PlanningAlerts

6 Comments

Create an account or sign in to have your say by adding your own comment.

1. It would be very concerning if this development did not have to receive an acoustic certificate. The building makes a major acoustic impact on the district via the groundfloor pub and the air conditioning for the dense highrise above it. This application must be rejected.

2. I strongly disagree with the pub’s assessment that they need not measure nor comply with court imposed acoustic requirements. These requirements are borne out of historically poorly behaved pubs all across the state.

   The business has not been operating for several months. Under these circumstances, there wouldn’t be any pub noise heard in the units above the pub or in the surrounding residential neighbourhood. It’s obvious why there have been no complaints. And the previous eight months they were also operating at diminished capacity due to restrictions on the number of patrons allowed on all premises. This past year cannot be considered normal under any circumstances, and therefore, any assessment during this time frame would be a distortion of a broader truth. The truth is that businesses that serve liquor until the wee hours of the morning come with consequences for residential neighbourhoods; intoxicated patrons are not always controllable, especially if RSA cannot be achieved. And well behaved patrons of today may not be the patrons of tomorrow.

   Bondi Junction has been voraciously developed via large unit blocks built with glass concrete and steel. Vibrations, especially sub-base music and screaming patrons exiting the premise, can easily penetrate buildings as they bounce off these hard surfaces. And noise rises up and out.

   At some point in time, normal operating hours will prevail, and if these acoustic conditions are permanently deleted, then the onus will be on the residents to prove that they are living under miserable conditions and the cost to the home owner for an acoustic assessment would be unacceptable. I also doubt their claim that it would be impossible to gain access to units above the pub for testing. Acoustic measurements have been undertaken in other BJ apartment blocks next to other pubs. It can be done.

   Perhaps there needs to be another extension placed on this condition, and when covid restrictions have eased completely, the condition be imposed. To completely delete / remove an acoustic condition citing good behaviour during a partial and full lockdown, would be a remarkably poor decision by Waverley Council, and it sets a precedent for other pubs and clubs.

3. I agree completely with Gayle Walker comment.
   How can any licenced premises say they have been responsible with noise pollution of the surrounding area when they have only been partially patronised over the last 18 months.
   The acoustic testing should be carried out when ALL lockdown restrictions have been lifted.

4. Totally agree with Ms Walker’s comments. The acoustic testing should be conducted under ‘normal’ circumstances, not during lockdown. Of course there won’t be any complaints under lockdown! It’s not operating!

5. I also would like to voice my concern about this application and I am strongly against it.
   We are living in a unit on the 10th floor in the adjacent building and we have been forced to lock our windows and balconies in the evenings on several occasions when this bub’s first days opening to avoid the noise of their patrons and also the strong smell of the chocking fumes coming out from their kitchen. The smell of fumes was especially strong when there is no wind to blow it away.
   I suspect they are not complying with the minimum requirements to protect their neighbours from both the nose and the kitchen fumes.

6. I also would like to voice my concern about this application and I am strongly against it.
   We are living in a unit on the 10th floor in the adjacent building and we have been forced to lock our windows and balconies in the evenings on several occasions when this bub’s first days opening to avoid the noise of their patrons and also the strong smell of the chocking fumes coming out from their kitchen. The smell of fumes was especially strong when there is no wind to blow it away.
   I suspect they are not complying with the minimum requirements to protect their neighbours from both the nose and the kitchen fumes.

Have your say on this application

Your comment and details will be sent to Waverley Council. They may consider your submission when they decide whether to approve this application. Your name and comment will be posted publicly above.

Create an account or sign in to make a comment