Moriah College Redevelopment

MORIAH COLLEGE STATE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT (SSD-10352)

As a resident of Queens Park I strongly object to this proposed development of Moriah College for the following reasons:

- Traffic congestion on the main roads and our narrow local roads is already a major problem particularly during school zones times 7:30am and 9:30am and later in the afternoons. There is an almost continuous flow of traffic blocking local streets at peak times generated by the drop-offs and pick-ups of pupils of the Early Learning Centre, the primary school and the senior school on this campus. This not only affects local residents but those of surrounding suburbs and all who use Carrington Rd, York Rd, Queens Park Rd, Newland St, Baronga Ave, Denison St etc during these times.

Please see the photo above of the line of traffic backed down to Cuthbert St, during term time, blocking residents getting to their houses and parking areas.


- Moriah College has failed to comply with or manage the Transport, Traffic & Parking Plans (TTPP) for previous DA approvals as evidenced by the number of students, parents and staff vehicles parking daily in local streets, contrary to TTPP conditions.

- Residents forsced to park up to 800m from their homes. During times where there are night-time events at Moriah College are frequent and large numbers of people use local streets for parking. Some residents are forced to park up to 800m from their own homes. If the proposed increase in student/staff numbers and extended hours of operation are approved the increased activity and noise in our streets will impact further on residents

- Pedestrian safety and general road safety risks will further escalate as a result of the increased traffic in local streets. I have observed cars carrying Moriah College students speeding down laneways and travelling in the wrong direction down laneways to avoid the congested streets. Children often gather in these lane ways while waiting to go to their schools. It is common to see incidents of road rage when two cars are head to head in the narrow two-way streets and neither driver agrees to back up.
- The streets of Queens Park are becoming ‘traffic sewers’ which is impacting friendly interaction between neighbours, resulting in a decreased sense of well-being, community, connectedness and security.
- Air pollution in our local streets is increasing due to more traffic and prolonged queues of cars and air quality will further increase with further expansion of the school.

- The noise of the electronic school bell has extended to two blocks from the school and this will get louder and more invasive if approval is granted for taller buildings.

The visual amenity of Queens Park and Centennial Park will be adversely impacted by the sheer size of the proposed new buildings. The proposed 4-storey building opposite Queens Park is not at all compatible with the area or its surroundings.

- The exhibition period of 28 days is grossly inadequate for local residents to critically appraise the nearly 1600 pages of complicated text and diagrams contained in this state significant DA. At this busy time of year and with the school term in recess until February 2020, concerned residents and Waverley Council are unable to commission an independent traffic assessment until school resume. The end date for submissions needs to be extended to allow this.

- The ripple-on effect of the increase in traffic, congestion and pollution will extend to many residents who have not been notified of the proposal and who deserve the right to be informed and to comment.
- The ‘Near Neighbour Letter Catchment’ was inadequate and needs to be significantly expanded so that all impacted neighbours are aware of the Moriah College proposed expansion.
Queens Park residents have requested Waverley Council to conduct their own independent and public traffic survey so that all stakeholders can better understand the impact. The end date for submissions needs to be extended well into 2020.

I am concerned that as part of Moriah's DA application is the installation of a pedestrian crossing on York Road between the school and Centennial Park? That will really jam up the traffic around the school! A better solution could be to ban Year 12 students from driving to school - like many other schools do. This would help with so many traffic problems.
Also, there is no mention in their 'Existing Conditions' section of the huge impact on Queens Park Residents of Moriah's students, staff and parents driving, parking and dropping off students in our streets - contrary to their own Traffic Plan. I feel that this may be a deliberately misleading omission!!

An increase in the numbers of 'Early Learning Students' from 80 to 130 after committing to no increase just last year. These very young students (under 5) have to be driven therefore further increasing the traffic burden on our streets.

I also take objection to giving Approx 3 weeks to review and comment on a 1,600 page DA document really is a blight on our State Planning Department.

I am also concerned about a shadow being cast over Queens Park due to the height of the proposed building increase.

I have reviewed the proposed development and i consider it inappropriate.
My areas of concerns are:
1) Size of the development
2) Height of the development
3) Impact of additional Students on local community
4) Impact of Additional staff to support increased staff number on local community
5) Lack of time to allowed to assess impact of proposal.

1) Size of the Development.
A review of the large number of documents provided seems to suggest that this redevelopment is, overtime, a comprehensive rebuild of much of the site including the original buildings on the site which included a hospital. If my memory serves me correctly when the original permission was given to use the site a condition was the refurbishment and maintenance of the existing building.

