Penshurst Public School

Whilst I have no objection to the demolition and rebuilding of the school
I do have very serious concerns as ro traffice management once the new
school commences operations

With its present capacity of 500 students we already have traffic
management problems with parents dropping off and picking children in
the mornings and afternoons

To complicate the issue the roadway between Forest Rd and Arcadia St
does not allow larger vehicles to pass each other when there are cars
parked or standing to offload passengers
I dont know the answer to it , but maybe that stretch should be made
into one way traffic as parents are distracted from safe driving whist
and the whole left hand side of roadway made into a drop of zone for
the appropriate times of drop off and pick ups
If we dont address this issue i feel a serious injury or death is
going to result because parents are distracted from safe driving by
their desire to find a drop off spot
I can talk from experience I have almost been hit by drivers pulling
into driveways across footpaths to offload thei kidsr

Whilst I have no objection to the demolition and rebuilding of the school
I do have very serious concerns as ro traffice management once the new
school commences operations

With its present capacity of 500 students we already have traffic
management problems with parents dropping off and picking children in
the mornings and afternoons

To complicate the issue the roadway between Forest Rd and Arcadia St
does not allow larger vehicles to pass each other when there are cars
parked or standing to offload passengers
I dont know the answer to it , but maybe that stretch should be made
into one way traffic as parents are distracted from safe driving whist
and the whole left hand side of roadway made into a drop of zone for
the appropriate times of drop off and pick ups
If we dont address this issue i feel a serious injury or death is
going to result because parents are distracted from safe driving by
their desire to find a drop off spot
I can talk from experience I have almost been hit by drivers pulling
into driveways across footpaths to offload thei kidsr

Whilst I have no objection to the demolition and rebuilding of the school
I do have very serious concerns as ro traffice management once the new
school commences operations

With its present capacity of 500 students we already have traffic
management problems with parents dropping off and picking children in
the mornings and afternoons

To complicate the issue the roadway between Forest Rd and Arcadia St
does not allow larger vehicles to pass each other when there are cars
parked or standing to offload passengers
I dont know the answer to it , but maybe that stretch should be made
into one way traffic as parents are distracted from safe driving whist
and the whole left hand side of roadway made into a drop of zone for
the appropriate times of drop off and pick ups
If we dont address this issue i feel a serious injury or death is
going to result because parents are distracted from safe driving by
their desire to find a drop off spot
I can talk from experience I have almost been hit by drivers pulling
into driveways across footpaths to offload thei kidsr

Whilst I have no objection to the demolition and rebuilding of the school
I do have very serious concerns as ro traffice management once the new
school commences operations

With its present capacity of 500 students we already have traffic
management problems with parents dropping off and picking children in
the mornings and afternoons

To complicate the issue the roadway between Forest Rd and Arcadia St
does not allow larger vehicles to pass each other when there are cars
parked or standing to offload passengers
I dont know the answer to it , but maybe that stretch should be made
into one way traffic as parents are distracted from safe driving whist
and the whole left hand side of roadway made into a drop of zone for
the appropriate times of drop off and pick ups
If we dont address this issue i feel a serious injury or death is
going to result because parents are distracted from safe driving by
their desire to find a drop off spot
I can talk from experience I have almost been hit by drivers pulling
into driveways across footpaths to offload thei kidsr

I am very concerned as a local resident and small business owner after
reading the Planning submission related to Penshurst Public School.
The total mess created by the state government by both the Planning
and Education departments clearly indicates to the local community
that there is little or no concern by either department. there are two
adjoining properties next to the existing school car park that should
be looked at with the view to approaching the owners with offers to
buy both properties at current market values not government takeover
prices which do not reflect reasonable prices.

I have no objection to the general plan to redevelop the school, nor -
despite the hideousness of the proposed design - am I objecting to the
specific plans, apart from the issue of parking and traffic.

The school student and staff populations are set to more than double,
and yet the on-site parking is remaining at 15. As any neighbor will
testify, both parking and traffic are massive problems due to the two
adjoining primary schools, neither of which have adequate on-site
parking, and none of which have on-site pick-up/drop-off facilities. I
appreciate that sometimes nothing can be done, but with a proposed
complete school redevelopment, this is not one of those times.

