PlanningAlerts

As a Thirroul resident and homeowner for a decade, I would like to add my objection to the DA for development of Thirroul Plaza.

This DA represents a gross overdevelopment for this area, is direct conflict with many objectives outlined in Wollongong Development Control Plan (WDCP 2009) Chapter 12D and without significant amendments will have a detrimental impact on the quality of life and amenity of the existing residents, businesses and amenity of the area.

With ever increasing permanent residents, coupled with drastic increase in tourist travel the existing roadways are not coping. The single lane Lawrence Hargrave Drive, bottlenecks at the single-lane train bridge between South and North parts and is exacerbated by traffic lights at the entrance to McCauleys Estate at Wrexham Road. The potential risks in respect to emergency services access/egress in the event of bushfire emergency and the closure of Lawrence Hargrave Drive and integrity of the old railway bridge must be addressed before adding a development of this size and scale. Further to this, transport and traffic assessments must be conducted accurate and representative of actual conditions (those included in this DA were conducted at non-peak times and months).

The size, scale and build of this development is inappropriate for this site and area. 82 residential units is too many for the heart of Thirroul ‘village’. As per the WDCP 2009) Chapter 12D new developments in the Village Centre should retain core retail village components and character of the existing buildings.

Significant infrastructure issues including traffic volume, public transport, parking and school capacity must be adequately addressed BEFORE a development of this magnitude be approved. There must be adequate community consultation, which has not happened on this occasion.