New High School in Bungendore

I object to the proposal as the selected site does not meet the requirements of the NSW Department of Education – School Infrastructure, October 2020 “School Site Selection and Development guidelines”. The guidelines recommend (amongst other things) that:
1. “A site for a high school in a regional or rural area should be a minimum of 4ha”. The site for the proposed development is 2.9ha
2. “Shall be substantially regular in shape, that is, likely square/rectangular”. The site for the proposed development is highly irregular, including a separate, irregular shaped campus to the north. This requirement goes on to explain further that “ It is important that the school site is easy to supervise, free of any hidden nooks or areas that will be 'out of bounds' due to inappropriate visual connections or potentially unsafe use (such as car parking, servicing units etc). A regular shaped lot allows for efficient use of land”. The proposed site is so irregular in shape -including sections separated by a busy road and bounded by a rail line that this requirement cannot be met.
3. “Shall be located where there is greatest opportunity to benefit the community who may use school facilities”. The proposed site already has significant public and recreational infrastructure and will require the restriction of public access at the very least, if not demolition of many current facilities; some of which have significant heritage and cultural meaning. Bungendore’s future development is proposed to be concentrated in the north and east; these areas currently lack community facilities. Siting a school adjacent to future growth would achieve the aims set out in the Guidelines, rather than requiring the demolition of existing facilities;
4. “Should be appropriately zoned for school development, in-line with the ‘prescribed zones’ ”. The proposed site includes land which is zoned RE1. Development of educational facilities is prohibited on RE1-zoned land. RE1-zoned land is not a “prescribed zone”;
5. “Shall not adjoin any land which is developed, or proposed to be developed, for use which is incompatible with a school”. The proposed development has a railway station and line immediately bounding the site. This area has also recently been identified as being contaminated with lead;
6. “Will be located within a well-structured movement network that provides appropriate road infrastructure, as well as safe pedestrian pathways”. The proposed development does not meet this Guideline as it conflicts with arrivals and departures to the adjacent Primary and Pre-school and in fact presents a danger to the safety of young children attending these facilities;
7. “Should be free of any Aboriginal Land Claims or Native Title Claims”. The proposed site is subject to an unresolved Aboriginal land claim;
8. “Should be free of environmental constraints including ... flood [and] contamination”. Part of the proposed site (The“Ag Plot”) is subject to regular flooding. The site also adjoins the Bungendore rail corridor which has recently been found to have lead contamination;
9. “Shall be free of easements and /or buffer zones that may impact development or use of the land as a school”. Mains and easements currently run the length of Majara Street. There is no indication of how these will be managed and in fact it appears they will run through the centre of the school grounds. This could also limit the potential for any future growth;
10. “Should consider high-level design principles, including promoting the heritage significance of the site”. The proposed site will diminish important heritage assets including the Bungendore Soldiers Memorial and the Bungendore Railway Precinct.

Furthermore, the “Transport Assessment” conducted by GHD for the Department of Education, and submitted as part of the application did not reflect the real life, potential traffic matters for the site. The Department of Education requested GHD to base its assessment on the 147 children who currently live in Bungendore and attend NSW public high schools. Therefore, they did NOT take into account children attending private schools who may well revert to attending a local high school; or those children that live in the surrounding areas to Bungendore. Because of this small cohort of children used for the assessment, the GHD report concluded that 92% of children attending the new school will be in walking or riding distance to the school -and that only 8% will use other transport options. GHD based ALL of its calculations on this information – including advice on car parking, drop-offs, buses, traffic congestion and pedestrian safety. We can not be confident that the traffic arrangements proposed will be sufficient to provide quality service and safety to our community.

