New High School in Bungendore

Support

I am excited about the new highschool. I am pleased that my children will have the chance to learn in the community that they live and love. I am encouraged that the school, will be located close to the primary school creating a educational precinct. I am delighted that the school and it's community will be accessible to my children and myself.

This is a great plan and location. The school looks fantastic!

I cannot wait to see this plan come to life and give our local children the opportunity to have a high school education at their door step.

As a new resident to the village my ongoing concern is around the site selection for this high school. No evidence has been provided to demonstrate why this is the best and only site. The proposed site takes away the only major green central corridor within the town used by the community. The proposed site means the removal of important community social interactive locations including the local pool, play picnic areas, public library and community centre. These community facilities are lost for good. The historical significance of the police station, Anglican church, post office and the village style street layout is lost with the design and placement of the school on this site.

The population growth is evidenced by the new housing estates emerging on the outskirts of town. With this comes demand for high school places will continue to rise - the current proposed site will be full before it is built. There is no room for expansion on this site either. Carparking for school students, staff and visitors around Turallo Terrace will be an eyesore and traffic flow at peak times given the close proximity to the primary public school will be dangerous for all.

There are other sites within Bungendore for a high school. What about to the west around the sporting hub so students can access these facilities? Alternatively out Tarago Road near the new housing development? There is private farm land on the outskirts of the village that would be much more suitable and complement the village lifestyle not destroy it.

I do not agree for the school to be built in this area the education department has opposed.
Bungendore is an expanding area and I feel there is better sights for this proposed development.
The amended plans still do not address the problem.
The high school is being built on half the site of the Educational NSW requirements, how is this in the best interest to the children?
How do you plan on accommodating the expansion of the youth in Bungendore?
How does the high school meet the primary school students who's school is meeting educational requirements; what happens to the students, due to the high school that is not meeting the requirements nor that can expand.

The plans look really good.
My daughters will be attending the new High School.
Thank you

Carlo S. Keenan

I am writing to the Department to thank the NSW Government for this initiative. The new High School plans look fantastic and will support the community in its continued, and sustained growth.
I have 2 children who will attend this school, who have been meeting with the new Principal, Ms Giddings, who are incredibly excited by the school and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the progress update in the library of the Public School last week.
Obviously my children (who are still at Bungendore Public) are disappointed by the loss of playing space associated with the pop-up school but, like their peers, understand the need to ensure we get better facilities in the long run. I, as a parent, ask that you ensure the duration of the pop up high school is minimised by commencing the permanent build ASAP, but, as per above, wanted to express my overwhelming support for the project.
All parents I speak with are so supportive of this project. The voices of the majority are unfortunately not being heard, I feel, so please take this submission of one of support for this fantastic, not just from me, but from a very large percentage of the community.

With many thanks for the hard work you are all doing.
Regards,

Saskia KEENAN
Mulloon

I firmly oppose to the project of a new High School at the current proposed location in Bungendore.
1. The amended plans have not addressed the area of the high school which do not address the standard NSW Educational departmental requirements.
2. Majara will still be closed; blocking off access to Elmslea
3. Traffic congestion in Turallo will still cause an issue
4. The school is still sided next to a rail station and rail line
5. There are other numerous sites available that would accommodate for a high school and be beneficial for the residents.
6. The high school would not currently accommodate the current projected population in Bungendore and surrounding suburbs
Why is Bungendore high school being built on a 2.5h footprint when the NSW education department specifies that all the highschools should be built on a 4.5 h footprint? Why is this expectable in Bungendore and in not other areas of NSW? Is this in the best interest of the Bungendore children?

I have reviewed the amendment report and support the school. This school will be important infrastructure for our growing community.
The local council should be encouraged to hasten the opening the local sports hub to minimise the impact on the local community during construction.

Please see the attached documents supporting my objection to the project.

1. We are already short on green space in this town. Taking the local and only park away from us, effectively, is not acceptable. This park has a long history including the original site of the Bungendore Show, and includes an unmarked grave.
2. The state of the roads surrounding the site will not stand up to extra traffic. Drainage is a problem. Potholes are a problem.
3. Noise. There will be increased traffic, and noise of students being outdoors for part of the day.
4. The school has to grow in time, and this can only happen by increasing usage of the park, making our green space even smaller.

I would like to make it clear I object to the current planned location of the Bungendore High School.
I support a high school for Bungendore but not in the current planned location.