I read in the DA traffic report that the consultants are advised by
the applicant that no additional parking can be created on-site, but
this is a lie. If the architects can come up with a façade as
grotesque as that which they propose, they can find a way to jam in at
least a few more car spots, if not enough for all staff and some
visitors. And if the government actually cared about teachers as it
claims to, it would insist on making life easier for primary teachers
carrying home supplies, craft, homework, marking, rather than
ideologically pontificating about "green travel plans" involving the
M91 bus route or a 700m walk to the train station (as per traffic
consultant's report).

The proposed number of car spaces per staff member falls well below
the ratio required if Council was the consent authority, and is an
insult to teachers and local residents who have put up with a
difficult situation for too long as it is. Likewise, the proposed
suggested plan (traffic report, again) to extend the on-street
pick-up/drop-off area makes a mockery of the dire state of local
streets. School traffic for Penshurst PS and St Declan's already snake
around neighbourhood, and the proposal seems ignorant of the reality
that the majority of primary parents still drive their children to
school (it would be different in high school, naturally).

Again, I am supportive of the application because I believe that the
problem of parking (which the DA as it stands perpetuates) can be
solved if the government wants to solve it.

I object to this proposal for the following reasons:-
1. Have you considered the major flow of traffic that proposal
will create?
2. Have you studied at the current situation of traffic flow between
in Arcadia St between Percival St & Forest Rd between the hours of
8.30am/9/10am and 2.30pm / 3.15pm.
3. have you also considered the traffic flow for collection of kids at
the same time's.

Currently (450 odd pupils) it is been a shambles around these times
and parents become impatient to find a parking spot, so they park
where it suits them, front of drive ways with no consideration for the
residents wanting to enter/exit their premises. They choose to park as
close as possible to the school (PPS) so they don't have to walk very
far to collect their kids.
Have you considered what it will be with 1000 pupils.
Have you considered to converting Arcadia St to One Way between Forest
Rd & Percival St?
When I get the opportunity photos will be provided.

I oppose the application as my concern with living on the same block is
the amount of traffic due to two public schools backing onto each
other. I live on Percival street and i can't drive out of my driveway
from 8:50- 9:05 and 3pm till 3:15 with the amount cars banking up
turning onto Penshurst street. The increase of children to the school
will only mean more traffic in the area.
My backyard also backs onto Penshurst publc school. I have concerns
over my privacy and noise levels with rooftop play areas.

I object most strongly to the re-development of the Penshurst Primary
School as proposed.
I object to the fact that the development proposes to double the
present enrollment numbers which will involve doubling the number of
staff without providing any increase in off street parking.
Arcadia Street (the location of the school) is very narrow and in its
present state does not allow for cars to pass each other if cars are
parked on both sides of the street. Double the number of staff and
students will result in double the number of traffic parking/passing
through - especially during drop off & pick up times. Chaos will
prevail!
The intersection of Arcadia Street and Percival Street is presently
controlled by a Give Way sign in Percival Street. At bpresent, due to
parked cars in both streets it is difficult to see approaching cars in
both streets. Thought needs to be given to better management of this
intersection.
Due to Councils past decisions to allow for multiple flats to be build
in and around Arcadia Street residents already find it difficult to
navigate or park on the street.
Businesses presently located in Arcadia Street will have no place for
their customers to park and will face difficulty accessing their
property - both entering & leaving
I have a concern that the building as proposed will cast a significant
shadow over the neighboring St Declans School property which will have
an impact on those neighboring classrooms

As a local resident I object most strongly to the proposed development of
Penshurst Primary School.
I object to the proposal on the grounds of the anticipated increase of
traffic in and around the local streets due to increase of staff and
parents cars.
Arcadia Street is a narrow street and cannot cope the present traffic.
I urge you to not approve this development as presented until the
traffic and parking situation is given further serious consideration
by the planners.