While I fully support a new high school for Bungendore I object to the new high school in it’s mooted location of Bungendore Park.
The location is far too small and has too many negative issues in regards to shoe horning a full high school into a shoebox area.
Having recently read QPRC’s section 94 contributions proposed policy, where it states that Bungendore is the fastest growing locality in NSW’s fastest growing shire, it seems ludicrous to propose a less than optimal high school for a rapidly increasing population. It appears that our council and NSW Department of Education don’t correlate the two opposing issues. Council shouldn’t boldly state how robust our population growth is while also encouraging a pared back high school. The area proposed by the Department is far smaller than it’s own minimum area for a high school.
It’s a Dodgy Brothers proposal and Bungendore deserves a proper full high school with room to move, not a squeezed in hotch potch of compromise. And we all know that far superior plans have already been proposed.
Please end this nightmare of a thought bubble and return to a sensible, considered, fit for purpose solution.

BCCI fully supportd the new High School. Please see attached letter.

While I am agnostic about the site location, I believe the proposed site is appropriate. Having the school located in the centre of what is a growing town will provide easy access to the largest number of students.
I do not believe the proposed location is detrimental to the town's character, and if anything will continue to enhance it.
I recommend the NSW Government continue to engage with the community to ensure the new High School meets the needs of the community.

I object to this development

Judith Sillis
Street Address Withheld
Bungendore NSW 2621
Contact: Phone Number Withheld
14 October 2021

Director – Social and Infrastructure Assessments
Planning and Assessment
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
Locked Bag 5022
Parramatta NSW 2124

Dear Sir or Madam

NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN BUNGENDORE – APPLICATION NO. SSD-14394209
I refer to the above state-significant development application.
I object to the proposal for the following reasons:

I formally object to the High School being built on the Bungendore Park because the site selected is our beautiful Park that sits in the heritage centre of Bungendore and very significant to our community. Bungendore Park is the primary recreation facility for our Town, it plays a huge role in the culture and life of the Town ever since it was dedicated in 1884, the park hosts the community built pool, the community built tennis courts, cricket nets, Community Bank sponsored adult exercise equipment, children’s playground, Community built public toilets and canteen and sport change rooms.
I object to the High School being built on Bungendore Park as the Soldier’s Memorial erected in 1922 sits on edge of High School structure, the State plan to chop down the mature tress descended from Gallipoli’s Lone Pines and the significant Heritage buildings will be impacted surrounding the streets connecting to Bungendore Park.
I object to the High School being built in the heart of Bungendore on our Beautiful Park as this will affect local traffic the closure of local roads, impact of heavy traffic with extra cars and buses causing traffic congestion in the heart of the Village.
I object to the High School being built on our Bungendore Park the centre of town, residents of our community and surrounding rural areas, Tourist, locals and families of all ages come together to utilise daily the Bungendore Park, this is an utter disgrace putting a High School on our Park, our only green space in our Village. The streets surrounding our Bungendore Park are Heritage Buildings dating back to one of the earliest structures built in 1848.
I have lived in Bungendore for over 60 years and we are the 5th generation family that still resides and live in the Village of Bungendore. I’m so disappointed at this back handed decision to place the High School on our Beautiful Bungendore Park when an earlier location was selected with plenty of acreage that has been offered and room for future growth of the High School.
I want a High School in Bungendore, but build it on the best/correct Location where it has room for growth and expansion and LEAVE our Beautiful Bungendore Park alone! If the School is built on Bungendore Park, we will lose our only park/green space forever.
I have not, and no associate of mine, has made any political donation to any person in the 2 years preceding this submission.

Yours faithfully


Judith Sillis

As a current resident of Bungendore, I am supportive of the new Bungendore High School and it’s current proposed central location. As a parent with three young primary school age children I would like the opportunity to send them to a local Bungendore high school. I feel this will improve their quality of life with a reduction in travel time every day once they reach high school age along with a reduction in risk of injury or harm from commuting everyday.
I feel the proposed location provides benefits with the incorporation of exiting facilities. I hope to see the commencement of the build occurring soon.

