Currey Park is on the site of a prior orchard. It is named after Henry Currey, a Chatswood resident and prospector. In 1897 Henry subdivided and sold his land on the corner of Victor Street and Albert Avenue to finance his mining ventures, and dedicated Tingha Street to Council. Tingha is a tin mining town south of Inverell, NSW.

The park was created in response to the increasing development within the Chatswood CBD, so was a less then optimal configuration and location for a park.

The park’s link to the town of Tingha is marked by artist Joe Hurst’s fountain and sculpture of Tingha Woman. The Tingha Woman story is written on a plaque next to the fountain:

The Willoughby-Bingara Friendly City Commemorative Garden commemorates a decade (1995 – 2005) of the Friendly City relationship between Willoughby City Council and the township of Bingara in northern NSW. The garden is dedicated to the former Mayor of Willoughby, John Squire for his dedication to the Willoughby and Bingara communities, and contains plants indigenous to Bingara and Willoughby.

There is also a wooden of an octopus sculpture in the park.

The park runs parallel to the Westfield carpark then does a dog-leg around to Tingha Street.

Mature trees (either on Council operational land or Tingha Park) have been planted in front of the carpark (presumably to provide some visual and acoustic amenity). There is a path through the centre of the park with some mosaic inlay and a number of wooden benches.

Some time ago, Scentre (Westfield) sought approval to extend a portion of the carpark to the east. It appears that there may have been some problems with notifying local residents. Approval was given for the work. Due to the location of the works, a number of trees had to be removed and a worksite was established (with consent) partly within the park. There was some damage to various features of the park. Residents were promised that new trees would replace old and that any damage would be remedied. The main ongoing issues for residents is that now the edge of the carpark is further to the east there is a greater intrusion from vehicles (both noise and light spill.

The vegetation cover in front of the new addition is not yet as dense as in front of other faces of the carpark; This should improve as the trees grow.

In particular, the wall face behind the Tingha Fountain is quite stark. This is likely because there is insufficient width behind the fountain to plant trees.

There are other sections of the park that are quite picturesque.

 And some sections not so nice.

WE support the submission of the Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations:

Willoughby City Council Housing Strategy

1. Are 2016 Dwellings Estimates for Willoughby Accurate? The 2011 census showed Willoughby LGA as having 26,720 private dwellings, and the 2010 Sydney Metro Strategy and revised strategy in 2012 gave Willoughby LGA a 21 year target of close to 7,000 additional dwellings through infill development. It has been previously indicated that Willoughby LGA exceeded its 7,000 target within 6 years (ie by 2016).

Whilst we await the 2016 ABS Census figures on new dwellings, it is noted that page 9 of the strategy estimates that there are only approximately 28,000 dwellings in the LGA in 2016, only 1280 more than 2011.  How can we have exceeded our targets for a 7,000 increase in dwellings  in 6 years and yet only have increased total dwellings by only 1,280 residences since 2011? This discrepancy needs to be reconciled.

Whether the increase has been 7,000+ or only 1,280 additional dwellings to 2016, the impacts on local infrastructure of this increase has already been very significant. In addition, some of our road and transport infrastructure also bears the brunt of the increased population from the mandatory increases in dwellings in Northern Beaches, Upper North Shore and Central Coast LGAs as well.

2. The Proposed Growth in residential dwellings is not sustainable: It is noted that an additional 6,450- 6750 dwellings being proposed between 2016-2036. Enough is enough. What is proposed is not sustainable development. The existing road, school, active recreation space and transport infrastructure are already at or well exceeding capacity, with no plans or ability to increase much of this infrastructure, and the capacity of other necessary services and infrastructure like sewers, electricity and gas has a limit.

Major road routes through the area are insufficient to cope. Eastern Valley way channels huge amounts of peak hour traffic into one lane each way on the Suspension Bridge at Northbridge, The Pacific Highway at Chatswood has been recognised as being very slow, and likewise for Penshurst St, Mowbray Rd and Fullers Road.  The major route from the Northern Beaches through to Ryde and Parramatta is not direct (Boundary/Highway/Fullers Rd/Delhi Rd) and parts are also one lane local traffic roads. Likewise Chatswood traffic is often gridlocked at weekends. Some buses are already so full in peak hour by the time they get to Small St Willoughby and Naremburn they don’t pick anyone up at these stops.  The capacity issues in our public schools continue to increase despite significant capital works funding in recent years.

