27 Howarth Street Wyong NSW 2259

The proposed development WSC SP 8756, is a four storey boarding house comprising of 104 boarding rooms. The large development is planned to be built on three existing blocks of land on Howarth Street. Howarth street (and the surrounding area) will suffer immensely from increased traffic and noise congestion. Howarth street is two laned, with commuter carparking directly opposite the proposed boarding complex. Commuters and boarders will be in competition for already scarce parking and the traffic on Howarth street will be dangerous with many blind spots. The area is far too small for such a high density complex. The design is far too large with too many oversights such as inadequate parking/ no parking, poor kerb and guttering, no pavements and an extremely unsafe intersection (Howarth Street and Warner). Traffic will also be increased along Panonia Street, under the railway bridge to River Road (a narrow road that floods in places with heavy rain) leading to the intersection of Church Street and the Pacific Highway. This intersection is already struggling with increased traffic and car accidents are a common occurrence.

Wyong is a disadvantaged area with increased sexual assaults, domestic violence and drug and alcohol related crimes. Fights and assaults are regularly observed on Warner Street, outside the general store. The ambulance and police frequently attend callouts to the surrounding areas. Many ex-prisoners use boarding houses and some boarding houses have a lack of regulation and security (No bars, http://www.nobars.org.au/about-criminal-justice-clients.html, 2011). What are the current safe guards in place for the current boarding house? What social and community services are in place in an already disadvantaged area? Particularly when most of the community services are on the eastern side of the train line. Police regularly foot patrol the eastern side of Wyong but are rarely/ never seen patrolling the racecourse side on foot. How will the boarding house improve safety in an already disadvantaged and low socioeconomic area?

I disapprove of this new 104 Boarding House development at 27 -31 Howarth Street Wyong. I have notice since there has been more housing commission homes in the area, crime and safety has gone down. There is frequently violent fights and domestic abuse in the area due to drugs. There is also constant stealing from Baker park at local sporting events. The area has gone down in value due to these housing commission homes. Police are frequently called out to stop the violence. When does one feel safe walking home from Wyong station or going to the corner shop. Please consider this submission from a local resident that has had enough of hooligans and drug up people disturbing the peace. I do not feel it is necessary to have a boarding house so close to local families and the community that is has had enough violence.

I agree with the comment above, i also think the council is hoping this will fly under the radar. It appears Wyong and the Central Coast in general is being used as a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems. Has anyone from the council been to the railway station after dark? It appears as if we are being used as one big social experiment. A better use for this building would be a boarding house for the many university students who travel great distances to and from school - at least they will more then likely be taxpayers one day.