Beecroft Forum August meet cancelled

Janet Hayes advises that they have had problems with the speakers organised for their August dinner so thye have cancelled the dinner.

Community Voice Survey

COMMUNITY SURVEY by Community Voice             2012
Please send to:  Community Voice, PO Box 2158 Westfield, Hornsby NSW 1635
Or Email:  Secretary@communityvoice-hornsby.com.au
Your Suburb: ___________   Are you Male  ÿ  Female  ÿ    Your Name: ________
Do you currently live as a Family/Group  ÿ  Couple  ÿ  or as a Single  ÿ 
Circle your age group: Up to age 25   Age 26-45   Age 46-65   Age 66-79   Age 80+ 

1. In 3 brief points, what do you like best about your immediate area?

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2. What do you like best about Hornsby Shire as a whole? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. What improvements would make a difference to your immediate area?
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4. What improvements would make a difference to Hornsby Shire?

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5. Regarding future development, what principles or factors should be taken into account?

(a)  For your immediate area. (Please briefly specify or give examples); 

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(b)  For the Bushland Shire generally. (Please briefly specify or give examples);

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6.  Any other comments/suggestions:

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TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION IN WORKSHOP -  (Nos. 7 – 9 inclusive)
Please consider & submit ideas on:
7.  In brief specific points, what would you not accept or want in Hornsby Shire  –  and why? 
8.  As population growth and need for more housing is a fact of life within the shire (and indeed, throughout Sydney) - What is your long term vision for your local area and the shire?
9.  How can this be achieved in a way that can enhance community life throughout the shire?  
PRINTED FOR WRITTEN FEEDBACK: 
10.  Of the following, number issues you consider to be of importance to your local area or Hornsby Shire (one being of highest priority), and add detail if you wish:
Issue Number your priorities – 1 being the top priority Additional Comments: what/where (shire or local area)/how
a)  Crime Prevention
b)  Community Events
c)  Community/Council consultation
d)  Community Involvement  
e)  Cultural programs
f)  Environmental/green policies/carbon footprint
g)  Fire Plans
h)  Healthcare facilities
i)  Housing Strategy
j)  Infrastructure, e.g. roads, pavements, bridges, stormwater, etc
k)  Personal Safety in Shire
l)  Sporting facilities
m)  Traffic Congestion
n)  Transport and Parking
o)  Tree Policy
p)  Wildlife corridors / Green belts
q)  Other…. (name)
11. Are there any more comments; observations; or suggestions you would like to make about planning issues:  
(a)  In your local/ immediate area? 
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(b)  In Hornsby Shire?
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12.  Is there anything further you would like to add about Shire issues?  
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Thank you for your participation.

JRPP Hearing on DA1305

The JRPP will re-hear the Uniting Care application for six storey multi-unit development between Hannah Street and Cheltenham Road on Thursday 26 July, starting at 5pm.  They are also hearing an application for 115 units to be built at 284 Castle Hill Road, Castle Hill.  Not sure which will be heard first.

If you wish to speak at the panel meeting you MUST register by 4pm Tuesday 24 July, by phone on 9228 2060 or email at suzie.jattan@planning.nsw.gov.au.

Oral submissions should be based on the assessment report and its recommendation.  Should be lots of scope to challenge the assessment report that a six storey building is "In Character" with houses on Copeland Road.

Aboriginal Art Exhibition

BCCT Response on Uniting Care DA 1305

The General Manager

Hornsby Shire Council

PO Box 37 Hornsby NSW 1630

Joint Regional Planning Panel

23-33 Bridge Street

Sydney

NSW 2000

RE DA 2011SYW128 / 1305/2011

7-11 Hannah St and 129-131 Copeland Rd Beecroft

Dear Sirs,

The Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust has reviewed the amended plans for the above Development Application and sees no reason to change its outright opposition to the entire proposal.

Zoning of the Beecroft Cheltenham Area

The proposal still flies in the face of the zoning rules.  As Councillor Hutchence so eloquently stated during the JRPP hearing, Council has already gazetted the Beecroft Shopping Village (BSV) precinct for 5 storey mixed commercial and residential development specifically to provide for the need for more housing.  If Uniting Care wish to provide affordable housing, they can purchase land in the BSV and develop it with no basis for local opposition.

Character of Local Area

The only speaker at the JRPP who claimed the 5 storey development will be in character with the rest of the area was a paid representative of the developer, and he didn’t attempt to justify his claim, he just said that it was in character.  No unbiased observer would agree with this statement.

DA1305

Concerns about the Urban Design Review (UDR), Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE), and Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) listed in the Trust’s earlier objection remain unaffected by the modifications made since the first JRPP hearing.

Comment on the JRPP Hearing

It must be noted that both community representatives on the JRPP were absent at the JRPP meeting on this issue.

