PM Submission - Detailed - Diane Phillips - 132008.176.05

Subject: NSC Ref: 132008.176.05
From: Diane Phillips
Date: 2023-08-07T05:13:25+00:00
To: Mailbox Council Mail

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Noosa Shire Council

Planning Application:      132008.176.05

Attention: Nadine Gorton

Dear Nadine

As residents in Serenity Close, we have reviewed the application lodged by the applicant on the land holding described as 3 & 7 Serenity Close and have several concerns that we consider do not presently satisfy nor comply with the Noosa Shire Council’s planning scheme; being:


1.       Scale and presentation of the development



While it is noted that the applicant has reduced the bulk scale in their information response dated 18 July 2023, it is apparent looking at the revised elevations that they do not fully address the design issue previously raised by Council and in particular the requirement for ‘smaller separate buildings with no more than 6 units attached in one plane’.



We also note when considering the external presentation of the development proposal in plan view together with the elevations that the extensive footprint of the separate large building elements connected by the proposed ‘bridges’ does not provide any effective visual reduction in the bulk scale on the northern and southern elevations



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2.       Traffic generation and capacity of the existing road network



Referencing TTM’s Traffic Engineering report submitted as part of the RFI response, it is noted that this report does not incorporate reporting of the capacity of the existing road network to support the additional traffic demand imposed by the development proposal.



The TTM report defines:

·         the proposed traffic access to the proposal is via Grant St / Banksia Ave roundabout in clause 2.3

·         Grant St is classified as a local street and they have described the road as two lanes (divided by median strip), two way, informal kerb side parking (Table 3-1)

·         Council parking supply requirements have been calculated as 341 No with 380 No proposed to be provided  (Table 4-1)

·         That existing traffic demand was assessed by traffic counts on Friday 8th July and Saturday 9th July 2022

·         Clause 7.2 defines traffic generation during peak hours from the development proposal as 219 trips and 304 trips with a reduction factor applied resulting in 154 trips / 180 trips (weekday / weekend respectively) with peak hour demand calculated as 82 / 93 trips in and 71 / 86 trips out (weekday / weekend respectively)

·         Traffic impact assessment is included in Clause 9

·         Appendix D – Network Volume Diagrams

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What is not clearly defined nor reported in TTM’s response is:

·         Consideration and inclusion of the expected adjustment to the existing traffic count information collected to account for the occupancy of both the tourist accommodation and the Serenity Close apartments + the balance apartment buildings under construction in Serenity Close and hence not completed or occupied (Lumina & Tallow) at the time the traffic count information was collected.  The major uses of this local catchment (tourist and many apartments infrequently occupied + the additional apartments in Serenity Close) will result in large increases in the traffic demand and hence the use of the traffic count information without consideration of local catchment occupancy in any assessment of the capacity of the local road network will not reasonably consider the peak traffic demand in this catchment

·         TTM’s Diagram 5 nominates 71 trips exiting the development site as the week day PM peak compared to 93 trips nominated in their Table 7.2 which is under estimating the week day PM peak traffic demand

·         The adequacy of Grant St as the primary access road to safety service the existing local catchment and the development proposal.

·         Consideration of capacity of the local road network (Grant St as the primary access road)







3.       Our concerns


·         As noted above we do not consider the revised building proposal as presented in the elevations and plan view achieves Council’s requirements of small scale separated buildings

·         Grant St comprises 2 No nominally 5m wide one way road carriageways separated by a steep concrete grouted rock batter as part of the central median which was constructed with a sheer vertical face at the commencement of this median at the southern end of Grant St presenting a major safety issue especially with increased non local traffic demand with narrow indented car parking bays scattered along the street.

Driving along Grant St now, without the increased traffic demand associated with the subject proposal, both road carriageways (entering & existing Grant St) are regularly restricted by the on street parking (primarily Grant St residents) utilising both the scattered indented bays and multiple other vehicles parked partly on verge to not block through traffic.  As a regular driver traversing along Grant St it is evident that this road is currently at capacity during peak periods without the impost of the additional demand associated with this development proposal

Council’s planning scheme defines the capacity of a local street at < 1,000 vehicles per day as per Table SC6.7.2 below

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·         TTM’s Appendix D Diagram 1 (2022 survey) indicates peak hour movements (week AM / week pm / weekend) at  Banksia / Grant as 49 / 62 / 58 trips entering + 60 / 45 / 54 trips exiting  and 43 / 52 / 47 trips entering + 69  / 55 / 33 trips exiting on the Grant St leg at the Noosa Drive roundabout

TTM’s Appendix D Diagram 5 (Base + Dev 2024) indicates peak hour movements (week AM / week pm / weekend) at  Banksia / Grant as 103 / 155 / 160 trips entering + 113 / 123 / 148 trips exiting and 97 / 143 / 148 trips entering  + 123 / 134 / 125 trips exiting trips on the Grant St leg at the Noosa Drive roundabout

·         It is our understanding that total daily traffic on a street is calculated by multiplying the peak hour demand by 10 which equates to

TTM Network Diagram
Banksia / Grant
Grant / Noosa Drive
Maximum
Demand in excess of NSC 1,000 VPD
Comment

Week AM
Week PM
Weekend
Week AM
Week PM
Weekend













Diagram 1
1,090
1,070
1,120
1,120
1,070
1,900
1,120
120 No
We query the traffic volumes at Grant / Noosa Drive being less than Grant / Banksia noting additional traffic demand should occur from the Grant St properties (northern side)










Diagram 5
2,160
2,780
3,080
2,200
2,760
2,730
3,080
2,080 No trips being 3 x NSC’s defined Planning Scheme capacity for a local street
We query the traffic volumes at Grant / Noosa Drive being less than Grant / Banksia noting additional traffic demand should occur from the Grant St properties properties (northern side)





















As noted above, we query the determination of the base traffic demand in the July 2022 traffic counts and whether appropriate allowance has been incorporated for the adjustment associated with occupancy rates in the tourist accommodation / permanent resident apartment & the uncompleted Serenity Close apartments at the time the traffic counts were taken.

In addition to the low ‘base’ traffic demand, the above review of the TTM report traffic demand figures highlights the substantial increase in traffic demand that this development proposal imposes on Grant St resulting in traffic demand more than triple NSC’s Planning Scheme capacity for a local street (3,080 vpd v < 1,000 vpd)


·         It is evident that the existing local road network of Grant St (and Katharina St) do not have sufficient capacity to safely support the current development proposal.


Trust the above comments assist your further consideration that this development proposal does not presently satisfy Council’s Planning Scheme and in particular will result in unsafe conditions on Grant St

Regards
G Greenhalgh & D Phillips
22/4 Serenity Close