Friday, November 11, 2005  

Summary of Documents presented to Coles 10 Nov 05

OATLEY RESIDENTS AGAINST OVERDEVELOPMENT (ORAO)
ORAO, backed by a majority of Oatley residents, has several areas of concern in relation to Renaldo Plus 3 Pty Ltd’s proposed commercial/residential development at 47-67 Mulga Rd Oatley:

1. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
* Access for supply trucks:
– Limitations on access to the development from East Oatley due to (a) low and narrow railway underpass (b) one-lane railway overpass, and (c) 3 tonne weight restrictions on Hurstville Road (regional road) between 7pm and 7am.
– Limitations mean delivery traffic will be forced to use narrow residential streets not designed for constant heavy vehicle traffic.
– Mulga Road will be narrowed to only 9m.

* Supply truck entry and exit to loading dock only via Mulga Rd:
– Land and Environment Court’s ruling that, due to narrowness of Mulga Road, supply trucks only enter and exit delivery dock by right-hand turn.
– Requirement for delivery trucks to cross traffic for access will lead to heavy congestion on one of the busiest access roads for Oatley West.
– Operational experience of turntable facilities in loading docks indicates that turntable not used in practice and trucks reverse into the delivery bay, creating further congestion.

* Management Operation Plan:
– LEC ruling in favour of development despite truck waiting area not having been specified or approved. Residents are concerned that residential streets will be used as waiting zones.
– The MOP specifies strict rules of operation -- for example, relating to truck sizes and the loading dock. But who will ensure adherence to the MOP? What guarantees and what recourse will residents have?

2. NEIGHBOURHOOD CHARACTER
* Height and density of proposed development is out of character with small neighbourhood shopping village and the residential surrounds.
* Proposed development exploits typographical error on HCC LEP Amendment 38. The site was never intended for such large-scale commercial development.
* The result is GROSS OVERDEVELOPMENT of the site.

3. LOSS OF AMMENITY
* Increased vehicular traffic, from both trucks and cars, will reduce the highly prized ‘tranquility’ of Oatley by drawing traffic to a peninsular suburb.
* The visual and noise impact of the development will reduce amenity of nearby residences, particularly those to the front and rear of the development and on the traffic route for delivery vehicles.
* The inevitable increase in litter and scattered shopping trolleys will increase pollution and further add to the loss of visual amenity.

4. SAFETY:
* Pedestrian safety:
- Southern footpath on Mulga Rd is one of main pedestrian routes to Oatley station and bus stop. Each day, many, many pedestrians -- including schoolchildren – will be crossing the entry to the loading dock.
- If operational experience with other delivery dock turntables is an indication, pedestrian safety will be put at severe risk by reversing delivery trucks across main footpath to station.
- In addition, the narrowness of this footpath below the proposed development poses safety concerns with increased traffic flows, particularly heavy vehicles.
- Lack of pedestrian footpaths on residential access routes means pedestrians forced to share roads with increased supermarket traffic and trucks.
* Vehicle safety:
- Blinding effect of afternoon sunlight is greatest at point of loading dock entry, where all trucks will be crossing the traffic flow. This ‘glare effect’ is greatest at mid-late afternoon and will coincide with the predicted peak supermarket traffic flow at 4.30-5.30pm.
- Local traffic will be forced to share narrow residential streets with delivery trucks, at times forcing single lane traffic flow.

5. LACK OF COMMUNITY VOICE:
* Renaldo Gaiety has repeatedly ignored the community voice – he has been told on many occasions, both at public meetings and in one-to-one conversations, that a large supermarket is not considered appropriate for the site and will be unwanted.

* Ignoring the intent of Council and previous zoning classifications regarding zoning Amendments. Exploitation of a zoning error by Council.
* Lack of democracy in the Land and Environment Court process – residents’ voice not taken into consideration by the Court.

Comments:
Spot on - any operator of the supermarket will no longer have me as a customer. Coles (and all their associated operations)are currently on my boycott list. May I add the sun, at certain times of year, is just as bad driving down Mulga Road towards the station in the morning.
Coles cares...... pull the other one!!!!
 
Give me a break. Although I am sure you will not post this message, take a good look at yourselves. "Maintain the Rage?" To me that sounds more like the catchcry of a terrorist cell than a concerned community group.

While I myself am against overdevelopment, I am also well aware that there are so many things in life that actually deserve our attention and even, yes, our rage. Homelessness, violence against women and children... These are issues which actually matter. And I cannot believe that so many people are putting so much effort into the vanity of their neighbourhood.

Spend some time with your children, go fly a kite, read a book or if you're really motivated - do some volunteer work. Just stop being angry. Its not good for you and seeing that slogan all over town just makes me sad. Knowing that my children have to see it everyday makes me even sadder. There just isn't enough here to be angry about - do your shopping elsewhere and spend more time with your family.
 
Some years ago I spoke with Miles Dunphy when he still lived in Mi Mi St.

He told me of his grandfathers arrival In Oatley many years earlier, I think he said early 1900s.

He told me that his grandfather said Gunga Bay used to be a navigable waterway with crystal white sands about 2 metres under the clear water. The current mangrove is firmly rooted in mud that arrived there from home site development in the area.

If this group is concerned with Coles adding to this environmental change in Gunga Bay will they also assist by removing the environmental damage caused by the last 100 years of run off from their suburban Oatley homes?

If not does this mean they accept change in our community?
 
If you have something to say, let it be heard, is what i say... everyone has their own opinons which all need to be considerd. I am currently a yr 10 student working in oatley and along with thousands I to apose to the idea of a coles being built. i am a great believer in the saying; there is power in numbers. This minor dispute will resemble how a community working together can make a difference.

It is vital to keep the community of oatley the way it is now as it is one of vary few villages where you recieve a sense of comfort and safty. By building coles, numerous families will sprawl into the area, which will then cause the issue of urban growth.

Oatley village is thoght of as sucha small and unique village as their are just enough shops to suit peoples needs, also a park for local families.

It is anything but benificial for the residents, then why build it?
It's such a quiet Neighborhood! Why ruin it?
 
Don't forget about the amount of buisness Coles WILL drain from Oatley West+East, Mortdale and Penshurst Shops.
 
To the Wonora Parade resident who claimed that Oatley used to be pristine "white sand and clear water" a hundred years ago and thus it doesn't matter if Coles is built, that is hardly a valid arguement.
Half of the original rainforest of Brazil has been destroyed but this doesn't mean that we should not protect the remaining rainforest. If anything this is more reason to protect what we have.
Suburbs as quiet safe and friendly as Oatley are becoming increasingly rare. Although change should not be opposed simply because it is change, change should be carefully considered with consultance with the community and the pros and cons should be weighed up.
 
Post a Comment

<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours? eXTReMe Tracker