BEROWRA & DISTRICT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

 

 

Issues: 3 & 5 Turner Road

N.B.
Another DA for 3 & 5 Turner Road Berowra Heights was refused at the Planning Meeting held on 5 July 2006. The grounds for refusal were that it did not comply with the Turner Road Commercial Centre Masterplan and the Medium Density DCP.

This looks like an on-going saga! When will residents be free of the scheming of so-called 'developers'?

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DA/1007/2005

3 & 5 Turner Road, BEROWRA HEIGHTS
DEMOLITION OF EXISTING DWELLINGS AND ANCILLARY STRUCTURES AND ERECTION OF ELEVEN (11) TWO STOREY MULTI-UNIT DWELLINGS

The DA has been emended and submitted again. The original claims that it achieves a high degree of compliance with council's requirements, and that departures from the side setback and landscaped open space requirements are justifiable.

We ask:

  • Why isn't the DA in full compliance with council's regulations?
  • There is no justification given for the zero setbacks to two boundaries and only 750 mm setbacks for two other boundaries, where three metres is required.
  • There would be extensive shadow patterns within the development itself and the proposed future development in Kita Road.
  • The single lane access road to the development is inadequate, especially since it would also serve the proposed developments indicated on the Turner Road Commercial Centre Masterplan.
  • This single lane access road would also to be used for disabled and pedestrian access. This would be dangerous, since there is no designated footpath.
  • This access road would be restricted by extensive tree planting along the
    boundaries.
  • There are 42 trees, with 6 scribbly gums planned for the smaller front courtyard areas. The planting of these kinds of trees so close to foundations and driveways will only cause problems to buildings and driveways.
    (The Privacy section of the Statement of Environmental Effects says:
    "The smaller front courtyard areas are reasonably screened from overlooking by way of building separation and proposed planting, provided the Scribbly Gums do not all grow to their 20 metre mature heights".)
  • As set out on council's web site, the proposed dwellings could well be judged to be out of character with the houses on the opposite side of Turner Road.
  • The internal amenities of the proposed dwellings are poor to inadequate.
  • This corner of Berowra Heights sits on the top of a ridge that is especially exposed to the threat of bushfires, and there is no quick or easy escape route for people to use. It is entirely inappropriate to cram more buildings - especially residential ones - into this particular area.
  • Besides being in a dangerous position as regards bushfires, the proposed number of residential dwellings would add considerably to the run-off pollutants that end up in the Creek below - and Berowra Creek already has a serious pollution problem.
  • The development proposed for 3&5 Turner Rd includes two townhouses out of 11 that are for disabled or senior residents (otherwise known as Access/Mobility). The main problem with these two houses are that they are two storey and they do not have any bedrooms on the first floor.
  • The developer has very kindly provided a downstairs bathroom but has shown lack of thought in regard to the bedrooms.
  • In addition, the driveway to the developent is not wide enough to allow safe pedestrian access along with car access.
  • This is serious when we consider disabled or senior residents who may need to use this pedestrian access to shops and facilites. Such access is a strict requirement of the Access/Mobility DCP.

The emended DA brings with it further problems. The time now available for making comments is very short - the DA was posted over the holiday period and comments were asked to be in by Jan 26: however, we've been assured that late comments will be accepted.

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