” ¹ and “we think council need to be very careful in their assessment of this development.” It…will have immediately redefined the urban character of Chatswood for the entire extent of the highway between at least Freeman Rd and Railway St, and potentially much further.” …“this is the key urban design question raised by this proposal.”

Planning Proposal 2015-3 (3)

Stop high RISE FLYER (2)

Address to CWWPA (1)

PETITION (SHORT) TO WILLOUGHBY CITY COUNCIL

NOTE: Submissions close on 25th February 2016.

At a recent meeting of the Willoughby Traffic Committee the issue of changes to the Beaconsfield lights we rejected by the RMS with the matter being referred to Lane Cove Council who have a veto on any changes being made.

The reason the lights were put on the Agenda of the meeting was that Lane Cove Council had previously decided not to concur with any changes.

The most recent proposal was a compromise that would allow a right teurn from Beaconsfield without a thru traffic movement into Ralston.

Many Willoughby residents are disgusted with the RMS’s approach to this matter and will re-group to consider possible next steps.

A Development Application (DA2015/545) has been lodged fora 115 Place Child Care Centre in a new 4 level building at 34 Fullers Road. Chatswood (currently a B&B). There will be direct entry & exit on to Fullers Road (but with left turn in & out only).

Residents fear that this development has the potential to undo some of the traffic safety improvements on Fullers Road seen in the last two years, due to increasing traffic, inhibiting traffic flow & the temptation for vehicles to enter & exit the private driveway across the central median line markings of Fullers Road. There are other concerns with a development of this size on Fullers Road.

The nearby 41 places Kookaburra Childcare Centre is also proposing to expand. Their pre-DA discussions with Council are for an extension to our Centre to 60 places.

At a recent Progress Association meeting when this issue was briefly considered ait appeared that there was general unrest about the proposal.

The application is currently being considered by Council Officers and will come to Council, at which time there will the opportunity to address Council if necessary after a review of the Officer’s Report and Recommendation.

The Sydney Metro people have been invited to address the Progress Association, but they have declined. We will continue to pursue them. Below are some of the questions that residents have posed. If you have other questions, please post them as comments.

A northern dive site used to launch TBMs is proposed for Chatswood and would be located south of Chatswood Station and north of Mowbray Road: The constuction site appears to extend from Mowbray Rd,Pacific Highway, Nelson St and The rail corridor. This means that residents surrounding this area will be negatively impacted during construction.

• What will be the construction hours?
• How long will construction continue for?
• What will be the main access to the site?
• What steps will be taken to protect the heritage item on Mowbray Rd – the former Mowbray House School building?

Subject to industry consultation, it is proposed that two TBMs would be launched from this main construction site which would border the Pacific Highway, Mowbray Road and Nelson Street:

• How will the spill be removed?
• What hours?
• How ill residents be protected?

Other works proposed at this site include: „ Around 250 metres of new corridor works between Chatswood Station and the dive site „

• How long will this construction take?
• What hours?
• Is this at same time or before/after other works?

Road works at the intersection of Pacific Highway and Mowbray Road (Chatswood) to provide new double right-turn lanes from Pacific Highway southbound into Mowbray Road

• Has the RMS agreed to these changes?
• Exactly where are these lanes? Is this for traffic coming from Chatswood to turn into Mowbray Rd West?
• How will motorists heading east on Mowbray Rd West access the Pacific Highway to go to the city? Will there be a right-hand turn at the Highway or will they have to go by Artarmon and St Leonards?

Westbound „ Permanent closure of the road bridge at Nelson Street, Chatswood

• Why does bridge have to be closed?

Realignment of the T1 North Shore Line within the existing rail corridor between Chatswood Station and Brand Street, Artarmon „

• How long will this construction take?
• What hours?
• Is this at same time or before/after other works?

Construction of a new rail bridge for a section of the northbound track to pass over the proposed metro northern dive structure „

• Where will this be located?

Removal of the existing Sydney Trains maintenance access point from Hopetoun Avenue, Chatswood . New rail corridor access point from Brand Street, Artarmon.

PROPERTY ACQUISITION

Are there any property acquisitions proposed in the Chatswood/Artarmon area?

This table has been summarised from DRAFT Submissions on amalgamation by the Willoughby Federation of Progress Associations and the North Sydney Joint Precinct Committee:

The Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations, of which the West Ward PA is part, has developed a survey regarding the proposed amalgamation of Willoughby and North Sydney Councils.

The information from this survey is being used to inform the Federation’s response to the amalgamation proposal.

Please take the time to undertake the survey

Terry Fogarty, Secretary, Chatswood West Ward Progress Association Inc.