Skip to main content
Mark Digby
Object
Wahroonga , New South Wales
Message
Please see attachment below.

[Please note - objection noted below is conditional - please see attachment].
Attachments
Name Withheld
Object
Wahroonga , New South Wales
Message
I object to the proposed modification on the following grounds
1.The reduction in car parking spaces, which will directly increase the need for more parking in the surrounding streets.(especially Browns Rd which is the closest to the new proposed building). It has been a continual promise by the hospital that once the multi storey car park opened ( In June?) the local parking problems would dissipate, This has not happened and now there is a proposal that reduces the number of on site parking spaces with a huge increase in visitors!
2. Ugly street view- the proposal to build a 5 storey building behind the 'still under construction' 4 storey building on the Commenara Parkway, will dominate the landscape as it will be built on a steep incline and so appear several storeys higher than the roof top of the building in front.
Name Withheld
Object
Wahroonga , New South Wales
Message
I wish to object to the proposed modification on the grounds that the number of parking spaces to be provided for the expanded Education Centre is totally inadequate. I also object to the impact of the proposed development on the streetscape.

Given the size of the proposed Centre, it is obvious that the number of staff and visitors will be significant. In a building for this purpose, many will also be short-term visitors (such as visiting lecturers). The mooted provision of a "mixed-use precinct where the parking needs of individual components are collectively satisfied" is naive in the extreme - it is most unlikely that short-term visitors will choose to park in a remote part of the site, especially if there is a charge for parking. Instead, visitors will choose to park in neighbouring streets, particularly Browns Road. This will perpetuate the current situation in which building contractors occupy all the available street parking at great inconvenience to residents, and generate considerable traffic on the Commenara Parkway despite early assurances that increased traffic would be limited to Fox Valley Road.

The impact of the proposed building on the streetscape is unacceptable - while the extra building is towards to the inner part of the site, the land also slopes up in that direction, and the visual impact will be severe.
Name Withheld
Object
Wahroonga , New South Wales
Message
Application Number MP10_0070 MOD 4
Sydney Adventist Hospital - Education Centre
I object to the proposal:

Firstly for a Modification that more than doubles the size of the original development should be assessed as a NEW proposal not just a Modification.
I find it interesting to say the least, that I have an opportunity to comment on this "modification" to the Education centre, however I was not once notified nor invited to comment on the building of the stage 1, or current Education centre. The first I was aware of the new building was a demolition notice of the single level homes across the road from my residence!!

Building Height
The current building is too tall and simply does not fit in with the local surroundings, the modification is even worse and way too big in terms of aesthetic appeal and the effect of such a sized building has on the local community, and environment. The height of the Mod 4 should be reduced by 2 levels, as it will visually impinge on my property and be highly visible. The developer has applied under the banner of "state significance", however I must point out that almost one entire level of this mod is a gymnasium, and another large area taken up by a cafe. I consider neither of these 2 areas to be of "state significance", and as such the building height approve should be reduced. The cafe and gym could be moved to other areas of the campus further removed from residential surroundings.
I object to any structure that impinges visually on my property or that of my neighbours. It already looks like a looming dark mass (very dark colours of cladding chosen?), the new Mod would only exacerbate this feeling and obviously devalue the financial worth of my property and others in the surrounds. If local government would not permit this building size why should it be acceptable for the State to permit it.
I feel the developer needs to be realistic with expectations, this is a bushland community, very close to national parks, some 30-40kms from the Sydney CBD, why are they trying to create a high rise complex here? It is simply not in keeping with the surroundings and the whole estate needs to be significantly watered down, including this "mod 4".