I have worked in this street for the past 30 years. During this time we
have seen the congestion around school drop off and pick up time
increase considerably causing traffic to reduce to single file and
come to a standstill in Arcadia Street. This makes it difficult for
ourselves and our customers to access our business. With projected
1000 students for Penshurst Public school, and extra staff and only 15
extra parking spaces on site, this will only compound the problem.
Arcadia street is narrow, not at all as indicated in the artists
impression. Penshurst Public school used to own a block of land for
parking on the opposite side of Arcadia Street to the school. They
sold this off for development which seems a ludicrous decision. With
inadequate on site parking, the narrow street and large volume of
students needed to be picked up and dropped off, I am concerned for
the safety of the students. I have seen a child hit by a car there
previously, and with the proposed development of Penshurst Public
school, the risk of this happening will be increased. I object to the
development due to the parking and traffic problem.

I am concerned with the following issues:
1. Parking. For a school of about 400 students, parents have been
blocking off driveways opposite the school around 9am and 3pm; traffic
is chaotic during many mornings and especially in the afternoon during
the picking up period.
I can't imagine if it becomes a school that can hold to over 1000
studensl, the impact of inconvenience will be much greater.
Furthermore, there is not enough staff parking. There is already
limited parking for residents of Penshurst. Adding a small, limited
parking space will not only affect that traffic flow of Arcadia Street
but adjacent streets as well.
If this plan is to go through, I believe the roads need to be reworked
to accommodate the impact of the new school.

My concerns regarding the proposed re build of the school is traffic
movements.Having been involved in the Construction Industry for some
48 years in a senior position the builder will require a huge amount
of deliveries to site,such as concrete trucks and pumps,brick
deliveries to name a few.Should any vehicles travelling to site in a
westerly direction down Forest Rd will most likely turn right into
Cambridge St then left into Percival St and then left into Arcadia St
as they are unable to turn right into Arcadia St when travelling west
on Forest Road This will be totally unacceptable in a relatively quiet
st.We are already being impacted with the redevelopment of Penshurst
Park by Georges River Council which is ongoing. Plus we will have to
deal with all the workers vehicles trying to find parking in
surrounding streets.My request is that for vehicles to access site
they come off King Georges rd into Percival St then into Arcadia St.I
am sure this could be part of the contract conditions when appointing
a builder.Also what parking will be provided for the Teachers when
construction is completed

Firstly I would like to state that I have 4 children
Which have all started from kindy and the oldest being in yr 7
This year and my youngest in kindergarten now, another child finishing
this year and my other child in yr 2.
So I have been with the school for the past 6-7 yes.

Within this time the biggest concern is where the road narrows at the
children's crossing, the street it self isn't wide enough to
accommodate the extra traffic that will be involved with more children
attending in the long run. So I would like to see that some changes
regard this road safety isssue.

Secondly the staff parking is too limited for the amount of staff that
will be required. The parking on Arcadia St is already limited
throughout the day with staff now parking on the street and also the
teachers and parents of St Declans parking on Arcadia Street. So my
proposal would be either to have underground parking which can be
expensive or a tiered parking and then utilising the roof of the
teachers parking for playground equipment or the basket ball court.

This will help keep the parking to some degree open others and parents
on assembly days and Concert days.

Oh and also on the roof play area another vine covering the partial
shades as the vines will extend the shaded area.

I think this comment Is more for council but I feel there should be
another crossing on the corner of Arcadia St and Percival St
unsupervised.

Also a foot bridge on forest Rd as the traffic lights get very
congested in the afternoon with the pole depot children walking to
after school care. Many students and parents cross on forest Rd at
Penshurst Public school who h is very very dangerous.
Thanks for reading g

To the Dept of Planning and Environment

I commend the Dept of Education and the Dept of Planning and
Environment on their endeavour to design and construct a larger, more
advanced and contemporary school on the Penshurst Public School site.

However, I have concerns about the effects on traffic and parking in
Arcadia St and surrounding streets during the school's demolition and
construction phase, and also as a result of the increased students,
staff and services once the new school is opened. This will compound
the effects of the Penshurst Park redevelopment, which will be
happening at a similar time. I request that the government departments
work with the local Georges River Council to ensure the best outcomes
in this regard.

Traffic from 7.30am to 10.00am and 2.30pm to 4pm builds up on corner
of Percival and Penshurst Street Penshurst due to the traffic lights
at the forest road intersection and also the "kiss & ride" drop off
zone that starts at the corner of Percival and Penshurst St for kids
being dropped off and picked up at St Declan's street Penshurst. This
will only become more congested when more students and teachers attend
Penshurst Public school once developed.