I strongly object to the building of a new Bungendore high school at the location of the historic town park.
The area is too small for an expanding community and will leave no space for development as the school grows.
Currently the park is an amenity used throughout the day by many people but once in use as a high school oval it will be less available and even fenced off from the community.
We are a rural centre in Bungendore but the high school plan does not include sufficient space that will not flood for an agricultural plot.
The planning around roads and traffic congestion and parking has been insufficient. This would be alleviated at an alternative location.
The important site of the war memorial will be impinged in by the construction of fences in the vicinity greatly dishonouring those who defended our country.
Our pool and oval are easily accessible to those living in Bungendore for recreation and relaxation, this will be a great loss of amenity to residents.
The predicted number of students attending the high school and utilising parking has been greatly underestimated as students living rurally could well drive in their senior year.
The planning of this school location will be detrimental to the village of Bungendore and it’s residents and fails to recognise the growth in the community in the future.

Magdalen Sillis
Street Address Withheld
Bungendore NSW 2621

14th October 2021


Director – Social and Infrastructure Assessments
Planning and Assessment
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
Locked Bag 5022
Parramatta NSW 2124

FORMAL OBJECTION to SSDA-14394209
Dear Sir or Madam,

NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN BUNGENDORE
APPLICATION NO. SSD-14394209


I refer to the above state-significant development application.


I formally object to the proposal, for the following reasons:

I have lived in Bungendore for 77 years. I moved here when first married and with my now departed husband, we raised our children in the village. Our children all attended the local Catholic school which until about 1962 was also a high school – Kindergarten to Year Three High school, Intermediate level. Our older children were educated through all their school years at this school and when the high school section closed, the younger ones than travelled to Queanbeyan, Canberra or Goulburn for high school. My family has experienced all the scenarios that are been thrown around now regarding the proposed building of a high school in Bungendore and therefore I feel that I can confidently form a strong opinion on objecting to the High School being built on the park.

Bungendore, when I moved here was a tiny village sparsely populated and with lots of vacant land. Dirt roads, no sewerage, no town water…… The development that has occurred up until now is incredible and happened very quickly after the 1970’s. Without all the development and along with it the new infrastructure and amenities, I would not have been able to live my older years in the village as, many before me had to move into nearby bigger towns/cities to access medical and Government facilities. I am very grateful that I have been able to stay here with my friends and community. The loss of green space since the town started to grow has been an issue in the heritage part of town and especially now when our local council is encouraging infill on all the large original blocks.

Recently our local council recognised that Bungendore does not have enough tree canopy, not enough green space and that this has caused the temperature for the village to be too high compared to the surrounding area whilst it is cutting down large trees in our local park, turning green space into concrete carparks and now selling off the only greenspace left in the heritage centre of town for a large, space dominating concrete High School to be built on our park.

This could be our last doorstop to saving our park. Where would we build another park as there is no land left in the centre of town? Most towns and cities have a central park for celebrations, sports, weddings, formal photos, rotundas, picnic tables etc. The Park has played a large part in our family’s and community’s lives since it was gazetted in 1884. Every November I gather my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren for a family Christmas get together. We have held large family reunions. Council uses it for community Christmas parties. It is used for Government pop-up services. It has been home to the Bungendore Tigers Rugby League team since 1908. Our Cenotaph stands proudly on the park and commemorates our local fallen soldiers who fought to protect us. The Park is vital to the health and wellbeing of our community. A large playground is being built on the park for our children. Parks enhance property values and attract retirees, an over 55’s village has just been completed and many retired folks are using the park. The local bank financed adult exercise equipment for the many people using the park for fitness and exercise. Parks are the health and welfare centre of a town, and this Park does all that and very well.

I object to the demolition of the Community Centre which has been a much-loved community asset for decades. This centre is not ready for demolition. It is used constantly by the community for – before and after school care, Mothers Groups, Community Nurse, Volunteer group to house volumes of medical and disabled equipment for loan to the community, quilting groups, bridge club, and so on.