2) Height of the redevelopment.
The proposal is for the height of the buildings on the site to be increased from the existing 8.5 meters to in excess of 20 meters.
I have 3 issues with this:
1) 8.5 meters is the existing limit for renovations in the area of Queens Park abutting the development. Permitting new "renovations" which increase the maximum allowed height to over 20m could be used in the future as justification for a more general increase maximum height of buildings in the residential suburb.
2) Buildings of this height are totally out of character with the neighbourhood and will detract from the local amenity.
3) If building at the more than 20 meters as is as proposed allowed to the southern boundary this has the potential to overshadow centennial park in mid winter potentially reducing the amenity of this portion of the park which is used regularly for picnics and dog training.
3) Impact of additional students
The vast bulk to the students travel to the school using private transport. It can be expected that a further 285 students will result in close to this many extra cars focused on delivering school children for 30ish minutes each school day. This concentration of traffic in a small area has flow on congestion impacts throughout the area bounded by York Road, Baronga Ave, Newland Street and Birrell street. It could be argued that the recently introduced "No right turns" on Birrell St into Rawson between 7am and 9am is as a direct response to the increased traffic caused by the ever increasing size of the school. In addition to the congestion caused by the parent drop off in Baronga Ave, York and Queens Park Rd there is the parking of cars in local streets by students. On street parking is a premium in Queens Park and close to Moriah any spare untimed spots are filled with cars of year 11 and 12 students, easy to identify because of the P plates!. The impact of this number of cars is best seen this week which is the first week of summer holidays. Traffic is notably less and I can get a parking spot with ease!
4) Impact of Additional staff
285 students will require about an additional 20 teaching and support staff adding to the congestion noted above.

5) Lack of time to allowed to assess impact of proposal.
It is completely unreasonable to issue a major planning proposal of this size and complexity in the run up to the XMAS New Year period. This is a very busy time making a considered review and response to this very complex proposal difficult. At the very least the review process should be extended into early Feb so that local residents can have the opportunity to understand what is being proposed and provide a considered response. It is not as if their is any need for urgency as the building industry is pretty much on holidays until after Australia Day.

I object to the Moriah College (Queens Park, NSW) proposed development on the following grounds.
1. Traffic congestion is already a major problem particularly between 7.30am and 9.30am and later in the afternoons. There is almost continuous flow of traffic blocking local streets at peak times generated by student drop-offs and pick-ups.
2. Moriah College has failed to manage its own Transport, Traffic & Parking Plan (TTPP) for a long time, evidenced by the number of students, parents and staff vehicles parking daily in local streets contrary to its own TTPP
3. Pedestrian safety risks and general road safety risks will escalate as a result of the increased traffic in local streets
4. Pollution in our local streets will increase due to more traffic and air quality will reduce
5. The streets of Queens Park are becoming 'traffic sewers' which is impacting friendly interaction between neighbours, resulting in a dereased sense of well being, connectedness and seurity
6. 3 weeks is grossly inadequate for informed responses to the proposal which contains nearly 1600 pages of comlicated text and diagrams - more time is needed

The Moriah College Redevelopment Project is a classic example of not being satisfied with what is already available. If the College wants to expand, it could do so elsewhere, that is, have the early childhood centre, primary school or high school on another campus. Many colleges and universities adopt this approach without negative impact to their local communities.
To date, Moriah College has operated without due regard for the concerns of the surrounding community. Parking and traffic concerns are often ignored, and consultative mechanisms that have been in place since the College was established have been gradually eroded.
All indications point to a worsening impact of the College on the surrounding community, such that approval of the project will not only accelerate the problems relating to traffic congestion and air pollution, but also the harmful effects that these will have on mental and physical health.
It is about time that relevant authorities heed the views of the surrounding communities, not only those in Queens Park or Waverley, but also in Randwick and Woollahra. This may help to restore the faith of local communities in government and the people we elect to represent us.

I object to the Mariah School expansion for the following reasons:
- traffic congestion is already a major problem in the mornings
- night time events are frequent, attract a large amount of people and use local streets as a parking lot
- pollution in our local streets will increase due to more traffic
- pedestrian safety risks and general road safety risks will escalate as a result of increased traffic.
- Moriah has failed to manage its own transport, traffic and parking plan for a long time, evidenced by the number of students, parents and staff vehicles parking daily in local streets contrary to its own TTPP.

I strongly object to this development as a resident of Queens Park for the following reasons:

1. The majority of students at Moriah, coming from outside the local area, arrive by car. Traffic congestion is already a major problem, particularly between 7:30am and 9:30am, and again in the afternoons at 'pick-up' time. There is an almost continuous flow of traffic blocking local streets at peak times generated by student drop-offs and pick-ups, and this situation will become significantly worse if the the proposed redevelopment goes ahead.
2. Moriah College is already failing to manage its existing Transport, Traffic & Parking Plan (TTPP), as evidenced by the number of student, parent and staff vehicles parking daily in local streets, contrary to said TTPP. By increasing the scale of their TTPP Moriah's failings will be only exacerbated.
3. Pedestrian safety risks and general road safety risks will escalate as a result of the increased traffic in local streets. This is of particular concern to local parents whose children walk to and from the local public schools during the peak periods outlined above, and therefore are at most risk.
4. College night-time events are frequent, attract large numbers of people and use local streets for parking. This will only worsen for residents if this proposal is approved.
5. Noise and air pollution in our local streets will increase due to more traffic and people. As a result, noise will increase and air quality will reduce.
6. The streets of Queens Park are becoming ‘traffic sewers’ which is impacting friendly interaction between neighbours, resulting in a decreased sense of well-being, community, connectedness and security.
7. The visual amenity of Queens Park and Centennial Park will be adversely impacted by the sheer size of the proposed new buildings.
8. Moriah say they have engaged with the local community but three weeks notice, especially in the busy lead up to end of year for local residents, is grossly inadequate for informed responses to a proposal containing nearly 1600 pages of complicated text and diagrams.
9. The ripple-on effect of the increase in traffic, congestion and pollution will extend to many Waverley residents who have not been notified of the proposal, and who deserve the right to be informed and to comment.

