DA1305/2011 Survey Responses

We have already received responses to this survey, we will compile the results and publish them.  But a key point was in response to the final question, "Do you think local residents have been given enough time to consider the application, with deadline for responses of 1 Feb?"
"No. School does not resume until the end of January. Many local people are away. The notification period should commence when school resumes. I note that the ATO is aware of the difficulty January presents and therefore provides a one month extension each year for December quarter Business Activity Statements which are not due until 28 February precisely because so many people are away in January that a 28 January date would be difficult. HSC should follow the ATO's example."
Thank you RC.

DA1305 - resident survey

The Trust seeks views of residents of Beecroft and Cheltenham on the following main issues regarding the Uniting Church’s proposal DA1305/2011 to build a multi storey 51 unit development between Hannah Street and Copeland Road, with 19 units for aged care and 32 for affordable housing for lower paid workers.  Please respond to secretary@2119.org.au with “Yes” or “No” against each of the following:

1.      Do you support multi storey aged housing in Beecroft?

2.      Do you support affordable housing in Beecroft?

3.      Do you support high rise developments anywhere in Beecroft/Cheltenham outside the Beecroft Shopping Village precinct?

4.      Do you think the present road system can accommodate traffic from another 51 residential units letting out onto Beecroft Road?

5.      Are you happy to have 71 trees (out of 95 on the site) removed?

6.      Do you think local residents have been given enough time to consider the application, with deadline for responses of 1 Feb?

But also write to the Shire, to C Ward Councillors, and to your local MP, with your views.

Hannah Street 5 Storey Development DA1305/2011

Regarding the previous post, the Trust is of the view that insufficient time has been allowed for consideration of this DA, and will be asking for an extension of time to allow wider dissemination of the application, and thereafter consideration of community views.
The Trust also believes that approval of any 5 storey development outside the area gazetted by the NSW government, namely the Beecroft Shopping Village precinct bounded by Beecroft Road, Chapman Avenue, and Wongalla Crescent, should be strongly resisted as a precendent threatening the officially recognised heritage character of the Beecroft and Cheltenham suburbs.
The Trust sees insufficient evidence that full consideration has been given to the consequences to traffic of a large community housing development between Hannah Street and Copeland Road.
If you have views on this matter, please contact the Trust at secretary@2119.org.au, but above all make your views known to Hornsby Shire Council before 1 February when responses are currently scheduled to close.

5 Storey Development Hannah St / Copeland Rd

An application DA1305/2011 has been lodged with Hornsby Shire Council as follows:

7 Hannah Street BEECROFT NSW 2119
RESIDENTIAL - MULTI UNIT - FLAT BUILDINGS COMPRISING 51 UNITS - DEMOLITION - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Applicant: Uniting Care Ageing - Sydney

The Trust would like to know your views on this, email secretary@2119.org.au
But also express your views direct to council.
You can see sketches of the proposed development, which goes between Copeland Road and Hannah St, at:

http://hsconline.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/appenquiry/modules/DocumentMaster/ViewDocument1.aspx?key=%2f9lHMinVzQU%3d&size=6055100

Chilworth Handrail washed away

It was good to see that M2 Project has left open the path through the construction camp under the M2 viaducts in Chilworth Reserve for the whole Christmas period. 
However it was sad to see that the recent heavy rains, and large branches flooding down Devlin's Creek, has swept away part of the handrail that M2 project kindly built for users of the path.  Let us hope the project will see fit to repair the handrail.

NWRL Project Application Lodged

The NWRL project have advised the Trust that the Project Application has been lodged with NSW Department of Planning, and details will soon be up on their website.
The proposal includes a service area on Cheltenham Oval near the netball court, providing services to the underground tunnels.

New South Wales Nurseries up for sale

According to a news article:

Forests New South Wales says change is needed in its loss making retail nurseries and that is why they are being outsourced.  Tenders open tomorrow for leases on nurseries at Dubbo, Muswellbrook, Gunnedah, Narrandera, Wagga and Cumberland in Sydney.  The nurseries employ about 30 full and part-time staff.

The director of land management and forestry services, Ross Dickson, admits the agency has not applied the necessary focus on the retail nursery network to make it more successful.  However, he says the Government focus is on commercial plantations.

Some staff feel Forests New South Wales imposes overhead costs that make the nurseries unviable and that if a proper budget was provided, they could compete with the private sector.

According to a letter to the BCCT from one of the Nursery staff:

Forests NSW Nurseries are the Australian Plant Specialists and have been growing trees for over  100 years.  Forest  nurseries are spread throughout NSW providing expert local knowledge, plants for local conditions and the best planting advice and hence growers for revegetation and the future of our forests.

These Nurseries are renowned for an extensive range of rare and unusual as well as hybrid garden shrubs. Stock is rarely purchased and runs on minimal cost via propagation methods (cutting & seeding) in order to produce plants that meet both personal and council requirements, and after all, where can a Gumtree be purchased these days?