I object to the shameful way the Abbeyfield Aged Care facility has been treated with its long-promised site arbitrarily withdrawn, the month a DA was ready to be lodged. I have friends waiting for this development and because of the delays have had to leave their beloved community to enter facilities in Queanbeyan.

I object to allowing a school site so close to a rail corridor before there has been a DEFINITIVE investigation that proves NIL risk of lead contamination. I remember these trains coming through Bungendore from Captain’s Flat and had no idea of the damage that they possibly had on our children’s health. Now that we know, how can anyone plan a school on the rail corridor without a thorough investigation of the risks.

I object because this “Common” is also a heritage area, much valued as such, and has been pride of the community for way more than a century. This common has always being a part of the community. My family and others used the common to graze our milking cow during the day. Now it is used for walking and outdoor activities by the community. It is also flood prone and full of Tiger snakes. A local gentleman used to catch tiger snakes in the Lake George area and send them to “Eric Worrell’s Australian Reptile Park” in Gosford where they milked the venom to produce an antivenene. Bungendore surrounds had the highest number of tiger snakes per acre than anywhere else, and supposedly our local vet administers more antivenene to animals than any other vet in Australia. The High School ag plot on the common is not a good idea.

I implore Planning New South Wales to reject this application outright and insist that the department of education return to the originally identified site on Tarago road.

I have not, and no associate of mine has made any political donation to any person in the two years preceding this submission.

Yours faithfully
Magdalen Sillis

I support this project

1 I am not convinced that Bungendore needs a new High School. There are high schools in nearby Queanbeyan and Karingbah and a year1 - 12 Central school in Braidwood already attended by many students from Bungendore
Bungendore is not a large town

2 If the Bungendore high school goes ahead Braidwood Central school may suffer due to a decrease in students. It seems better to me to support existing schools rather than to build a new school.
3 If the school must be built, I think it is a terrible idea to destroy Bungendore park to build it. There is available land nearby which could be used The park belongs to everyone and is well used. It should not be destroyed.
3

A big objection to building a Highschool in that location.
The size of the Land is too small now and will be impossible to expand the school facilities, with the growth of Bungendore in the near future.
The closure of a very important access to Elmslea. A no brainer!
Apparently free land was made available for a High school. Another no brainer and many High school students drive cars , not ideal between a Primary school and Pre school Kindergarten.
And we loose the heart of the “Village”....that is the worst part. A bit of thought for the looks of the future and the central location where locals have their open space for 100’s of activities.
What happened to logic and common sense regards Peter

Robert Elgood
Street Address Withheld
Bungendore NSW 2621

12th October 2021

Director – Social and Infrastructure Assessments
Planning and Assessment
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
Locked Bag 5022
Parramatta NSW 2124

Dear Sir/Madam

FORMAL OBJECTION to State Significant Development Application 14394209
NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN BUNGENDORE

Although I do not object to the building of a high school in Bungendore I strongly object to its proposed position on the Crown Land Reserve. I understand that this Crown Reserve was dedicated for public recreation in 1884. This is an area of land dedicated to the community and no part of it should not be controlled by the NSW Department of Education.

I have been a resident of Bungendore for 46 years and throughout this time have enjoyed using the park for personal exercise purposes and for visiting the park to enjoy Bungendore's various sports teams compete against visiting teams. The Crown Reserve is the only green space area in the heritage part of old Bungendore. This land should not be available for development but kept as green space.

I also object to the proposed takeover of part of the off-leash dog area. This is a long-standing and much valued Crown Land Reserve which enjoys popular use. It also carries heritage status.

I also object to the closure of parts of Majara Street. This street carries heritage value having been laid out by the original subdivision of the village. This street is particularly well used and carries a huge number of vehicles.

I object to the closure of Majara Street to the north of Turallo Terrace. This would create a land-locked parcel of land. I believe this situation to be illegal.

