Submission - Kathryn Hood - MCU200027.msg

Subject: Submission for Application number MCU20/0027
From: Kathryn Hood
Date: 2020-08-04T21:37:16+00:00
To: Mailbox Council Mail

NOTICE OF SUBMISSION (submitted electronically)

Date: 5 August 2020

For the attention of the Assessment Manager

APPLICATION DETAILS
Application number MCU20/0027 (and RAL20/0004 (combined))
Details: 45 & 47A Maple Street & Myall Street Cooroy - Commercial Business Type 2 Medical - Medicentre Property No 2 Pty Ltd - Project Urban COMBINED WITH RAL20/004
Property ID 127438 and 128654
Address: 45 and 47A Maple Street, Cooroy
Nature of proposal: Material change of use. Commercial Business - Type 2 Medical

SUBMITTER DETAILS
Kathryn Hood and Peter Churm
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
53 Maple Street, Cooroy QLD 4563

Bob and Sue Hilditch
55 Maple Street, Cooroy QLD 4563

James Clynes
49 Maple Street, Cooroy QLD 4563

DETAILS OF THE SUBMISSION
We make the following submission:
Approving this proposal in the location at Maple Street will place more of a traffic burden on an already overloaded small town. There are only two road entrances into the town of Cooroy. Myall Street and Maple Street, both of which come in to the main roundabout. If the proposed medical centre is expecting to accommodate 47 cars, then it seems this can only increase current congestion, not only in Maple Street, but in Cooroy in general.

The continued increase in traffic will be impacted by the plans to expand Eden Rehabilitation hospital which is almost opposite the new proposed medical centre. Added to this, the supermarket currently being constructed in Garnet Street will also increase traffic around the only roundabout entry to the town. And then the adventure playground anticipated down by the library will bring in more visitors which means more cars. Approving yet another development so close to the centre of town with a potentially high volume of visitors such as the proposed medical centre will prove overwhelming both to Maple Street and the town.

Over the past few years, traffic in Maple Street has become increasingly heavy. Maple Street is a lovely, predominantly residential, street. With snarl ups around Myall Street, it has become a convenient alternative route for those travelling into town as well as those wanting to bypass town. A complete review of the traffic in Cooroy, and in particular Maple Street should be undertaken prior to approving any more developments that will bring additional cars into Cooroy.

One of the areas to review is the roundabout at Maple, Crystal, Tulip and Wattle Streets. The exit to Wattle Street was closed a few years ago, forcing traffic down Maple Street. School traffic including buses now also pass along Maple. Traffic wanting to bypass town use Maple Street when Wattle Street did clearly present another option and should once again. Making the Wattle Street exit clearly for local traffic only would help some of the congestion. More and more locals resort to using the  short-cut down Hospital Lane to bypass the roundabout. This Lane is narrow and properties back directly onto it. It is dangerous and not a good solution to the traffic problem.

If the town is expected to handle the supermarket, new medical centre and any expansion of Eden Hospital, then the abovementioned roundabout at very least needs to be taken back to how it was so that cars can bypass town on their way to the industrial estate, the Greenwood Grove estate and Black Mountain. Yet even if this is done, the added traffic density to town which this proposed medical centre would bring makes the project appear unfeasible. Perhaps looking to build on the opposite side of the railway tracks makes more sense and would alleviate town of some of the current traffic problems.

We note that the proposal has been deemed to comply with: ‘The development does not compromise the relaxed country town atmosphere of Cooroy’. I am not sure the residents in Maple Street and in Cooroy in general would agree with this assertion given the proposed expansion of Eden and the supermarket in Garnet Street. Young families have moved here in recent years because of the vibe and beauty of Cooroy. In addition, it is common knowledge locally that people in neighbouring towns and in country dwellings close by are avoiding Cooroy because of traffic and parking problems. If the eco park goes ahead, it might be difficult to convince people to visit given the already problematic traffic and parking issues.

It is also worth nothing that in the past two years, crossing Maple Street has become more hazardous despite the speed limit change to 40 almost the entire length of the street. Drivers frequently drive too fast which is especially dangerous for those crossing to go to the hospital. If this growth continues, then a pedestrian crossing and / or sleeping policemen would also become necessary.

We certainly are not averse to change, but we are concerned with the impact this project will have on the traffic, pedestrians and the general nature of Cooroy. Below are images of the mid afternoon traffic impacted by school pick up and buses.

All in all, we feel that if the the development proposal goes through in this location it will place an unnecessary traffic burden on the town of Cooroy and on Maple Street in particular. Of course as residents of this lovely town we would like to maintain the heritage of Cooroy as 'the Heart of the Hinterland’. We would also like to maintain the peaceful nature that we currently enjoy living on Maple Street, and we would like to see visitors continue to come into town to soak up the vibe, coffee shops and small independent stores.

If it is deemed that a medical centre of this nature is necessary in Cooroy, then locating the centre on the other side of the railway tracks would really help the town.


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