Hi,
While I support appropriate development that provides housing and public benefits, I have serious concerns regarding the current proposal, especially in relation to overshadowing my own property, affordable housing delivery, parking provision, and construction-related environmental impacts.
1. AFFORDABLE HOUSING –
The proposal includes two 2-bedroom units of affordable housing to be offered “in perpetuity” to the Council. I object having this as part of the development for below main reasons:
• There are already many housing commission units in this suburb which led to streets being unsafe and not maintained properly by the Parramatta Council, I have had submitted many complains about cleanliness of the Atkinson Road previously.
• The proposal does not detail who will manage the units, how tenant eligibility will be assessed, or long-term oversight mechanisms.
2. PARKING SHORTAGES
The EIS appears to under-deliver on resident and visitor car parking, based on proposed densities:
• The Transport Assessment assumes residents will rely heavily on future public transport infrastructure (e.g. Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2), but this is not yet operational or funded.
• The lack of sufficient parking will push overflow vehicles into nearby streets, worsening congestion and frustrating current residents.
• The development should meet or exceed Parramatta LEP/DCP minimum parking rates for mixed-use zones.
Based on the released exhibition, the provided car park spots are almost half of the demand! This is not acceptable by any means and I will take this to authorities if approved as such as short car parking allowance.
3. CONSTRUCTION NOISE, VIBRATION & POLLUTION
The EIS suggests a long construction timeline over multiple stages, yet does not adequately address:
• Noise and vibration impacts on existing residents, including elderly populations in surrounding developments
• Air quality and dust – especially during demolition, excavation, and bulk earthworks; considering our experience with the current project called melrose central, it seems the new development would be managed as bad and will cause more issues to the community. This shall be addressed properly and guaranteed that there will be effective street cleaning to mitigate dust and dirts to travel to neighboring residents. These days we have to wash our cars literally three times a week! We can’t have the same for the new developments!
The current project workers have no respect towards the resident and leave rubbish every where in the street, you can easily see this happening in Hope street every day!
• Traffic disruption from trucks and heavy machinery on Hughes Avenue and Hope Street, which are already congested. You can easily see how bad they managing the current melrose central development, streets full of dirts and when it rains it looks like livinf i. rural suburb!
The Construction Environmental Management Plan must include:
• Real-time monitoring of noise and dust
• Restrictions on construction hours (no early weekends or public holidays)
• Community hotline for complaints and quick mitigation. This is a must. Without this I will definitely will take legal action agains the council that is charging us hundreds of dollars and delivers nothing in return.
4. PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
there is no clarity on delivery timing. Will it be staged late in the development, or delivered up front? This affects the liveability of future residents and local community benefit.
5. Most concerning issue is how there is going to be a seven storey apartment building right next to us with not much setback, which will both overshadow our houses and the residents will be able to look over into our houses and backyards?
This is a breach of privacy which we won’t tolerate.
Also, this overshadowing would adversely impact solar panels catchment which will end up increasing our electricity bills and it’s agains the government's policies for using renewable energies!
This shall be addressed by giving enough set back from Atkins Road and lowering the block B1 height.
In summary, I request that the Department:
1. eliminate the affordable housing obligation otherwise provide the community with clear management and eligibility criteria.
2. Require greater parking provision to match demand and protect local streets.
3. Strengthen conditions on construction impacts, with clearer accountability.
4. Ensure that public open space is delivered early in the development lifecycle.
5. Increase setback from Atkins Road and lower the height of blocks.
Thank you for considering this submission.