It seems to me that Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council has a vested interest in placing a school in the proposed position - it can neatly dispose of its soon to be redundant office buildings situated on Majara Street by selling them to the NSW Department of Education. This is not an acceptable reason to destroy valuable heritage green space.

Although the NSW Department of Education may argue this point there are more suitable sites available for the building of a high school.

I request that Planning New South Wales rejects this development application.
Yours faithfully
R. Elgood

My complete objection is contained within the attached PDF file. I have also included them here:

I strongly object to the proposal, for the following reason(s):

The loss of public amenities including the community centre and swimming pool as well as public access to Mick Shred oval.
Traffic congestion, safety issues and parking problems caused by the closure of Majara street between Turallo Terrace and the pressures caused by drop offs between the high school, primary and pre-schools.
The lack of genuine community consultation before announcing the chosen site.
Safety/suicide concerns around building a high school on a railway line.
Lead contamination at the site.
The site is not big enough to meet projected growth.

Dear Director

OBJECTION TO LOCATION OF NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN BUNGENDORE: APPLICATION NO. SSD-14394209

I refer to the above development application.

I object to the proposal overwhelmingly because of the proposed LOCATION of the school on the following grounds.

1. The location is the only public amenity for the village and surrounds.
The pool
With no public transport, and nothing for the young and old to do in Bungendore, I spent countless Friday nights at the end of the ‘70’s and ’80 baking cakes for countless street stalls to feed ACT travellers going through the town. How many Sydney municipal pools have life members rewarded for leading fundraising and government complimentary funding for them with their own sweat? We do. Appendix A has an excerpt from the Save Our Park website from Jill Fox, one of our 3 life members.
The pool is a life-blood for families in summer with the added social aspect of night time sausage sizzles and picnics.
Very importantly, it is also a facility that allows the learn-to-swim programme to function. For surrounding families with dams on their properties, this is a godsend. Rhonda Jane Foulds must have taught a few thousand kids to swim by now.
Sure, you can build another pool elsewhere, but not in such a great site, and with a gap of how long?
The Community Centre
To demolish this important facility is just a disgrace, especially with no replacement. People in Sydney and other towns may have access to support, but we don’t. We worked so hard for this.
Appendix B has an excerpt from a community page about our Community Centre.
Other amenities
The footy teams and even the informal games will have to arrange for access to the High School grounds.
People also use the oval for walks and meet ups because it is at the heart of the village.
The oval is also used for fairs, especially in pre-Covid times when the steam train came from Canberra.
The Anzac ceremonies will be profoundly changed, especially for families with children who stay on the park socialising after the ceremony.
How can you cut down 73 trees in this wind swept cold climate where growing anything is hard except for absolutely dedicated gardeners, let alone trees that have taken decades to grow?
Where was the place to picnic when we were allowed to meet up with 5 other people during this pandemic? Obviously the heart of the village and its heritage centre!!!

2. Unsuitable location
The site is too small for high school.
Why choose a location for a high school that is so small and doesn’t allow for expansion of the school? Covid with working from home and spiralling house prices mean that regional areas like Bungendore can only grow.
I understand that the site is 1.2 hectares smaller than the Education Departments standards for new high schools.
You couldn’t even have a basketball court or some green space for the students without encroaching on the tennis courts or the toilet block, so much used by travellers and caravanner’s and people from the surrounds.
It will be a traffic nightmare. It is already difficult to find a car park near the Primary School and those to the east of it a full during the day, so obviously with teacher and support staff cars. How many extra cars will there be for teachers and support staff, and more mature students who will drive their own cars.

3. There are other locations
Why would you demolish the heart of a village for a major infrastructure project like a high school that cannot expand as the population expands?
There are other sites like at Ashby and other new housing development areas which would satisfy the needs of a school and leave the heart of the village alone.