The JRPP agenda was to hear from the opponents to the development before the proponents spoke, so the opponents were unable to challenge the developer’s evidence.  While the panel members questioned witnesses about their evidence, the public was not offered the same privilege.

One obvious question must be how the developer can claim traffic volumes of only five to ten cars an hour, given there are 41 units remaining, most of whose occupants are working and a significant proportion of whom will wish to drive to work.  One must assume the stated traffic volume is an average taken over the full day and week, which is irrelevant to the rush hour problems foreseen on Copeland Road.

Some 120 local residents attended the hearing as silent protest against the development. 

The minutes of the meeting list those who spoke, but fail to distinguish between the 13 concerned residents who spoke against the proposal and the five paid employees or servants of the developer who spoke in favour.  Clearly the minutes should reflect that only those in the employment of the developer spoke in favour of the proposal.

Comment on the Revised Plans

While the Trust absolutely rejects the idea of spreading affordable housing away from the Beecroft Shopping Village area, and is convinced this development is totally out of character, the annex to this letter contains thoughts on how the adverse impact of the design could be made less unattractive.

Recommendation

The Trust again asserts that the proposed development, even as now modified, demonstrably fails the required character test under clause 16A of the ARH SEPP and for this and many other reasons the proposed development must be refused.

Yours sincerely,  

Peter Hewitt

Secretary

Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust

0417 215 774 

Copy to C Ward Councillors.

Enclosure – Thoughts on Improving the Proposal

Thoughts on Improving the Proposal

While opposing the overall concept of multi-storey development on this location, the Trust suggests the following amendments to the current plans:

·         The edge between No 15 Hannah St and the driveway needs better detail attention – both with respect to the scale difference of the proposed new 2 storey building, and the existing house on No 15.  Now that Uniting Care is moving to purchase No 15, such appropriate design attention can, and should, be given to this area before final approval.

·         One further unit should be removed from the top level of Building 3 ( the south building ) so that the massing is stepped more.  This would benefit the residences to the south, 127 Copeland Rd  in particular.

·         Good architectural modulation is required in the detail of the elevations – eg planters, operable shading devices, variety of material types, colours etc.  This detail may be in the drawings already but needs to be clearly identified to make sure that subsequent project management cost cutting does not happen to the detriment of the architectural quality.  Brewster Hjorths, the Architects named on the drawings, have done work of a very good design standard.  However it can be a long way between the design drawings and the Construction Team once the building gets underway and cost savings have to be made. The quality of the design intention must be carried through and mandated in the approval by the JRPP.

·         Similarly, detailed landscaping plans should be provided before the design is approved by JRPP.  This is particularly relevant for the eastern boundary at the rear of the existing four level home units on Beecroft Rd, the Hannah St frontage and the southern boundary to the rear of the properties on Copeland Rd. A detailed plan of management and a landscape plan should be provided for the “natural” area vaguely shown on the south west portion of the site.

·         The detail of the disabled access to the Hannah St footpath has not been provided, and this deficiency should be satisfied before final approval, to ensure an adequate arrangement can be achieved.

Just one of the letters sent to council!

To:  All Members of Hornsby Council

As a long term Beecroft resident of more than 35 years, we wish to express our strong and absolute opposition to the proposed development at Hannah St / Copeland Rd Development DA/1305/2011.

It is with shock and dismay that we became aware of the plans for the site and appeal in the strongest terms for re-consideration and/or rejection of approval as wholly unsuitable and out of character to the surrounding properties and the character of Beecroft as a whole. 

Whilst we appreciate the need for accommodating population growth and a somewhat denser residency, something that has been occurring in Beecroft already for years by subdividing and battle-axing existing properties, it is quite another matter to systematically destroy the Beecroft environment and its unique beauty for the sake of $-growth.  It is time that developers be at least somewhat curtailed in their relentless effort for profit at the expense of the surrounds of all and everything. 

We also appeal to the Council’s values and appreciation as to the kind of legacy they wish to leave for generations to follow and whether they wish to be remembered as having permitted and supported the destruction of a once beautiful suburb and its increasingly rare village character that its residents chose for those very reasons. 

Why does everything that is worthwhile as a living environment have to be sacrificed to the almighty dollar ($$’s) and all-encompassing greed of developers who clearly care nothing about the environment when much better options of design and use of space are available and perfectly achievable? 

A development of a 2-storey village design character would in our opinion be acceptable and suitable for that site – no more than that!

For your serious and conscientious consideration.

Survey on 3rd Rail Project

A student at Knox Grammar School, undertaking a school project, has set up a survey to determine community opinion on the Third Rail Project.  It would be useful if all local residents could submit their thoughts.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHlCakZ4QnF4RTU3eF9aVzR1ZW5mbGc6MQ

It only takes a few minutes to complete.