Stevenson Library Building, The Scots College

The increased floor space will lead to increased student numbers. Scots
has made false claims in the past and Scots is already well over the
permitted maximum number of students allowed. The safety of students
and residents is already at great risk during morning and afternoon
pickups or drop-offs. Increased risk due to the inevitable increase in
traffic, parking problems and noise is all unacceptable.

The proposed works will increase the floor area of the campus and will
inevitably lead to an increase in student numbers although the school
denies it. The number of students has consistently grown over the past
20 years. It does not address the issue of the increased traffic and
increased need for parking around the school that will occur. The
school has consistently ignored this problem and was denied the last
application because of it.
The unsafe conditions at drop off and pick up time will only worsen
unless the school provides adequate parking and drop off space on
campus.

N/A

I live in the local area, within 100 meters of Scots campus.

I strongly object to any proposal until:

a) The number of additional students is reduced to a level that can be
sustained on the site in terms of containing its impact on the
locality;
b) All loading and unloading of students, whether by private vehicle
or by coaches used by the School must be contained on the School's
land in a safe manner that does not impact on the local street system.
The current proposal fails to do so
AND:
It is a long standing planning principle that development must
internalise or contain its own impacts where it is at all possible. In
this case there is no sound reason for externalising the significant
impacts of the traffic generated by students drop off and pick up, and
by the Schools coaches.

Unlike other schools, they have no plan to provide the mandated number
of on-site parking spaces - so more cars are parked daily on our
streets clogging our roads.

We as local residents do not believe that the Environmental Assessment
can be relied upon as it contains a statement of present intent that
says that student numbers will not increase, when as far back as DA528
of 2004, they have made that false claim, with a result that student
and staff numbers have increased across the college.

I would suggest a community engagement "town hall" event, where the
full plans can be presented and engaged with the local community.

SCOTS COLLEGE, BELLEVUE HILL - DA FOR EXTENSIONS TO LIBRARY AND
ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS TO CATER FOR EVER-INCREASING ENROLMENTS. NO
PROVISION FOR ADDITIONAL ON-CAMPUS PARKING OR FOR INTERNAL STUDENT
DROP OFF/ PICK UP, WITH SEVERE IMPACT ON NEARBY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES
AND ROAD USER SAFETY.

My wife and I are members of Concerned Scots Neighbours (CSN). We are
writing in full support of correspondence prepared by our chief
spokesperson, Mr Paul Blanket . As home-owners and residents in
Kambala Road, Bellevue Hill, we are personally more affected every
school-day by similar traffic and parking issues relating to Scots's
Pre-School and Primary facilities located very close to us. However,
proposals for the Secondary Campus on Victoria Road are part and
parcel of the same trend of insensitive, inconsiderate, ongoing
encroachment by Scots College on this fine residential area.
Some substantial, relevant excerpts from information provided to us by
Mr Blanket are reproduced below, and are endorsed by my wife and me.
"I (Mr Blanket) have had discussions with Woollahra Council - this DA
is outside their control as the State Government is the consent
authority. They are understandably annoyed and will be submitting an
objection.

CSN has engaged our Town Planning expert to prepare a submission based
on the community's concern for the totally unsafe traffic and parking
that not only exists at the moment, but will be exacerbated when Scots
inevitably increases it enrolments. In addition, we will be
highlighting the fact that they are currently in breach of the
statutory cap on the Victoria Rd campus. Current enrolments on the
site according to their 2017 Annual Report are 1,513 vs a cap of 1,120
- that almost 400 over the court mandated cap. It has grown by 100
students since they lost the court case back in 2014 when they applied
to increase their cap to 1,470!"

"The key information you may wish to consider is:
- the proposed build works increases the total floor area of the
campus, which Scots has demonstrated over the passed 20 years,
ultimately increases the total number of students they accommodate on
site. Associated with that is the increase in teaching and
non-academic staff required to service those students' educational
needs. There currently exists a shortfall of almost 200 car spaces on
the Victoria Rd site.
- there has been an increase in the student population virtually every
year for the passed 20 years on the campus - this is in direct
contrast to their statement that there will be "no increase in staff
or student numbers as a result of this application".
- This increase in staff and students has resulted in a dramatic
increase in the number of cars and buses using the surrounding
suburban streets, a fact that the NSW Land & Environment Court clearly
agreed to in the 2014 case when Commissioner Dixon stated "...the
school has not undertaken an adequate analysis of the localised
traffic and parking impacts" of the increase student population. She
accepted the local residents' evidence of the dangerous traffic
situation surrounding the school on a daily basis. "I am unable to be
satisfied that the proposed increase in student numbers would not have
an unacceptable adverse impact on traffic and parking in the vicinity
of the school. No further car parking spaces are proposed and the
modification sought would not achieve compliance with the minimum car
parking spaces calculated in accordance with the Woollahra Parking
DCP."
- concentrate on the total lack of amenity and safety caused by the
current intolerable traffic and parking problems experienced.