My reasons for objecting are:
1. The closure of part of Majara St in Bungendore. This is a well-used thoroughfare and just retaining the alignment is of no use to the community.
2. The impact of the increased traffic and parking on that area of Bungendore and the flow on affect to other areas of Bungendore.
3. With the anticipated growth of Bungendore the high school area as it is proposed will be overcrowded and once the high school is in place the only place future expansion can occur will be onto Mick Shear Oval which is a valuable community asset.
4. Cost. The figures that are being quoted are outrageous for a country high school for 450 students.
5. The demolition of the current Community Centre in Bungendore to build the high school was initially supposed to be offset by allowing the community access to high school facilities. The latest proposal states that the community will no longer have access to the high school facilities thus leaving Bungendore with no community center.

The high school in the location that is proposed will significantly alter the character of the rural village that is the center of Bungendore. Bungendore has and continues to grow and any new development such as a high school should be located where that growth is occurring not in the center of the village.

I support the new highs school in Bungendore, including the location, subject to the following:
- adequate traffic management to reduce impacts on residential areas
- adequate monetary compensation to replace the public swimming pool to be built at the new sports hub,
- adequate compensation to replace the Council customer service building with a well designed, flood free and energy efficient new customer service building in Gibraltar Street
-continued use of the indoor sports building in the primary school for after hours community use.

Bungendore is in massive need to have a High School. The current proposed works will see this happen and happen in the best available location for the town. I believe that the site on Majara Street fits the bill perfectly. It provides a single educational precinct for Bungendore allowing families to be together and in the middle of the town. In my opinion, it also answers the questions of the nay sayers around expansion. If/when the high school numbers grow to that of being too large for this site (in a few decades time), the current site could be provide for expansion to the primary school and a new high school site be identified and built on later (in time for this to occur). Please do not stop the progress of this site. I think it looks amazing and will be delivered sooner than later which is what the majority of families (the quiet majority) in Bungendore need and want! Let’s get on with the build so our kids can benefit as soon as possible! Thank you!

Fully support. Needs to be built asap.

As a long-term resident of Bungendore, and a parent to two children that have attended both the Bungendore Preschool and the Bungendore Primary School, and who will directly benefit from the High School, I would like to express my full support for the proposed project.

I believe the central location is excellent, and will provide an exciting opportunity for shared resources across the educational precinct. I appreciate the efforts of the project team to address and alleviate concerns raised by members of the community.

Having thoroughly read through all of the supporting documentation I am completely satisfied with the revised proposal, particularly the considerations around traffic management and provision of additional parking spaces on Turallo Terrace. This will also be to the advantage of the preschool, which currently has inadequate amenities available.

I also appreciate the added benefits of collocating community facilities to the new Council site in the centre of town, putting these in close proximity to other services (post office, medical/pharmacy, supermarket).

Thank you again for the opportunity to provide feedback, and I look forward to works commencing!