Arcadia Street is a very narrow street and there is only a small
section near the school that is "no parking" or "kiss & ride". You
still have to allow for residents to be able to park their cars on the
street outside the school, so where will all the cars be able to park
who are bringing their kids to and from school? Also there is an
increase in traffic use of Acardia Street as cars use this street to
bypass Penshurst Street to get onto Forest Road Penshurst.

You cannot increase the number of staff to 47 and students to 1,012
with only 15 car spaces. The school needs to accommodate more parking
and also think of an underground carpark to alleviate traffic
congestion building up in Arcadia, Percival and Penshurst Street
Penshurst.

I am also concerned about parents illegally parking and not safely
dropping and picking up their kids. If you agree to only 15 car spaces
then I believe it is the department of education's responsibility to
be traffic wardens and monitor traffic flow and safety of the kids
getting dropped off and picked up from Penshurst Public School. Having
a top class modern high tech school is not worth the cost of car
accidents and someone being run over and possibly losing a child's
life!!!

I am also concerned about;

- Children's safety during the shuttles to Peakhurst West Public
School. A possible alternative shuttle bus-stop location could be
considered on Gifford Park, Young St, Penshurst.
- Playground space ratios, heat and skin exposure on the exposed
rooftop playground, stimulating equipment & environment, and access to
green space.
- Residents' privacy adjacent to the multi-storey school.
- The loss of a heritage building to make way for the new school
buildings.

Thank you for your consideration,
Monica Stevens

Hello,
I am against the knock down of the original school.
My family have been students at the school and it is sad there will be
no more history.
I dont like the cutting of many trees in the school yard.
There will be no parking on the narrow Arcadia street during and after
the new school gets built.
This will have an effect on the whole area and streets around
Penshurst.
The shuttle buses will not have room to park and move in arcadia
street.Please choose a bigger site to move students around.

To the Department of Planning and Enviroment

The increase in the size of Penshurst Public School was inevitable,
however, it needs to be supported by adequate parking and traffic
management. More than doubling the number of students and the increase
in staff will put a further strain on the narrow Arcadia Street and
adjacent streets, which are shared by traffic coming and going from St
Declan's Primary School and the two churches on the same block. If
functions are held at all these facilities at the same, it will place
added strain on the street parking. Will they need to schedule these?
The development of nearby Penshurst Park at the same time as the
school will also increase traffic movements no doubt.

The DA's traffic analysis, in my opinion is flawed, but claims that
nearly everything is going to be fine. Maybe it only concentrated on
certain areas to make it look suitable? For example the lack of
traffic counts from the Northern end of Arcadia St.

Traffic and parking aside, the primary concern has to be the safety of
pedestrians, both children and adults, during and after the expansion
of the School. It should be considered to run the proposed
construction-period shuttle bus service between Penshurst and
Peakhurst West Public Schools from a better location than Arcadia
Street. Young St, alongside Gifford Park, is several metres wider than
Arcadia St, and the park provides amenities, rubbish bins and ample
room for the children and their carers to assemble while waiting.
Temporary shelters could easily be built for their protection, which
would not encroach on the playing fields.
Once the school is functioning a `kiss and drop' will be needed for
children's safety, but if this runs northwards along the school side
of Arcadia St it will create a backlog of cars waiting into Forest Rd.
Could they integrate underground parking in the new development whilst
constructing the school, to future proof the off street parking needs
of the school? Maybe this could include a left turn in from Arcadia St
and left turn out, that could help to lessen the Forest Rd queue?

Also could the appropriate Dept. be approached to please provide
parking bay pads on the nature strips, where space is available, to
help alleviate the congestion in Arcadia St. Could Georges River
Council consider a resident priority parking scheme?

The roof/play area I believe needs more sun shades and trees to about
2.4 metres high, as the synthetic playing surface will get very hot
during the warmer periods of the year.

submission letter attached

As a resident and home owner in a surrounding street, I wish to submit an
objection to the impact on the local community, especially in
reference to Appendix 17 of the application, the Traffic Report. I
have attached documentation outlining my objections and proposed
solutions to enable the development to proceed with the best interest
of all stakeholders.

See attached.