OVER 1,000M2 MORE FLOOR AREA = MORE STUDENTS = MORE TRAFFIC AND LESS
PARKING


"Why should you make a submission?
BECAUSE: you will be impacted by this proposal and the inevitable
increase in traffic, parking & noise.
BECAUSE: Scots has been in breach of the existing permitted maximum
number of students of 1120 on the Victoria Rd campus and that breach
has been increasing every year. They have not told the truth in any DA
they have submitted
BECAUSE: these ever increasing number of students and teachers, have
caused significant traffic and parking impacts that are unacceptable.
BECAUSE: unlike other schools, they have no plan to provide the
mandated number of on-site parking spaces - so more cars are parked
daily on our streets clogging our roads.
BECAUSE: unlike other schools, they have no plan to provide on-site
drop off, exposing their own students to the dangers of congested
roads.
BECAUSE: every time Scots increases the physical size of the college
they say "this will not result in increased student and staff
numbers"....we've heard it all before.
BECAUSE: the Environmental Assessment cannot rely upon a statement of
present intent that says that student numbers will not increase when
as far back as DA528 of 2004, they have made that false claim, with a
result that student and staff numbers have increased across the
college."

In the last few years, Woollahra Council has been repeatedly and
extensively briefed on these matters by Concerned Scots Neighbours and
has become very supportive of our concerns and arguments. My wife and
I can think of few - if any - other issues where Liberal Party and
Greens councillors are on the same page, the same side an argument -
but our stance on this has such strong merits that this has become the
case.

For your close consideration, please.

Your faithfully

Andrew & Mary Jolesz

"I strongly object to any proposal until:

a) The number of any additional students can be reduced to a level
that is sustainable on the site, thereby containing the impact on our
locality;

b) The loading and unloading of students, whether by private vehicle
or by coaches used by the School must be contained on the School's
land in a safe manner that does not impact on the local street system.

Dear Planning & Environment,
I object to this Development Application by Scots college on the
grounds that the school shows no indication on its plans for
improvement of the impossible traffic conditions within the Bellevue
Hill area surrounding the school. It is a matter of "life or death",
as the safety of the students and residents is compromised daily. The
situation currently is not if but when a serious accident will happen
in this area.
As a resident of 45 years in this area, i have witnessed the traffic
getting worse and worse during the last 10-15 years. It is apparent
that Scots has grown the size of its school population over this
period by approximately 30%. This includes students and staff.
It has gotten to the stage that I fear driving out of my garage, for
fear of accidentally impacting with a student, some as young as 3
years old.
Approximately 2500 students and staff, come and go twice a day to and
from the school. Many, in private vehicle. On top of this are the
students and teachers of Cranbrook School, only 300-400 metres from
Scots, which comprise of approximately 1800 students and staff, again
many coming by private transport; resulting in a generated traffic of
4300 people coming and going to and from the two schools within an
already crowded residential area.
I saw that Cranbrook's recent application to State Planning, includes
onsite parking as well as onsite dropoff facilities, showing they are
responsible neighbours, considerate to the surrounding residents.
By comparison Scots has given no such consideration to its neighbours
in any DA in recent years, having not increased its onsite parking
facilities over the last 10-15 years, and certainly having no onsite
dropoff facilities existing in any of the Scots campuses.
Until Scots provide safety for students and residents by providing
onsite infrastructure to cope with traffic it generates, I urge you to
refuse this application by The Scots College.

I oppose the further development at the Scotts College as it poses a
serious hazard for my children! The endless busses that idle for hours
outside of our place create desperate traffic congestion ,with through
traffics vision being obscured, therefore a danger for children
crossing the road to reach home. The air pollution is horrendous, the
smell of petrol sickening from the buses as they idle their enormous
engines while waiting their turn to motor down the road. Cranbrook in
their proposed plans have included off street pick up and parking!
Scotts has far larger grounds but refuses to do the same safe option.

My family objects to Scots' application.
We find it unacceptable because it will impact badly on residential
amenity.

We have lived in Aston Gardens Bellevue Hill for over 40 years.