3. The proposed amount development is contrary to the stated design principles as it is of a magnitude that will ruin the heritage and environmental qualities of the area: One of the unpinning design principles of the Strategy is indicated to be to ‘Respect and promote the heritage and environmental qualities of WCC in planning for new housing’. Cutting into our existing heritage conservation areas, and also pulling down many buildings and trees and replacing them with medium rise and high rise is completely contrary to one of the stated design principles of this housing strategy.

4. Heritage Conservation areas must be excluded from rezoning and development: It is noted that most of the areas that have been identified for investigation for development potential for medium and high density development on pages 23-29 include existing protected heritage conservation areas. These areas were developed with community consultation and were areas designed to protect and retain the valued neighbourhood attributes of our local community and village centres. The Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations is opposed to any existing heritage conservation areas being investigated or rezoned for the purposes of high rise or medium development.

How will putting significant development around these town centres meet the design principle of  ’protect the valued neighbourhood attributes of our local community’?

5. Proposed Growth is so excessive it will destroy the existing qualities of the Willoughby: It is stated in a strategy that there is a need to balance demand for residential development and retain valued neighbourhood attributes into the future.

Our community has already experienced significant development over the last 7 years, and whilst there is demand, Council should also be putting a limit on development to ensure it is sustainable. As indicated above, it is unlikely that another 6,500 or so increase in new dwellings will be sustainable, given the existing capacity issues of local roads, schools and playing fields and the destruction of trees and greenery.  This amount of development will destroy the existing valued neighbourhood attributes in many parts of the LGA. Just because there is high demand does not mean we have to keep supplying.

6. Unoccupied Dwellings and Demand from International Buyers: We note that the 2011 census figures indicated approximately 2,000 unoccupied dwellings in the Willoughby LGA area. Rather than additional significant development, it would be better to focus on strategies to reduce vacant dwellings in the area through strategies that have been successful in other jurisdictions like a vacancy tax and preventing international buyers contributing to the high demand, rather than squashing in more unsustainable development. Only a small number of other overseas countries allow overseas buyers.

7. No Benefit in Council Setting High Targets for Growth and Meeting them Early: Willoughby Council was one of the first Councils in Sydney to meet its 21 year Sydney Metropolitan Strategy target to 2031 for additional dwellings, within 6 years, and has now exceeded this target. The Greater Sydney Commission is requiring Willoughby LGA to have 1,250 additional dwellings by 2021. By meeting our State set growth targets early our community is disadvantaged because a few years later additional limits are imposed.

Stephanie Croft

President, Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations

We are generally in support of the position taken by the Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations with the following exceptions:

We support the Federation of Willoughby Progress Association’s submission with the clarification highlighted in bold:

Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations

Submission on Willoughby Council Strategy: Local Centres

1. Existing Conservation areas should be protected: One of the Design principles of this strategy is to respect existing conservation areas and embrace heritage with growth however the Housing Strategy has identified some of the conservation areas for consideration for future development. The scale of proposed development is also significant and may alter the character of some of these local centres.
2. Cycleway/Pedestrian infrastructure: There is mention of the importance of having walking and cycling infrastructure linking key destinations, however the cycling infrastructure in the lower North Shore is woeful. There needs to be proper planned, off road cycleway infrastructure, not precarious on-road routes through narrow busy and steep streets. Whilst parents walking and cycling with their children to school would reduce traffic on the road in peak hour, some local public schools do not allow cycling to school because of the dangers.
3. No Local Centre for Chatswood West: The 5-7 centres that are planned are based around existing shopping strips or centres in the LGA. It is noted that there are none of these currently in the Chatswood West area, and given the huge number of residences, residents and development in this area, consideration should be given to facilitating a village centre or two across the Chatswood West Ward area west of the Pacific Highway. Particularly given the growth in population in the Mowbray Road area and the new library down there.
4. Additional Infrastructure required: There needs to be additional infrastructure (road, transport, schooling, open space etc) before any new development occurs, as local infrastructure is already at stretch point before any additional new development. This has been discussed in more detail in FWPA’s other submissions
5. Adequate Car Parking in new Developments: There needs to be adequate parking for residents, business owners and employees, and customers in any new developments around local centres. Whilst a number of the local centres have good public transport into the city, public transport to other parts of Willoughby LGA and Sydney are not easy. This needs to be addressed before car parking is restricted to try and reduce car use. Otherwise existing issues are aggravated.