Conclusion
Please leave the heart of the village alone and pick another location for the school. They are available and suitable.
Yours sincerely

Thelma Oberdorf

Appendix A
Bungendore swimming pool
In 1978 the Bungendore community started to raise funds to build a swimming pool. Before that very few children in Bungendore could swim. Now we face the demolition of the community swimming pool in Bungendore Park at the corner of Turallo Terrace and Majara Street to make way for the proposed new High School. The Pool Committee is making plans to celebrate its 30th birthday in November!
“I remember the day when the local school was invited to take part in East Queanbeyan’s Swimming Carnival long before we had our pool here. There was great excitement. Children were asked if anyone could swim and a sea of hands shot up. On the day they lined up on the blocks shivering with excitement, and at the signal jumped in…..and sank! Teachers came from everywhere and dived in for a mass rescue. Shortly after the pool was finally opened and Rhonda-Jane Foulds had taught all our children to swim, Bungendore Primary School was winning the local District Carnival. Rhonda-Jane has taught generations of children in this town to swim…and no doubt young lives have been saved.”
Back in the late 70s we held a New Year’s Eve Street party in front of the Royal Hotel in Gibraltar Street. The whole street was closed off and an entry fee was charged. Bush bands on the back of a flat tray semi trailer and the famous animal imitation competition brought plenty of laughs, good will and dancing amongst the crowd. It was always a memorable night and a great way to farewell the old year and welcome the new. Bungendore locals enjoyed nothing better than a big community party. This was the seed sown for raising funds for a pool for the community. A committee was formed and ideas were floated as how best to raise funds. On Good Fridays we ran a bucket coin collection at the railway crossing. Coins intended for the plate at Good Friday church services probably ended up in the “pool bucket”. Luckily bank interest rates on savings were 18% at the time and the money we collected made more money!
By the late 1980s we began seeking grants and after much lobbying we got a grant to build the ammenities block at the pool site. If you have ever looked closely you will notice that the bricks used are different from the bricks of today. They are in fact bricks made in Queanbeyan in the 1800s and come from a number of very old houses that were eventually demolished in Queanbeyan.The bricks were stacked in our backyard until with the grant, three local tradesmen, Danny Clancy, David Daniels and Paul Fox used them to build the amenities block. A little history and recycling at its best.
Finally, with money raised from community pockets over twelve long years, a State Government grant and extra funds from the Council, the pool was opened on a very hot afternoon in November, 1991. Our young daughter, Kate Fox, cut the ribbon at the official opening with local Labor member, Jim Snow. All this was achieved by the efforts of volunteers working together with the community for the benefit of everyone living in the area. It was an enormous achievement and took a great deal of energy, stamina, perseverance and generosity from all. The swimming pool is a great social meeting place for children in a town that has few opportunities for teenagers. Many of the children who have grown up here over the last thirty years have special memories of hours spent with friends…and enjoyed healthy outdoor exercise as well.
I fear we will not get a replacement, but if by chance we do, the site proposed for the “new sports hub” will not have an indoor pool as many imagine as Council only portrays it as “covered”. The site would involve children crossing the very busy and dangerous Molongolo/Tarago Road and young children will not be able to walk by themselves to the new site as they do to our current pool. Furthermore, the Primary School won’t have the easy access to a pool as it does now because it will be too far away.
This is a community pool and was run as such for its first years managed by volunteers from the community. No consultation was carried out with members of the Swimming Club or other “stakeholders” who use Bungendore Park, nor the wider community before the Council decided to announce the knock down of a community asset, “no longer fit for purpose” (rubbish!), an asset that was initiated and largely paid for out of community pockets!