Up to now Scots has been a good neighbour.
BUT in recent times they have disregarded the neighbourhood by
increasing the number of students and teachers who park in our over
crowded streets causing significant traffic and parking problems. On
many occasions when we return home we will not find anywhere to
park.This is frustrating and unacceptable!
Also, unlike other schools, they have no plans to provide the mandated
number of on-site parking spaces.

Finally, we have no trust in Scots because as far back as DA528 of
2004, Scots has made false claims regarding student and staff numbers
not increasing. They HAVE increased and it appears that Scots relies
on community apathy and council inaction to continue to get away with
their enrolment breaches.

Please stop this application.
Regards
Peter & Anne Marie Press

The increased floor space will inevitably lead to an increase in student
numbers and staff. The current on site car parking is woefully
inadequate and this will only make the parking and traffic load in the
existing street impossible.There currently exists a shortfall of
almost 200 car spaces on the Victoria Rd site.The new demands will
make it worse.

The student numbers have grown with complete disregard to the mandated
caps of students and in contempt of the court order for Scots to
comply with the cap of student numbers on previous development
consents. Any further consent must repeat and ensure that there is an
enforcement mechanism to ensure that Scots complies with the existing
caps on student numbers.
- This increase in staff and students has resulted in a dramatic
increase in the number of cars and buses using the surrounding
suburban streets, a fact to which the NSW Land & Environment Court
clearly agreed in the 2014 case when Commissioner Dixon stated "...the
school has not undertaken an adequate analysis of the localised
traffic and parking impacts" of the increase student population.
Commissioner Dixon accepted the evidence submitted by local residents
proving the dangerous traffic situation surrounding the school on a
daily basis. "I am unable to be satisfied that the proposed increase
in student numbers would not have an unacceptable adverse impact on
traffic and parking in the vicinity of the school. No further car
parking spaces are proposed and the modification sought would not
achieve compliance with the minimum car parking spaces calculated in
accordance with the Woollahra Parking DCP."

The impact on parking and traffic in the street is unacceptable, with
queues over one kilometer long, inability to enter properties due to
illegal parking and traffic. Illegal parking throughout the suburb
puts child and pedestrian safety at risk. Many have complained on many
occasions and legitimate complaints about traffic, parking, noise and
light pollution have been treated contemptuously by the school and by
the headmaster.

The noise from all the campuses are increasing due to extensive use of
outdoor public address systems.. These should be banned . The Scots
preparatory school uses the outdoor playground ans their assembly hall
with the consequent noise pollution without regard to the surrounding
amenity.

The Council refuses to enforce its powers to restrict student numbers,
to issue fines to illegal parkers , to enforce noise standards or to
upgrade the street infrastructure to address the dysfunctional street
traffic .

Any consent must address the constraints to restore reasonable street
traffic , enforce existing planning controls, address illegal parking,
upgrade on site pick up and drop off to eliminate street activity,
ensure adequate on site parking for students, teachers and parents.

I am very concerned that this application largely glosses over any
concerns about the problem of vehicle traffic and safety in the area.
I understand the school may already be over-enrolled in terms of
council approval and that enrolment may increase in the future,
leading to further increases in traffic. The school must offer a
solution to the traffic problem as other schools do.

Every morning and every afternoon the traffic in this area is extreme.
parents park in no stopping areas. The school makes no effort to
provide extra parking for staff or students. A better traffic flow
using some of the schools sizeable private holding in the area would
improve the residents comfort.

I strongly object to the new proposal by Scots College. It will
exacerbate an already extremely dangerous traffic situation. It would
be irresponsible to pass this development application/proposal.
Dr. Fred Wechsler

Scots keep building more and more facilities and at the same time say
they are not increasing school numbers. This development is another
example of this deception. I strongly object to this application and
any other application that increases the size of the school and
ignores the negative effect on the local neighbourhood. Scots MUST be
made to provide appropriate off street parking and off street student
drop off and pick up facilities.

I would like to object to further building of the Scot's Library the
congestion of traffic is full to capacity and would further inhibit
the access in and out of Cranbrook road and Victoria roads Bellevue
Hill

Before any further development at Scots College they need to provide some
substantial parking on campus. I have lived here for over 30 years and
watched the disastrous growth in traffic and the lack of parking. Our
street is almost impossible to park in unless the school comes to
enforce students not to park here. When they do this, it is a
pleasure. Friends, family, tradesmen and our second car have problems
when students park here. It is not always monitored - that is not a
long term solution.

I wish to make the following statement in regard the Scots SSD
application.