Stephanie Croft

President, Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations

Willoughby Council has exhibited its draft CBD study. We considered the proposals and raised a number of questions (see below) that to date have not been answered by Council . Also below is the draft submission by the Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations.

Questions raised with Council.

Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations

Submission on Willoughby Council’s CBD Strategy

The Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations appreciates that Willoughby Council is undertaking 20 year planning for our Chatswood CBD, Villages, housing and industrial zones.

All planning and development across the LGA should be sustainable, should protect the existing heritage and environmental conservation areas, be in keeping with our local area, and be accompanied by additional sufficient road, transport, school and hospital infrastructure and active recreational space to accommodate the additional population.

1. Proposed Development areas

• FWPA supports the proposed growth of the CBD to the North and South along the rail corridor only, and strongly supports that the heritage conservation areas north and south of the CBD have been protected under the current proposals.They should not be considered for future development.
• It is important for Chatswood CBD to be retained as a vibrant CBD. FWPA strongly supports the proposal that existing or approved Commercial office developments in the area should not be able to be turned into residential developments. There is limited office space and CBD office potential in the area and this must be preserved for Chatswood CBD’s future, not changed due to the current market cycle.
• East Growth Area: The residents for the proposed rezoned development area in East Chatswood along Victoria Avenue and up to the Penshurst and Victoria Ave intersection should be consulted so they are aware of Council’s proposals and have the opportunity to input into consultation processes.
• We support the recommendation that serviced apartments be removed as a permissible use for B3 commercial. (pg126)
• Some residents who are looking to downsize have explored the possibility of apartment living in Chatswood CBD. We have heard reports of instances where people have been told by those promoting the projects that the buildings are for Chinese only and they are not welcome or able to buy. In a city of diversity like ours, this disgraceful discriminatory conduct should be stamped out. We should have diversity not elite enclaves of particular racial groups. If the situation was reversed there would be a huge outcry. There should be appropriate conditions built into consents.

2. Traffic, Parking Proposals and Public Transport

The traffic and parking recommendations appear inadequate and in our view will not resolve or adequately address the current traffic and parking issues in the CBD, let alone the issues arising from the increased population as additional developments are built and 9000 additional car spaces are needed.

There is concern that the current proposals will have little if any impact on existing traffic in Chatswood CBD let alone reduce it by 10%. Our residents want a proper traffic plan that resolves current issues and provides access going forward, not a plan with little substance that appears to be doing something but which may only aggravate the existing congestion.