Appendix B
Community Centre
“Back in 1976 this small town was acknowledged as having ‘a wonderful community’.
It still has, and it, and its hard won community facilities must not be lost.”
In 1976, Peter Brown, the local Anglican Minister and his wife Miriam saw that although Bungendore had a wonderful community, it had no community facilities save the churches and pubs. With minimal public transport it was difficult for many people to even get to Queanbeyan. The community nurse had to operate from her car, hardly a hospitable place in the depths of winter or under a scorching summer sun. The residents rallied. They formed the Bungendore Community Aid group, known as the BCA, and over the years it grew with the demands of a growing population. It still serves the community today.
The BCA was run totally by volunteers ………………………….. It has been well used over the intervening years by many community groups and has operated as a Baby Health Centre, and Community Nurse and After School Care facility. The BCA stores the medical equipment, which is loaned to local residents, free of charge. Many people, grateful for the service, have made donations which allows the BCA to purchase more equipment. Medical equipment is expensive. At least 100 people benefit from this service each year, once again run by volunteers. The central location of the Community Centre is ideal, easily accessible to both local residents and those from outlying areas.
Early this year BCA was notified of the planned demolition of this well-sited and well-used community facility to provide more land for the proposed High School. However, Council did not offer any alternative site or facilities to provide storage for the valuable medical equipment, ...................

See attached submission

I object to SSDA 14394209, re the current proposal in regards to a High School in Bungendore.
Whilst I am happy to see Bungendore get a high school, I do not support it in the proposed location. Where the proposed site falls short is that the site is not fit for purpose/growth and that it takes away from the town much more than it will provide.
My objection is based on many factors and these are: Size, design, loss of heritage and loss of amenity. The site is too small for growth than the size that is deemed required for a regional high school in NSW. With the additional housing that is approved the school in its current design will be too small and with or without increasing the size, the loss of green space will be significant. The design of the high school does not fit the heritage of the area and is a blot on the landscape.
The Mick Sherd Oval is more than just a greenspace it is a community gathering space of cultural significant to the past and present. This is Crown Land deemed for public use. The location hosts the local sporting teams of the Mudchooks and Tigers/Tigerettes (senior and junior teams) where families congregate as is the social fibre of country towns. The cenotaph is a revered memorial to the many families who from this area went to fight for our country and that continues today with the many defence families who served and continue to serve Australia. The proposal will encroach on this area and make it a BUS STOP no less!!! This is outrageous. The Poets Corner, rotunda and greenspace are utilised by travellers than stop over and add to the economic sustainability of our town.
The location of the school and the proposed traffic management will impact me accessing the town and will impact the residents in the bordering streets as they will lose the quiet lifestyle and reason they bought into the area. The post office will also be impacted by this location and the loss of accessible spaces for their business.
The flow on effects of this proposal do not appear to have been considered in this hasty grab for votes.

1. Our parks and commons should be kept as they were intended when they were designated as crown land. Governments and local authorities should no be able to sell them off or be able to change the use for the sake of development. Bungendore Park is the only facilitated park in Bungendore and many people use it. Their is a new playground being build within the Bungendore Park which is a wonderful addition
2. If the project goes ahead, I believe in the future the whole park including the oval will be used to cater for the school expansion.
3. We need greenspace is our towns and villages - greenspace is being swallowed by development
4. The railway station are is listed as state significant.....it will spoil this precinct - please leave it be
5. The lack of public consultation - we were informed of the location - not given a chance to have a say. The only survey I saw and completed after the notice of the informed location gave me no option to object - Public consultation should be a requirement as part of a planning process

My submission has some general comments on the school proposal, and some specific comment regarding the information contained in Appendix 6a - the Transport Assessment as conducted by GHD Pty Ltd. A transport plan reviews and makes recommendations on both pedestrian and vehicle transport networks.

General Comments
I lived in Jerrabomberra (another suburb in the Local Government Area) when the public school was built 19 years ago. This school, using similar assessment processes, was built for 240 students. In the second year of operation enrollments doubled, and today according to the schools 2020 annual report, the student population is 970, and the school infrastructure has been inadequate for many years.

The Bungendore primary school student population is 510. With the expected increase of nearly 700 houses in Bungendore over the next 5 years, the studies do not appear to adequately consider the expected growth for both the primary school and the proposed high school. 700 family homes assuming 50% have children and with the Australian average of two children, could be as high as 700 more children. Even if only 75% go to Bungendore schools that 525 more students between the two schools in a very short period of time.

