Dear Subscribers,
Boarding house development at 126 Victoria Rd, Gladesville – (next to the Tennis Ranch)
A controversial 58 room boarding house is proposed to be developed on Victoria Rd, in the section between the Caltex and the Tennis Ranch.
As reported in the Northern District Times (link below), a meeting will be held on Monday 12th February at 9:30am when a Land and Environment Court Commissioner will attend the site and hear from residents.
The original plans described on Ryde Council’s DA tracking website (link below) as being for 66 rooms, but with parking for only 14 vehicles. From the Northern District Times article we understand that the number of rooms proposed has been reduced to 58, but we are unsure of any change to the number of parking spaces to be provided.
As residents of Gladesville are acutely aware from sites already redeveloped, and those in progress or yet to commence, there is already high demand and competition for on-street parking. Each additional site adds further demand, especially if the parking provisions in the DA aren’t adequate for the reality of vehicle ownership of residents who live in Gladesville – recognising that transport links other than to the City or Victoria Rd corridor are quite limited.
Please note the Northern District Times article advises that submissions may be made to Ryde Council until Monday 5th February. Ryde Council can be contacted on 9952 8222 to confirm how you can send your submission on Monday (tomorrow). Please also note that the on-site meeting will be held the following Monday 12th February at 9:30am if you would like to attend.
Hunters Hill Council – Information Meeting to advise residents about the last 12-18 months of activities related to Gladesville Shopping ‘Village’ (GSV) and the planning context
We look forward to a better working relationship with the new Council elected 2017, including the information meeting resolved to be held – originally in December but deferred to February due to the tight timing before Christmas.
Unlike the past, when the public would have a significant DA dumped on us and no prior explanation or education about the planning system, it will be helpful to have the context and planning system explained before the narrow window of consultation starts.
Although there hasn’t been much update to the public, we do understand that the applicant (owner of GSV and adjacent land that was publicly owned until 2016) has been busy preparing amendment(s) that they’re seeking to Hunters Hill Council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP) – which controls building heights and floor-space ratios (bulk). The LEP already allows height that equates to 10 storeys, but we believe that they want 16-18 storeys. The public are right to be concerned, understanding that there is already a lot of 5-6 storey development occurring along Victoria Road.
We understand that it is normal for the Council’s planning staff to meet and discuss with applicants who are preparing applications, but the problem in the past was that – even though Council knew it was coming and knew people would be interested but would reasonably require some education on the planning system and how to properly participate (lodge submissions in support or against, raising their concerns effectively) – there really wasn’t much if anything done to help the public until the clock was already ticking. It will be a welcome change that Council will dedicate some of the rate-payers-funded resources not just to working with the applicant, but also to educating the public and helping us to have some say over what happens in our local community.
This new way of operating, where Hunters Hill Council actually helps the community by dedicating some effort to educating residents instead of only working with the applicant developers, could really help change the sentiment in Gladesville – where amalgamation really wasn’t as concerning a prospect as it was for the peninsula.
For reference:
* The original resolution from meeting 4430 held 27th November 2017 was “That a meeting be held with Gladesville residents to provide an update on the status of the Gladesville Shopping Village site, its planning context and environment, prior to Christmas.”
* The meeting was agreed to be deferred at meeting 4431 held 11th December “That Council defer the planned Community Information Meeting on the Gladesville Shopping Village until early 2018.”
Other large DA’s in Gladesville (Hunters Hill Council ‘side’) recently lodged – submissions due 2nd March
* DA 2017-1183: 219-221 Victoria Rd (Comm Bank site): 5 storey shop top housing
* DA 2017-1197: 223-227 Victoria Rd (Glades Arcade + OB Cuts site): 30 residential + 10 retail unit shop top housing
* DA 2017-1199: 233-235 Victoria Rd (BWS site): 24 residential + 3 retail unit shop top housing
Please email us if you would like a copy of the single A4 page plan for each DA that Council sent with the notification letters.
Because Hunters Hill Council doesn’t operate a portal from which documents can be downloaded (Lane Cove Council does), the notification letter states that plans and supporting documentation can be viewed at Council between 8:30am and 4:00pm.
We realise that a lot of people in Gladesville have to work full time, so we will request electronic copies of the files from Council and also provide them to you by email upon request – if supplied to us by Council.
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