Doncaster Avenue Student Accommodation

How many car spaces will be included in this proposal?

We are about to lose all of the parking down one side of Doncaster
Ave. Most of houses located on this street are older and do not have
off street parking. So these cars will need to be parked on the off
shoots streets in the local area. I live off one of these streets and
parking can already be a nightmare at times.

Huge mass units are replacing older 2 story buildings. Understand that
this is progress, but how about adding some supermarkets where people
can walk to get groceries!

In light of the Heritage Divisions earlier comments, and there are no
State Heritage concerns regarding the proposed development, DPE does
not need to refer this project, including any future modifications, to
the Heritage Council (i.e Heritage Division of OEH), however other
Divisions of OEH may respond separately in relation to Aboriginal
Cultural Heritage or biodiversity.

see attached

Ausgrid has reviewed Appendix V Infrastructure Services Assessment and
has no submission

I object to this proposal.

The reasons are:
BUILDING WORKS AND TREE REMOVAL
Social Impact -
Building Works and Tree Removal
There has been large amount of residential and transport development
in this area in the past 2 years. Several apartment blocks have gone
up in the area bound by Anzac Parade, Doncaster Ave and Alison Rd
recently and more are imminent. The construction of the light rail has
been relentless and even so has a delayed estimated finishing time.
The social impact of constant noise, night work, dust, road closures,
closure of access to Centennial Park at Doncaster Ave is having a
negative effect on the local communities mental and physical health. A
proposed bike path for Doncaster Avenue has never materialised. The
removal of trees on Alison Road and Anzac Parade has been traumatic
for local residents and anecdotally has led to worse local health. The
chainsaws in the night in 2017 are still talked about. From reading
the Proposal's EIS another 42 trees are to be removed. Only 22 trees
actually need to be removed, and another 20 are deemed to be
unsuitable to remain. I think this should be reassessed as the amount
of foliage in the area is dwindling and if they don't need to be taken
out they should be left until replacement trees are grown.


Traffic Impact - Parking has become a significant problem in this
already densely populated area. The streets off Doncaster Ave are
already being used as an unofficial "park and ride" station for the
buses on Anzac Parade. The light rail will increase the demand for
parking even further. Potentially there could be another 276 residents
with cars if this boarding house is approved and the underground
parking of this development will not be able to meet this demand as
there are only 55 on site car spaces.

Environmental Impact - With a 276 bed boarding house there will be an
increased use of local infrastructure and resources. Kokoda Park is
already used extensively by dog walkers, people with children, outdoor
exercise groups and just for hanging out. The accessible greenspace in
this area is only Kokoda Park. Access to Centennial Park is restricted
to Darley Road and Anzac Parade walks which are long, featureless
walks exposed to the weather.

Pedestrian traffic on Doncaster Ave between Alison Rd Anzac Pde is
heavy on Randwick race days, concerts in Centennial Park days and
during the exam period, as exams are held at the Racecourse. Another
276 residents will add to this heavy pedestrian traffic.

In the EIS there is a mention of the Kensington shopping centre. This
is a run down and motley group of shops and restaurants and a post
office which I understand to close this year as the building has been
sold. All local resources including food outlets, small grocery shops
and the pub in the area between Alison, Doncaster and Anzac Pde are
all currently heavily used. There is no shopping centre of any
significant size in this area.

It would be more reasonable to refurbish existing apartment buildings
and houses to accomodate these students for UNSW. This would improve
the character of the Kingsford and Kensington with integrating these
students rather than creating a "ghetto" of 276 university students.

Reopening the footbridge into Centennial Park from Anzac Parade
opposite Doncaster Ave, may reduce some of the demand on the
greenspace in the area. Compelling the developers to open a shopping
centre in this area may reduce demand on the existing commercial
resources. The parking remains a significant problem, as is the foot
traffic.

Thank you

Kensington is overcrowded. This site now asks for approval for 276 beds
mostly studios where there was previously permitted 50 units. More
gross overcrowding. The light rail will be at capacity when it opens
so why are we packing more people in? Also not enough car spaces so
more parking on the street which is also full and more congestion on
the roads which are packed. See "the stables" 150-152 Doncaster ave
for a more appropriate approach to development in the area.

Please stop making poor decisions about development in Kensington and
go back to the original approval for 50 units. It's already awful
living here.

The demolition of existing buildings and construction of a three storey
boarding house with 276 beds would heavily increase the population
density in the area and its surroundings. It would have a negative
impact on safety and peacefulness in the community. There are students
who moved in our area and there are many parties late at night causing
disturbances. Having more students in one building nearby will likely
make this worse. We object to this project due to negative impact it
will have on families and the community.

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing a submission to oppose of Blue Sky Private Real Estates
plan on student housing accommodation at 14-18 Doncaster Avenue,
Kensington. As we are the closest neighbours to this development, we
are the mostly affected stake-holder in this proposal. We have written
this submission from our personal view, on how we will personally be
impacted.

