Coastwatchers Association supports most of the ideas put forward in the Structure Plan and would like to see them implemented. We believe it is necessary to have strong planning rules to mould the shape of the future town. Individual private developments and re-developments will not achieve a good town structure nor optimise public spaces unless proponents are made to take into account the public good.
We are disappointed that the Structure Plan is only equivalent to a DCP. The guidelines need to be rules and should be in an enforceable LEP.
It is unclear how this plan relates to the land between the Soldiers Club and the Catalina Club and south to the golf links and industrial precinct. There needs to be clear direction as to the intention to infill that area to provide development opportunities for a population increase close to the CBD. Could this be added to the Structure Plan to make its intent more clear and also show that there will be opportunities to live close by and therefore make it easier to accommodate the need to have the apartments in the CBD for tourist style accommodation.
To be pedantic - the word "complement" should be used throughout not "compliment"
CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE
The Structure Plan is a twenty year plan but, if effective, will have a lot longer influence. Batemans Bay is still largely shaped by subdivisions and developments that were done much more than 20 years ago. The effects of global warming, climate change and sea level rise are almost certain to have a significant impact on the town in the future. The Plan does not give sufficient consideration to this.
It acknowledges that "much of the town centre is liable to flooding, coastal inundation or impact from wave run up" (p 16) but it appears the only response is to set ground floor height controls. The time will come when a levy is needed around the low-lying part of the town, it should be provided for in this plan even if it is not built for many years.
It does not seem sensible to recommend underground carparking in low-lying areas already liable to flooding. This is especially so in the flood basin near the water gardens. Even if the underground carparks are not continuously inundated it will be more and more difficult in the future to keep water out.
Climatologists are predicting more extreme weather events. Flash flooding in the flood basin is therefore more likely in future, especially as there will be more intensive development and more hard surfaces in the catchment. How does the Structure Plan provide for quick evacuation links to higher ground surrounding the flood basin? If residents of upper levels store equipment and cars at ground level or below will they be able to remove them in time?
The Plan only strongly advises "that all proposals for development on flood affected land give consideration to the objectives of the Batemans Bay Coastal Hazards Management Plan (2001) and the Batemans Bay Vulnerability Study (1996). (p 54) This is too weak. All proposals should have to completely satisfy the objectives and recommendations of the Plan and Study and this should be stated in the LEP.
Likewise "developments proposed in the southern area of Precinct 3 may need to investigate the local flooding effects of the Hughes-South Street natural drainage line to the Watergardens." Surely they will need to investigate.
ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON OIL SUPPLY
The exhibition of the Structure Plan coincided with a Catalyst report on the rapidly dwindling stocks of world oil (ABC TV 24 Nov 2005). The report said that oil would become prohibitively expensive in the next decade and there are no alternate technologies ready to take its place. Alternative fuels cannot supply a fraction of the volume needed to replace fossil oil. Even if the crisis is further into the future it will still come within the life of this Structure Plan.
The end of the oil era will affect everything including most of the assumptions that are the basis of the Structure Plan. Examples include estimates of tourist numbers, demand for parking and the ability to transport goods long distances. However, it will also offer opportunities such as making alternatively fueled public transport more competitive - for example the hydrogen buses currently being trialed in Perth.
GREEN SPACES
The concept of enhancing the appearance and usability of the
waterfront and linking the town with green public spaces will
greatly improve Batemans Bay. Why then is there no setback to
Murra Murra Mia Walkway?
"Developments addressing active street frontages…and
fronting the Murra Murra Mia Walkway will be encouraged to build
to the front boundary alignment." p 36
Instead the walkway would be better treated the same as the "green
boulevard" with a minimum 8m setback or plaza area from the
walkway. This would provide room for outdoor tables at adjoining
restaurants without blocking the walkway and would also give room
to plant shrubs or erect screens to reduce the effect of the wind.
As an example, the Peppercorn Restaurant is much more pleasant
for outdoor eating than the exposed tables along Murra Murra Mia
Walkway behind The Starfish Deli. The diagram on p 48 shows a
setback but the text on p 36 says there should be none.
A setback would also give room for other shops to display goods outside while leaving enough room for pedestrians, wheelchairs, electric scooters etc.
