People Power beats Maccas DA

The controversial proposal to have a McDonnalds restaurant on Pennant Hills Road at Pennant Hills was unanimously rejected by Hornsby Council last week!
The Pennant Hills Civic Trust was just one body resisting the proposal, mostly on a traffic hazard basis, you can read their arguments on their website http://www.pennanthillscivictrust.com/.  It is pleasing to see that public protest can achieve results.

Lions Club Trivia Night May 27

The Lions Club of Beecroft-Cheltenham will be holding a Trivia Night on Friday May 27 evening. The BCCT has been invited to book a table of 8 or 10, or you can go as individuals or private groups if you prefer. It will be a great fun night raising funds for the local community. For instance after several years of fundraising we are about to open an Accessible Toilet and Parents room in the Village Arcade.

Date May 27, Time 7:00 for 7:30, Venue Cheltenham Recreation Club, Cost $20 per head. Supper will be provided and there will be lots of great prizes.

If you want to join the BCCT table, contact the secretary, Colin Johnstone, or leave a comment with contact details on this post.

Biodiversity Offset Strategy for the Hills M2 Upgrade Project

In response to an enquiry by the Trust, we received the following from Julia Stackpool, M2 Media Contact (0400 059 982) of Hills M2:

The Biodiversity Offset Strategy for the Hills M2 Upgrade Project is currently being reviewed by the RTA in preparation for submission to Department of Planning.

Once the Strategy is approved, the Project Team will prepare its Biodiversity Offset Package which must be submitted  within 12 months to the Department of Planning for approval (MCoA 2.15).

As soon as the Strategy has been approved, I will be in touch again to provide you and members of the Trust with a copy.

Talking about trees, below are before and after photos of where the truck path from the westbound carriageway is going.

Hornsby Shire Housing Strategy

This is from Councilor Michael Hutchence, Deputy Mayor of Hornsby Shire Council.

Please find below the motion I moved as a mayoral minute in the mayor’s absence and managed to get full support for:  THAT:

1.    The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure be urged not to delegate his authority to make the Housing Strategy LEP to unelected bureaucrats, but instead to personally consider the implications of the Housing Strategy on the residents of Hornsby Shire. 

2.    The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure be urged to defer the Hornsby Housing Strategy in its current form to allow  Council to work more closely with the  State g Government in  developing a proposal for Hornsby  Shire that is palatable to the majority of residents rather than the current  Housing Strategy,  which  was opposed by approximately 90%  of residents .

3.    The Minister for Planning  and Infrastructure be advised that  Council wishes to meet its challenges for increased densities by way of focusing in on its major centres  such as  Epping, Pennant Hills and Hornsby in the longer term, subject to adequate infrastructure provision for those centres and by identifying shortcomings in current housing choice in the  Shire and exploring possibilities of medium densities in certain areas. 

4.  The Mayor write to the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure seeking a meeting with interested Councillors and senior Council officers to discuss options for a revised Housing Strategy. 

 5 . Council identify budget implications and funding sources for progressing a  Housing Strategy and master plan for  the precincts nominated as part of a revised Housing Strategy.

Sincerely,
Michael Hutchence
Deputy Mayor
Hornsby Shire Council

North West Rail Link project team appointed

The NSW government has appointed a project team to speed up delivery of Sydney's delayed North West Rail Line, with geotechnical work to begin this year and construction in the next four years.
Frustrated commuters should soon see work started on the line first floated in 1998 for completion in 2010, the state government says.
The line was delayed, scrapped and then re-announced in February last year by the former Labor government, with no construction scheduled until 2017.

M2 Widening At Chilworth Reserve

Clearing of trees and erection of fences for the construction camp under the M2 viaducts in Chilworth Recreation Reserve is progressing.

An access path at the western end will allow pedestrians to walk through, but will only be open outside of construction times.  It was open last weekend, although it was chained shut when I tried to go through midweek at 6pm.

The BCCT walk starting at 2pm on 17 April will inspect this area and go through the access path.  All are invited.  See an earlier post (March 23) in this blog for more details.

Off Leash Dog Parks - Ryde Council's Trial

On 27 April 2011, Ryde Council's six month trial of Off Leash Dog Parks is due to complete.  The Ryde Council will discuss the trial at the meeting before this date.  If you have a view, communicate with them, or come to the meeting to express your views in person.