On 19th March 2018, I attended a meeting at Scots College in my
copacity as Chairman of Concerned Scots Neighbours Inc (CSN) with 3
other committee members. CSN is a volunteer committee of local
residents, that represents over 250 immediate neighbours of the
college in Bellevue Hill. The purpose of that meeting was for Scots to
brief CSN about the proposed project and listen to any feedback that
the neighbours may have in regard to the likely impact.

I draw your attention to Page 87 of the EIS dated July 2018:
"...meetings with stakeholders including representatives of Concerned
Scots Neighbours (a community group)...."

The EIS concludes as a result of that meeting that:

Page 87: "The public interest is best satisfied by well-designed, high
quality development which meets a perceived need in general compliance
with the relevant controls, policies and guidelines applying to the
land to which the application relates. In this regard, the proposal is
in the public interest."

As well as:

Page iv: "Nothing has arisen from this consultation which necessitates
changes to the form of the proposed development as described in this
EIS."

Nothing could be further from the truth in regard to our discussions
at that meeting and Scots agreement as to its future actions.

The existing chaotic parking and traffic issues were extensively
discussed in that meeting. Scots agreed that the current situation was
not satisfactory. It was made very clear to Scots that the community
would not support any plan that did not include a provision for
additional on-site parking and an internal drop off. As a result, Dr
Lambert the Scots Headmaster made a commitment to get back to us
within a short period, with a plan that looked at incorporating the
neighbours' demands to solve the parking and traffic issues.

Our meeting notes indicate the following conversation after a lengthy
discussion on solving the traffic and parking problem:

Dr Ian Lambert (Scots Headmaster) "I think in many ways we're probably
more on the same page than we are not. I think the outcome is that we
will really focus on your issues and get back to you in a very short
period of time. We will communicate in a week with Paul. We'd love to
work with you...we want to be good neighbours."

Some 6 months later, there has been no response from Scots or any
effort to resolve the problem.

To answer the specific claims in the EIS:
1.The public interest is NOT SERVED by building a Baronial style
library, but more so as stated: "...high quality development which
meets a perceived need in general compliance with the relevant
controls, policies and guidelines applying to the land to which the
application relates."

Those needs are:
- general compliance: complying with the statutory cap that is on the
Victoria Rd site of 1,120 enrolled students, not the 1,513 that are
currently on the site
- relevant controls, policies and guidelines: meeting the on-site
parking requirement of 300 car spaces, not the 103 that are currently
on the site, and creating an internal drop off that is a requirement
for a major development such as this.

2. As distinct to the statement that "nothing has arisen from this
consultation", there was a definitive commitment by the Headmaster Dr
Lambert to resolve the community's major concerns about the dangerous
traffic situation in the surrounding streets. This was clearly not
undertaken.

As such, I would ask that:
1. The application be rejected or
2. If the application is accepted, it is done so with a condition that
the existing condition that Scots meets the outstanding condition of
consent that it only enrol 1,120 students on the site, prior to the
commencement of the building program.

We are against any further development at the Scot's College the area for
parking and traffic is full to capacity, we often have people park
across our drive and it is very annoying , their excuse is always no
parking in the area and they are running late due to traffic
congestion with buses cars etc, enough is enough!!!

The Scots College is a major traffic and parking generator in Bellevue
Hill that is otherwise predominately a residential area. The college
campus is spread over a number of sites in Bellevue Hill thus
exacerbating the impact upon traffic flow, street parking and
particularly drop-off and pick-up traffic.

While the College states that the Stevenson Library upgrade is not for
increased numbers of students, there is no mention of the increased
staffing required for new catering facilities; additional learning
spaces; pastoral care and counseling activities. These will increase
traffic and parking into an already over-congested residential area.

Further, there will be substantial construction traffic and parking
imposition during the construction phase.

This School should be obliged to address the traffic and parking
issues already generated before any other `upgrades' or developments
are permitted.

Bellevue Hill is predominantly a residential area. The Scots College
already impinges on residents' rights to the peaceful enjoyment of
their homes as it has a large footprint across several streets, not
just Victoria Rd, which adversely affects traffic, street parking and
safety, particularly at drop off and pick up times.
Any further increases in Scots College's population of staff and
students which will be inevitable with the proposed additions to the
Stevenson Library, will only make matters worse and should be stopped
or at best closely controlled.

A purpose-built internal driveway should be built now for K-4 pick up
and drop off. Years 5 to 12 should use public transport. Year 11-12
students should not be allowed to drive to school and park in the
street.