There is also confusion between diagrams and text regarding the "green boulevard". The text says "a minimum 8m landscaped setback or plaza area" but the diagram on p 42 only shows open space which appears to be no wider than the current footpath. The setback should be clearly shown and labelled on the diagram.
BUILDING HEIGHTS
Before taller buildings are recommended for the low-lying parts of the town there should be a thorough geo-technical report. If pile driving is required to anchor the new buildings it could have significant impacts on existing buildings that are close to the construction site. The Stocklands development was relatively distant from all other buildings. It is also likely that a firm foundation will be further from the surface at sites in the flood basin and close to the waterfront.
If taller buildings are safe to erect then ideally new buildings proposed by different proponents should be planned to link to one another on upper storeys so that there is easier access to commercial offices. Arcade type developments are good in this respect. They will need to provide elevators or similar so that elderly and disabled people and parents with strollers, etc can easily get to upper floors.
Coastwatchers supports the lower height limit in areas close
to the waterfront. However, we are concerned by the ambiguous
statement on p 48, column 2, paragraph 2 -
"as a basis for permitting building height or floor space
ratio beyond (discretionary) prescribed limits"
Does it mean that heights may exceed the discretionary limit if
certain facilities are provided? For example, could buildings
be higher than 14m in Precinct 1?
Even so it may be hard to enforce the 14m height limit when a precedent for taller development has already been set at 18m by the IRT units on Beach Road in Precinct 2.
PRECINCT 4
The types of development proposed for sites adjoining the highway
will encourage people to stop on the side of the road. No parking
signs will be required and businesses should keep distracting
displays, banners, etc to a minimum to reduce the likelihood of
road accidents.
Will the service lane be able to cope with multiple large delivery trucks? What will be the impact on existing streets that the trucks will use - eg Bent Street.
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY
Energy efficiency requirements should also apply to residential
and tourism developments, not just commercial ones (p52). The
goal should be to reduce energy use by making maximum use of passive
solar design and natural ventilation not just by installing insulation
and low energy lighting.
TRAFFIC FLOW AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS/SAFETY
If the Batemans Bay Town Centre is to maintain its role as the
Shire's primary activity center for retail, commercial, professional
and tourism services, as stated in the Draft Structure Plan, then
it will require a vastly improved access and traffic flow system.
Otherwise the future development of the Town Centre will be severely
impeded and its attraction as a tourism destination far less desirable.
Other Documents (p.5) influencing the objectives of the Plan did not include RTA or other expert opinion on traffic flow and there is nothing elsewhere in the Plan to indicate how the current traffic flow problems could be alleviated. Such a Plan should be integral to any future directions and in place well before any other strategies may be considered.
Whilst the new shopping complex may have expanded parking facilities, it has also added significantly to the traffic gridlock situations experienced during the recent peak holiday period. Even though the completion of the Spine Road and the Batemans Bay Link Road may help to alleviate the congestion of through traffic, the problem of pedestrian access and safety has not been addressed.
To facilitate pedestrian access across Perry Street to and from the Stocklands Mall a pedestrian crossing is needed. Pedestrians currently have to wait on the narrow verge until there is a break in the traffic and are tempted to cross when it may be unsafe because of the long waits. This is quite dangerous, especially for mothers with young children, the elderly and the physically handicapped.
Perry Street could become a one way street - from Beach Road to North Street - while still allowing access to all car parking facilities and maintaining the current bus access.
This change would create a traffic loop to connect with Orient Street and exits onto Vesper Street via North Street and the traffic lights. This change would be relatively simple to implement and would reduce pedestrian safety problems in Perry Street.
Solutions are desperately needed to address the traffic congestion on Beach Road between the Soldiers Club and the lights at the intersection of Vesper Street. These three sets of traffic lights need to be synchronised to speed up the traffic flow through the intersections.
In the longer term, a solution to pedestrian safety and access could be resolved by the construction of pedestrian bridges across Beach Road to link the green boulevard with Murra Murra Mia walkway, and across North Street to link the Mall with the revamped Bridge Plaza. They would help to alleviate pedestrian traffic across these two roads and speed up traffic flow.
Coastwatchers agree with the proposal to make Clyde Street one-way, including angle parking along the commercial side for uniformity with Orient Street and to eliminate the right hand turn across the highway to access the bridge.
Coastwatchers Association congratulates Council on the Structure Plan and asks that the final rules be made part of the LEP.
Jenny Edwards
Secretary