• The biggest issues with traffic are not the PM peak but weekends. So reducing through traffic in the PM peak when it is one of the least busy times will have little impact on resolving current issues.
• Assuming that everyone will turn to public transport if car spaces in new developments in the area are limited is not a reasonable assumption for Willoughby LGA or Sydney in 2017 due to the difficulties of getting to other parts of the metropolitan area (and to some other parts of the LGA!) by public transport. It is our understanding that the previous experiment of Council reducing parking spaces in new residential developments some years ago failed as it just forced more cars into the limited places that are available in the surrounding streets. There must be adequate parking provisions in new developments.
• There is a lack of public transport options at some times of day even to some parts of our own community. For example, there are no buses from Chatswood Station to Castle Cove in the evenings and limited buses to the Northern Beaches after the evening peak, necessitating people being picked up from the Station.
• Forcing through traffic off Archer in the peak will only result in much greater incidents of rat-running in residential areas surrounding the CBD, as the main arteries are at capacity and through traffic cannot be channelled there (noting that the Pacific Highway at Chatswood has been identified as an area of very slow traffic for the whole of Sydney).
• ‘Encouraging parking in optimal locations’ will have limited, if any, impact. Parking signs telling people where vacant parking spots are will not resolve any issues at busy times when parking is full throughout the CBD (which are increasing in regularity!). Congestion is so bad at some times of the weekend that it is likely that by the time someone actually gets to the parking area the sign identified as having spare spaces, any parking capacity may be long gone.
• The busiest times are the weekends and traffic already comes to a complete gridlock all the way around the whole area (ie Up Archer along Boundary, down Victoria to Penshurst, and up Archer to Mowbray.) A few days per year (and increasing), there have been times the gridlock from Boundary and Penshurst join up and no one moves. Some residents who live close to the CBD are reporting it taking 20 minutes to drive home at weekends (they have to take their car down when they are doing a significant family weekly shop or have young children or elderly or infirm passengers).
• The peak hour parking restrictions on Archer St are also much needed on weekends. Similar restrictions should along Victoria between Havilah and Archer st as buses and traffic through flow is impeded by cars waiting to turn into Chatswood Chase car park, and traffic banks back a long way.
• It needs to be ensured that traffic going into Chatswood Chase up ramp off archer st can exit the city the same way and direction it came in. At the moment this traffic is being forced out into the centre of the CBD where there is no need for it to go, and has no easy way of getting back North, particularly if it came from Highway or Ashley St, other than rat-running or doing U-turns illegally. West Ward does not support this recommendation.
• Also re comments in the report about people being able to park around the perimeter and go to the other centres don’t take into consideration the difficulties getting shopping and trollies between the two main centres, and the aging population of the area.
• Buses are being impeded due to the huge build up of traffic on Archer st in weekday peak and at weekends, which deters people from taking public transport (as it is quicker to drive and rat run).
• Buses are also being delayed by people illegally blocking the intersection on Ashley St at the top of Anderson St in heavy traffic, and due to the long length of traffic waiting for the Ashley St/Highway lights. During peak hour perhaps there should be no stopping on the CBD side of Ashley St to facilitate buses getting through when traffic has built up, or a number of car spaces should be removed adjoining the bus stop, and lanes painted on the road so there are two lanes and so the buses can easily access Anderson St without sitting in traffic for lengthy periods waiting for the lights to change and traffic to proceed.
• The red arrow on the Pacific Highway at the intersection turning into Ashley St is also causing local traffic to funnel through the CBD when they come out of Fullers Rd. Whilst it is really good that a green arrow has been installed. The red arrow that does not turn off means cars can be sitting for many minutes when there are NO cars coming the other way due to the light, so it is faster to channel down Help St through the CBD and rat run up Anderson St and through Rose/Tulip/Daisy Streets etc. The cycles need fixing.
• Likewise, the removal of the Left Turn with Care sign on Ashley St onto the Highway has increased traffic build up and blocked buses.
• There should be more Kiss and Drop zone on the East side of Chatswood Station for locals. Currently the maximum 2 spaces are insufficient.
• The right hand turn from Help St into the one way street on Cambridge Lane is already causing significant traffic blocks and one car wanting to turn right here can cause traffic build-ups right back into the CBD area. It is an example of very poor planning and needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency, particularly as the major building on the corner of Anderson and Help is about to open, which will increase the issues here.
• An underground link from Boundary St to Fullers Bridge is needed as major infrastructure to join the Northern Beaches with the rest of Sydney. In the interim, a bridge allowing through traffic from Boundary onto the Highway and at Fullers Road is needed to improve traffic flow.
• If there are 9000 more car spaces required, as per estimates, there needs to be additional road capacity and some of the car spaces in Archer St and Victoria removed between 10 am and 5pm on weekends to facilitate two lanes of traffic in each direction. At the moment the buses get caught for long periods as well during these times, making public transport a less attractive option.
• It is good to upgrade the bus interchange.
• As indicated above, the buses are getting stuck in the traffic gridlock, which is a disincentive to catch public transport.
• The recent decision by Forest Coaches to remove the bus stop at the corner of Anderson and Help Streets other than for school buses is completely contrary to the goal of improved public transport access. This bus stop was the one closest to Chatswood Chase through the road behind the Concourse, and now users must walk another 3 blocks up to the bus interchange (if one uses legal methods to get to the bus stop) which is too far for many people particularly carrying shopping. This bus stop should be restored immediately.