APPLICATION NO. SSD-14394209
I refer to the above state-significant development application.
I strongly object to the proposal, for the following reasons:
• The planning process continues to be opaque and the current Member for Monaro refuses to talk to anyone who disagrees with the current site.
• The consultation process undertaken was deeply flawed. There was no genuine community consultation, and stakeholder consultation was undertaken with a limited range of stakeholder groups and not properly assessed or documented. This continues to be the case, as presenting glossy images and a futuristic video does not entail consultation. I am strongly opposed to the proposed site – but not opposed to a high school on another, more appropriate site.
• The new plan now shows that the Department of Education wants extra parking on council land, along Turallo Terrace. The council was not notified of this intention and we as ratepayers should not have to pay for the cost of school parking. That cost should be borne by the Department of Education on a more appropriate site.
• The construction of additional parking on Turallo Terrace, along with the closure of Majara Street, will raise massive safety concerns for the preschool, particularly around pick-up and drop-off. Currently, many parents use the carpark adjacent to the Scout Hall. This will no longer be available, given that the Abbeyfield development will move to this site if development consent is granted for the high school. The proposed parking arrangements present a clear hazard.
• The traffic situation on Gibraltar Street and Turallo Terrace will be chaotic and dangerous to pedestrians, drivers and local residents. It will also significantly impact on Bungendore Public School and Bungendore Preschool.
• We will lose our community centre, with only a vague promise of some kind of compensation.
• No assessment has been done of the non-heritage buildings and other artefacts in the area.
• The proposed road closure will deny access to residents. This is illegal under the Roads Act. This road is also frequently used by Bungendore emergency services (SES, RFS and ambulance) as the quickest and easiest access to McCusker Drive in the Elmslea estate.
• The Department of Education forecasts set out above anticipate in excess of 25% increase at Bungendore High School by 2036 – within 13 years of opening. The school will have capacity for ‘up to’ 450 pupils and will already exceed its capacity by 2026. It hasn’t taken the proposed subdivisions and resulting population expansion into account. The Member for Monaro recently stated during a radio interview in Canberra that the school will take up to 700 students. This is intolerable on such a small site.
• The EIS must include a complete description including ‘likely interactions between the development and existing, approved and proposed operations in the vicinity of the site.’ It does not do this. In particular it fails to consider:
 - the proposed Abbeyfield development on land immediately adjacent to the site
 - the proposed East Bungendore, North Elmslea and Ashby developments
 - the proposed further development of the site to accommodate school expansion
 - the existing Bungendore Preschool and Bungendore Public School.
• The development is immediately adjacent to Bungendore Preschool (located at 64 Turallo Terrace). It appears that the applicant is unaware of the preschool’s location. The preschool will be significantly impacted by noise, road closures, parking difficulties and irregular traffic flows due to the construction and operation of the high school.
• Access to the school from Elmslea to the north will primarily be down McCusker Drive/Turallo Terrace. This road relies on a low-level crossing of Turallo Creek, which is frequently closed due to flooding, for periods of up to a week. This typically happens for up to three weeks per annum. The EIS fails to consider how this change in access arrangements will affect the development and its impact on local traffic arrangements.
• The school includes several large 2-storey buildings, set on a compact, 29,000 sqm site. This is high-density development in the middle of a low-density heritage area of the village. This is not appropriate as it ignores the current aspects and heritage feel of the area surrounding Mick Sherd oval.
• The proposed site area is 29,205 sqm. The Department of Education’s Educational Facilities – Standards and Guidelines specifies a minimum site area for a new high school of 40,000 sqm. The proposed site is less than three quarters of the State Government’s minimum standards.
• The EIS fails to consider the impact of the proposal on the Bungendore Soldiers’ Memorial and the deep distress this causes to many in the community.

I am strongly opposed to the proposed location of the Bungendore High School.
1/ It removes existing functional infrastructure that will need to be replaced at great additional cost.
2/ Reduces traffic flow with road closure.
3/ Does not allow for future growth as the proposed sight is too small.
4/ Will detract from the existing open streetscape.
5/ Increased traffic, in the centre of town, will reduce the life of already damaged roads.
6/ Pedestrian amanity reduced with increased traffic.

Please reconsider the location of the new high school with the broader community in mind.

Kind Regards
Andrew Oliver

I strongly object to this site for the Bungendore High School on the grounds that this never went to community consultation. it was decided by an election promise. There are also many other problems with the site:
1. the size of the school does not cater for the growth of the township and only allows for 450-480 students.
2. it is closing a major road that is going to cause traffic congestion on Gibraltar Street.
3. Parking around the school has not been properly addressed.
4. A proper traffic study has not been conducted.
5. The bus area for unloading and loading of students is currently designated in an area of the railway that is fenced off due to lead contamination.
6. There used to be a grave on the site, but it is now fallen away, but there is a body somewhere under the ground that needs proper investigation.
7. The cost of this school is 71 million for 450-480 students, yet Jerrabomberra is 54 million for 550+ students and they have started with a dirt paddock. Bungendore is starting with the council chamber and other infrastructure. Why 17 million dollars more.
8. The school is being built in the centre of our town, our park, our oval, our green space, the hub, where visitors meet up with each other and stop to kick a footy, have lunch and take a break from driving to their next destination. All towns have a green space, and the DoE are trying to take it all away from our community.
I would like to close in saying that this site was never chosen fairly but announced to our community by John Barilaro as an election promise and we had no consultation whatsoever. We have been fighting it now for over a year and we will continue to do so as it is our right to. I am not against a high school here in Bungendore but STRONGLY OBJECT TO THIS SITE. There are far better sites to choose from that will allow group and our community will be able to have the best high school, not the bodgy one being proposed. Thank you.