UP, UP BUT NOT AWAY

Batemans Bay is experiencing growth pains and they are likely to get worse before they get better.

The proposal for a 5 storey 70 apartment tourist accommodation/conference centre on the south-east corner of Clyde Street and the Princes Highway (the site of the old service station) is likely to set height precedents and worsen traffic problems.

If approved the development is sure to lead to a wall of other buildings that are as high or higher facing the waterfront. Is this the sort of backdrop that people want for the foreshore improvements that are planned by Council?

During the process of public consultation for the Batemans Bay Estuary Management Study the consultants were made aware of the strong desire of the community to reduce the visual impact of buildings as seen from the Bay and its shores.

One of the Management Strategies proposed in the Study is to "Modify planning controls …to minimise the scale of development at highly visual locations by considering the aspect from the estuary."

But then perhaps people will like the tall buildings. Batemans Bay can mimic Port Macquarie.

Getting away from or to the proposed development is another matter.

The Clyde Street/Princes Highway intersection is one of the worst in the Bay. Vehicles making a turn from Clyde Street onto the Highway, or crossing the highway, have very limited vision. In any case, during the tourist seasons they have almost no chance of finding a gap in the traffic unless the bridge opens.

With the opening of the new shopping centre conditions are likely to get worse. There will be more traffic in the town, and the option of directing all traffic from the proposed development back along Clyde Street and up Orient or North Streets will only add to problems there.

Will we end up with another set of traffic lights at the Clyde St/Princes Highwy intersection?

The proposal will be decided by the state government. You can send comments to

The Director
Urban Assessments
Dept of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources
GPO Box 3927, Sydney NSW 2001
(Ref DA 152-6-2004).

Council would appreciate a copy sent to PO Box 99, Moruya 2537.