3. Open and Recreational Space (page 174 B7)

This plan must include additional sporting field recreation space provision given the significant increase in resident numbers that will result from the proposed development and new development areas. It is not adequate or reasonable, and does not reflect good planning to say that there should be consideration of this issue down the track, proper recreational space must be provided for in this plan.

Once the land is rezoned and sold it will be impossible to get this important social infrastructure later.

• The current sporting field access in the area is insufficient.
• Development of the magnitude being proposed requires more playing fields that can be accessed by all the community.
• Large numbers of families and children are already living in units, and this will increase with the proposed plan. Obesity is also on the increase.
• Tiny pockets of new open space being proposed are token and insufficient, and do not meet the need for proper sporting facilities, exercise and dog walking off leash areas for our community.
• Current arrangements where local private schools have exclusive access to Beauchamp park oval in out of school hours must be stopped. That is when the community needs access and that school can bus their students to their school playing fields like other nearby private schools do.
• Sports of small numbers of athletes for large duration should also be replaced by sports that allow better use of facilities. For example, 1`-2 day long cricket games on Beauchamp Park cater for only a small number of players, and prevent community access during that time are not an effective use of our very limited community social infrastructure.
• Including the 2 remembrance gardens distorts the local recreation space figures provided, as does including large amounts of the fabulous bushland we have surrounding the area, and the golf courses that serve a limited number of people. Our residents need playing fields for team and individual recreation and exercise. Calculations should be undertaken that properly reflect the space available for the community.
• The ‘greening’ plan seems to be growing trees in the CBD and greening down the sides of buildings etc. Whilst this is nice and to be commended, plants on a concrete base or tiny pockets of artificial grass are not the greening that most residents would expect. The increase in population in the CBD has been significant over the last 8 years, and more open playing fields are required.

4. Active Transport Path (Cycleway/Pedestrians)

• It is excellent and much needed to have a cycleway through the CBD to encourage riding.
• The route looks a bit unusual. It quite a steep ride up through Beauchamp Park, and if one traverses along Rose St and across Archer and up to Anderson, this route has another hill. This route may therefore deter normal social riders, particularly is it is outside the CBD, so cyclists may cut through shorter ways.
• When buildings are built or upgraded there should be external pedestrian walkways above the ground level, like in Makati in Manila, enabling pedestrians to walk quickly an unimpeded.
• Whilst Castle Cove and Lane Cove River Parklands are indeed 3-4km from Chatswood Station, neither are easy, social ride destinations for most of the community due to the roads and traffic issues getting to Castle Cove, and the major hills involved on both routes. There needs to be proper off road cycle ways throughout our community however it cannot be assumed that this will be a major active transport route (nor that people living in the CBD will all flock to them by bike. Both these areas should not be included in the CBD green space calculations as they will have a distorting impact and are not easily accessible by CBD locals.
• There should be a cycleway/pedestrian overpass tacked on to the Boundary St railway Bridge. It is very disappointing that this was not incorporated into the new bridge design (or an underpass put under Boundary Rd with the current building work, but is needed now for cyclists and pedestrians going North/South.

5. School and other Social Infrastructure

• Necessary social infrastructure needs to be considered and included in the current plan, not recommended for consideration for further studies. It is too late once the plan proceeds to provide for such facilities down the track, they need to be planned for now as part of the current process.
• The current private and public schools in the CBD are at or in excess of capacity with no room for growth. The Chatswood public primary school has very serious capacity issues at the present time and is struggling to cope with current enrolments let alone growth from additional developments. More capacity is needed before any further residential development should proceed. The ‘bush campus’ was supposed to be a 5 year interim measure (until 2018).

Stephanie Croft

President, Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations

Sydney Metro have released the following information about proposed works at the Dive site at the corner of Mowbray Rd and the Pacific Highway.