Its seem likely that this Bungendore High School project will repeat the errors of Jerrabomberra primary school and grossly underestimate the number of students both initially and the rate of increase to student numbers in the short term.

Specific Comments on Appendix 6a. Transport Plan.

Section 1.2.2 is a review of the Bungendore Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Plan (2019) and appears to use the general details of this plan to be the basis for recommendations later in the Transport Assessment. This is a highly floored and misleading process and portrays inaccurate data for the access in the vicinity of the proposed high school.

For example App 6a uses the statement that ‘most of the designated shared paths have a width of 1.2m, which does not support shared activity or width that complies with Austroads Guidelines’ (both on pages 10 and 38). While this might be the case for some areas of Bungendore, this is not the case specifically around the school site. The existing footpath up Turallo Terrace that runs next to the oval is 2.4m wide. Additionally, the shared path that runs from Butmaroo into Elmslea estate is 2.1m wide. Both paths are far in excess in width of the 1.2m figure used in the App 6a.

Section 1.2.3 on page 11 states there is a ‘lack of formal separation between the road and verge’ and includes Turallo Terrace and suggests this as an ‘opportunity’. This again is not correct – there is a significant verge separation between road and footpaths on Turallo Terrace.

Page 20 of App 6a, states ‘there are no footpaths on Butmaroo Street or Turallo Terrace’. Again this is not accurate as there is an existing 2.4m wide path on Turallo Terrace that will run up to the proposed school.

Section 3.2.1.2 discussed the end of trip facilities such as car parking and bicycle spaces. 76 spaces for bikes, would appear grossly inadequate for a high school of 450 that is expected to grow significantly and not in line with the statement in section 1.2.3 that states ‘there will be a need to encourage travel to school by bicycle or bus to minimise traffic congestion around the school’.

There is seemingly no allocation for student car parking (which a visit to any high school will show is significant) in section 3.2.1.4.2 with only 44 spaces allocated for the 41 staff. When the school grows in size the staff requirement will also grow in size – the car parking allowance does not allow for this requirement.

Section 3.2.2 states that the QPRC discussion indicates a new footpath along Butmaroo will be constructed prior to the opening of the high school. Given there is a path running up Turallo Terrace directly to the proposed site, why would students walk the long way to the high school? This would appear to be a gross waste of QPRC funds, to construct a path on Butmaroo between Turallo Terrace and Gibraltar Street.

Even more concerning is the recommendation for QPRC to expend funds on a path down Turallo Terrace from Butmaroo Street to Tarago Road (and further). This path would not be used at all. The students from Elmslea Estate already use the existing paths as shown in figure 2.8 on page 18. Again, why a student would add significant distance to the journey to school is not logical. A path down Turallo Terrace to Tarago Road would be grossly underutilised (most likely not used at all) as it leads to a point where there is no housing and no planned future housing. Students in Elmslea and the new growth area will use the existing network of paths.

Additionally, it would also place students at increased risk of an accident along Turallo Terrace, crossing Ellendon street and Tarago Road. There are perfectly good paths (that have no road traffic) that meet the requirement. Considering this recommendation would introduce a safety risk, it is unlikely that a path would be able to be approved in consideration of the provisions of the WHS Act leaving QPRC exposed/liable.

I object to the Bungendore High School proposal for the following reasons:
1. The selected site does not meet the requirements of the NSW Department of Education – School Infrastructure, October 2020 “School Site Selection and Development guidelines” and will not cope with growth.
2. The traffic assessment for the site was undertaken using grossly inadequate statistics and therefore traffic arrangements will be inefficient and unsafe.
3. The site selected holds significant amenity, historical and cultural importance to the local community which will be, at the very least severely impacted if not lost all together.
I implore your office to reconsider a more suitable site that will allow growth, bring amenity to an area that lacks it and provide a safe, easily accessible school into the future.