General Increase in building Density and resultant traffic volume
The traffic on The Comenarra Pkwy and Fox Valley Rd, in the vicinity of the SAN Hospital is known by all local residents, employees and visitors of the Hospital and school to be at breaking point at peak hours. There are traffic jams most afternoons at the intersection of the Comenarra Pkwy and Fox valley rd. An increase in building size implies a large volume of people to use the facility, in addition to the new hospital building, new existing education facility, new larger school, proposed 190 residential apartments adjacent, and new tall commercial buildings nearby (all from the same developer) would simply push traffic volumes to an unmanageable level, even with the proposed additional turning lanes. I strongly object to the size of this development based on overcrowding and the resultant increase in traffic.
The project is basically being doubled yet the parking spaces are proposed to be reduced from 45 -33 ! Is this to be taken seriously? The developer needs to take responsibility and provide sufficient parking onsite via the main gate of the hospital, then via the ring road to the Education centre. These parking sites should be appropriate in numbers to cater for all education staff and students. Considering public transport is poorly linked to this site and timings are haphazard, most using the facility will be driving cars. Also as this campus is in conjunction with Sydney University and The Cooranbong campus on the Central coast, the theory that all students will live next door in the new proposed high rise apartments is simply a fanciful dream. Students and staff generally do not want to live in the same place where they study or work, so they will drive and so will need parking more than double that offered in this mod ! On street parking on The Comenarra Parkway, would NOT be the solution as it is proposed to be widened. (once again financially devaluing my property )
In conclusion I am not against the whole development; however the size of these modifications needs to be reduced by two levels, so that local residents can function in an acceptable way and the new MOD 4 needs to minimise its impact on its local surroundings, in terms of visual impact and traffic and parking volumes.
Kind Regards.
Steven Turnbull
Object
Wahroonga , New South Wales
Message
Does this additional size mean that there will be even more additional pressures on parking and road congestion?

Will the size just keep growing with each additional application until we eventually have large monolith over dominating our road.
Is there an actual limit to how big this building can grow to?

This addition will require a further extended period of construction, The exisiting residents have already endured over 2 years of
construction related side effects.
Including significant dust fall out, a heavy parking burden with large SUVs, trucks and Vans of the construction workers.

Often significantly reducing drive exit visibility, sometimes to zero (I.E. No visiibility at all) by as early as 6:30am in the morning.
And we also we need to include contruction road signage out the front of our houses and driveways which has been in place every weekday for years now.

It should be encumbered upon the applicant to come up with better methods to minimize these burdens on the existing residents, as a condition of any approval.
Name Withheld
Object
Wahroonga , New South Wales
Message
In relation to the development of Education Centre, I find the concept not in keeping with the surroundings and environment.
Specifically the height of the building at 13.0 m at a few metres from the boundary is too large in relation to the closeness of the street front. The original diagrams presented put the building adjacent to the existing single level homes to its west. ref A EA-006A Overall siteplan stage2 .pdf .Then in other diagrams the buildings seems closer to the street boundary as in diagram complete masterplan concept.pdf. Diagram A EA-114 Elevations also states that there are buildings with 3 levels opposite the development however this is simply not the case. The majority of homes opposite (southern side of the comenarra Pkwy) are single level homes. There 2 , 2 level homes but none with 3 levels, and as such the proposed building at its setback is overbearing in relation to surroundings and is simply to big too close ! After looking at numerous plans there is no clear distance that has been presented as to the Education Centres distance to the boundary, that can be readily found.
Also a larger setback would be sensible to facilitate road widening due to the increased traffic that is forecast.
A suggestion would be to orientate the building in an East-west orientation where there is ample room and that way moving the setback further from the street. Or having a teired building with the higher levels being further from the street.
The height at its proximity to the street has potential of devaluing surrounding properties as it takes away from the suburban feel and creates a more urban / city feel, which is not the desired environment this far from any city centre.
The complete master plan also includes various unmarked and unnamed blue buildings to the west of the Education centre which seem also very close the street boundary. Closer than other homes and existing school.
Another area of objection is the widening of the road on the Southern side of the Comenarra Pkwy. The road is proposed to be widened beyond the current curb on the southern side (residential side) by more than twice the amount to be widened on land than on the Adventist development land. Surely if the Adventist group's expansion plans are creating the increase in traffic volumes, then they should do the responsible thing by widening the road on their side!
Phil Anquetil
Comment
Haymarket , New South Wales
Message
see attachment
Attachments

Pagination

Subscribe to