1. PRIVACY: The close proximity of the proposed building is a complete
disregard to the privacy of our home. Our home at 20 Doncaster Avenue
Kensington is built with single sided windows only - these will be
facing the 276 rooms, 3 storey proposed student housing. I can see in
the plan, there will be at least 12 window openings on all 3 levels
(that is 36 windows looking directly into my property). We are a small
family of 4 - with 2 young school age children - this poses a major
concern of privacy.

2. SHADOWING: My home is built with single sided windows only. The
only natural light we receive is via these windows. With the proposed
development, the three levels and the very close proximity (4.1
metres), there is not enough distance to preserve our privacy and
receive natural sunlight. Looking at the shadowing reports, the
diagrams provided - I am shocked to see what my home will become. The
report shows that we will receive NO natural light at all during the
Winter Months. There is even a diagram that showcases we will receive
1% of sunlight in the morning to the rear of our courtyard - the light
wont even hit onto our physical home!

I would also like to point out that there was another proposed
building development that was submitted some time ago DA-931/2015 -
their plans provided more distance between our boundary to their
actual building (7.5 metres compared to the 4 metres drawn here)-
although shadowing still posed a concern, at the very least we got to
see more light to our property.

Further to this, with the light rail stabling yard construction to the
rear of our property - when they built the huge 10 metre concrete grey
wall behind us - that too has consumed our natural light.

3. MAIN CAR PARK ENTRANCE: The proposed main car park entrance is
within close proximity to my home. The noise levels will be excessive.
I think we all know that students will be entering to and from the
accommodation during ALL HOURS of the day.

A previous building development DA-931/2015 that was submitted some
time ago considered that cars entering to and from the accommodation
would be noisy so in their proposal, the car park entrance was moved
closer to the Alison Road end of the site as they said that there were
NO residents on that end will be impacted

The proposed driveway is also placed directly opposite to Carlton
Street. Doncaster Avenue traffic has increased tremendously since the
light rail construction. It is often congested. I would imagine
students aiming to cross Doncaster Avenue (that is 2 car lanes, with
traffic going both directions and 2 bike lanes) in their cars directly
from Carlton Street into the proposed driveway. This is clearly risky
and unsafe.


4. DAMAGES, GROUND DISTURBANCE AND SHIFTING OF FOOTINGS: Doncaster
Avenue properties are built on sand and the water table is close to
the surface. During the construction phase there will no doubt be a
requirement to pump out water from beneath the properties due to the
level of the water table. I have witnessed this occurring prior to
building on Ascot Street and Doncaster Avenue. It is a lengthy noisy
process that runs 24 hours a day.

If the ground shifts due to the construction of either the light rail
stabling yard or the development at 4 - 18, how will residents be able
to determine who is responsible for the ground shift and what recourse
will the rate payers of Doncaster Avenue have to get the problem
resolved?


5. BASEMENT PARKING: The basement boundary indicates an extremely
close proximity to our property. The construction will be damaging to
the foundations and the physical aspect to our property as this
evidently happened during the digging from the light rail
construction. During the light rail construction, our property has
suffered from sloping, movement in pavements, rear fence collapsing,
cracks in the wall and ceiling - we even had our bathroom ceiling fan
dislodged because of the cracks - by digging so close to our property
to facilitate the basement car park. THERE WILL BE MORE DAMAGES!

6. PARKING: The proposal will provide to approximately 280 rooms
across 3 storeys and offer only 56 car spaces. I do not think that
this is reasonable to facilitate 276 students PLUS THEIR FRIENDS THAT
WILL VISIT. I assume they will then occupy the limited car spaces we
have on Doncaster Avenue and the surrounding streets.

I would also like to point out that with another council development
The Cycle Way on Doncaster, this will result in further car spots
being removed. Where will the existing residents park? How will this
proposal and council ensure that car spaces for existing
residents/rate payers on Doncaster Avenue will be kept available?

Further to this, we are concerned with how the residents that reside
in the rehabilitation home 28-30 Doncaster will cope with the forecast
of limited parking. Our observations are that their vehicles and
patients require more room and easy access to and from their home.
With the new cycleway and student housing, limited parking for them
and their helpers - they will be affected.

7. TREE REMOVAL: I can see that there will be several trees removed as
a result of this development. Overall, Kensington and Randwick has
lost countless mature trees in the past 24 months. Some heritage and
ignored by the NSW State Government when residents enquired about them
-as a result of the light rail construction. I ask of the development
to be mindful and considerate of the environment and its surrounding
habitat - it would be yet another disappointment to the residents

8. ABORIGINAL ARTIFACT CONTAINMENT AREA: I am not sure how the
development can work this `heritage' tastefully into the proposal. How
are the students who are temporary residents going to protect and
preserve rare Aboriginal Artifacts?

9. DEVALUATION OF OUR PROPERTY: With all the problems associated with
Student Housing in general, we are concerned how this will
significantly reduce the value of our family home that we have worked
so hard to achieve.

9. ANTICIPATED NOISE: Given that it is student accommodation in a
residential area, there will be anticipated high levels of noise. We
are concerned about the 24-hour car and foot traffic in and out of the
building; we are concerned with student parties especially with the
offering of external communal areas. The MAIN ACCESS to the to
building is also proposed to be closer to our home at 20 Doncaster -
we imagine the noise to be continuous and at all hours.



I would also like to comment that 2 `engagement consultants' from the
development visited my home to inform me of the proposal. When I
raised my initial concerns, they said, `they are students and will be
studying and will not be making any noise'. I take offence to this as
this is my wellbeing, my family's well being, that is impacted here
and ask that Blue Sky reconsider their student-housing proposal.

As a resident and property owner in Carlton Street, Kensington I don't
believe this area needs more developments.

My main concerns are numbers of car parking spaces - 276 beds with
only 56 car spaces. There is already a problem with on street parking
in this area and also with the proposed cycleway on Doncaster Ave,
more on street parking will be lost. Potentially there could be
another 100+ cars looking for on street parking. This development
supports students, no benefit for us long term residents, seeing our
suburb turned into short term accommodation complex. Sadly the light
rail has destroyed Kensington and Kensington is already facing a
massive increase in population density which is affecting parking,
traffic, noise and the light rail development which again has
negatively impacted home owners in the area. More crowding and
over-development.

I object to this development.
The building will be built directly next to my property.

* Shadowing
* Damages to my home as a result of building/digging (this is already
proven to be the case from the light rail)
*Further damages to exasperate the situation with the proposed
cycleway from the council
* Privacy is comprised with the close proximity and the many windows
directly facing my windows - my building is only built with single
sided windows
* The removal of mature aged trees
* Noise at all hours of the day
* Limited parking
* Aboriginal Artefacts preservation
* Cleanliness of the students - they will, like renters, continuously
dump old furniture and rubbish onto the streets everytime they exit
the accommodation and have new ones come through

* Too close to Kensington public school primary school. May interfere
with children's safety if there's partying students getting drunk in
the area. We have had intrusions from university students being drunk
living in 12 Doncaster Avenue damaging our front gate and attempting
to urinate on our side lane
* Instability of foundation due to sandy soil. We've had serious
shifts of houses / apartment causing structural cracks as the result
from the stabling yard construction. Removing mature trees and further
damaging the local land stability will just cause even more damage to
the properties nearby.
* Loss of mature trees. We have lost countless mature tree through the
construction of stabling yard, losing further mature trees as part of
the construction plan will further destabilise the local area,
increase flood risk. Suggest retention of mature trees in the
construction site instead of cutting down and replanting small trees
* Too much over shadowing of the neighbouring building now only
limiting sun light to 3 hours a day. Suggest increase set back further
to reduce shadowing or reduce height of building in proximity to the
boundary.
* Concern about privacy of our living space and our backyard. The
original buildings are design not to have windows on the southern end
of each property in an attempt to preserve privacy in high density
area. Now there's going to be numerous windows over 3 floors from each
individual small cubicle rooms at the southern end of the site which
will cause significant invasion of privacy. Suggest removal of these
windows or planting of affective screening plant e.g. clumping bamboo
or equivalent dense packing of mature trees planted at the boundary.
* Loss of parking for local residents. While there is parking attached
to the basement, students will opt to utilise free parking on and
around Doncaster avenue as a cheap alternative. Considering the
significant number of students this accommodation caters for, local
residents who are already struggling to have access to parking will
now have to compete with high density student numbers in addition to
future planned loss of parking on Doncaster Avenue from bike path
upgrades.

Doncaster Ave Student Accomodation
My concerns and objections with this building proposal are outlined as
below

1. Doncaster Ave near Alison road is already a high volume traffic
road. The increase of so many students will compound and aggravate the
congestion. Many residents/owners along Doncaster Ave do not have the
luxury of owning a driveway or garage and so have to rely on street
parking. The increase in the high number of students and with their
visitors to the area will deny the current residents of finding any
parking that are near their homes.
2. The existing infrastructure for water, sewerage and runoffs cannot
cope with the additional strain with that many people housed along
that street. I have noticed there are water seepage coming from the
underground stormwater and drainage pipes onto the road in front of my
house. I have previously notified Randwick council of the problem
which has not be yet been fixed
3. Kensington is a residential area for families. The residents on
Doncaster Ave before Alison road have only a few hours of quietness to
enjoy each day during the periods between morning and afternoon peak
hour traffic. The boarding house will change the area from being leafy
and pleasant to being noisy 24 hours a day. This proposal for a
boarding house for 276 students will have a huge environmental and
noise pollution impact for the area.
4. Another concern is the huge number of students living in such a
small area A population of 276 student will balloon to 1000s when
family and friends come to visit each day, 365 days a year. Also there
are the security and safety concerns whenever there are student
parties being held (crowd control issues and concerns)

see attached

See attached letter