Overall, this proposal is not in the best interests of the local community, since very few of the students and staff of Moriah college live in the local community. Instead it is in the interests of Moriah college's ability to increase its revenues, and as such it should not be supported by any local or state government claiming to represent the interests of the local community.

Queens Park residents would like Waverley Council to conduct their own independent traffic survey and for this to be made public so that all stakeholders can better understand the impact.

Yours

Paul Wilson

- Four stories is too high for the school building and does not fit with the houses in the surrounding streets which are one or two stories tall. Waverley council set strict requirements for residents. The conserved street scape of Queens Park will be adversely impacted by the bulk of the proposed buildings. Why should their be one rule for residents and a different rule for the school. .
- Traffic congestion is already a major problem particularly between 7.30am and 9.30am and later in the afternoons. There is an almost continuous flow of traffic blocking local streets at peak times generated by student drop-offs and pick-ups. The queue of traffic often extends hundreds of metres down York road. Allowing the school occupants to increase by more than 20% (student and staff as stated in appendix S) is highly inadequate for the surrounding roads.

- The school fails to acknowledge that the school directly boarders an endangered piece of Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub (ESBS) population. It is ridiculous that they have applied for a biodiversity study exemption (appendix s). It is essential for this area to be preserved. There are few areas of ESBS remaining. In their exemption letter Moriah actually say that the impacted building site will overhang the ESBS area. This is not satisfactory and this should be changed. The area should also be highly monitored in order to maintain its integrity throughout the project.

- Moriah College has failed to manage its own Transport, Traffic & Parking Plan (TTPP) for a long time, evidenced by the number of students, parents and staff vehicles parking daily in local streets contrary to its own TTPP. If the main pedestrian gate is moved to baronga st, how is the school going to enforce no car drop offs in this area. This street is already busy with park users and three addition strain of more students and parents driving through this street will cause major congestion, particularly in afternoon when the park is used for sport.

- Moriah College night-time events are frequent, attract significant numbers of people and use local streets as a parking lot. This will only get worse for residents if this proposal goes ahead.

- Pedestrian safety risks and general road safety risks will escalate as a result of the increased traffic in local streets.

- Pollution in our local streets will increase due to more traffic and air quality will reduce. I often note rubbish at the end of my street which joins Moriah school.
- The ripple effect of the increase in traffic, congestion and pollution will extend to many residents who have not been notified of the proposal and who deserve the right to be informed and to comment. The period for comments should be extended and the letter drop area widened across surrounding suburbs.

Please see attached submission.

I am making a submission on behalf of my elderly parents who live in Rawson Avenue Queens Park. They do not agree with the proposed extensions of the Moriah buoilding for the following reasons:
Increased traffic congestion where congestion already exists
Mismanagement of current TTPP
Congestion and lack of parking for locals when night time events are held
Pollution of local streets
Lack of time given to consider and respond to a 1600 page document carefully (3 weeks)
Visual impact of the structure from Queens Park.
Substantial traffic increase, not as safe for local residents

I have learned of this further development inadvertently - we were not notified as potentially affected residents, perhaps as we are at the other end of Queens Park Rd.
I understand the need to increase schools but would like some kind of real commitment by the college to address the traffic impact:
1. The snr students are not meant to park in the streets around the school but I often see them parking in Manning street and Queens Park Rd, and no doubt other streets. This has been a requirement since the earliest days of the school and has been ignored by some.
2. In the afternoon at school pick up time the queue of cars winding along York Road up toward Ashton St sometimes completely blocks York Road and when it comes into Queens Park Rd blocks it too. As York Rd is a fairly major through road this is really not acceptable. The school obviously needs more bus services and to have some way of making the parents use them rather than everyone driving.
I also hope the visual impact is minimised - currently the school buildings do not overwhelm the green corridor from Centennial to Queens Park.
My last request is that with the increased number of students there is no increase in the number of armed guards around the perimeter - it feels like we live in a police state!
Thankyou for considering these comments.
I would also advocate for the people who live closer to the school than we do that the impact on them is considerable, and any reasonable concerns need to be addressed.
With kind rgds

To whom it may concern ,

I strongly object to this development as a resident of Queens Park for the following reasons:

1. Traffic congestion is already a major problem particularly between 7:30am and 9:30am and later in the afternoons. There is an almost continuous flow of traffic blocking local streets at peak times generated by student drop-offs and pick-ups.
2. Moriah College has failed to manage its own Transport, Traffic & Parking Plan (TTPP) for a long time, evidenced by the number of students, parents and staff vehicles parking daily in local streets contrary to its own TTPP.
3. Moriah College night-time events are frequent, attract large numbers of people and use local streets for parking. This will only worsen for residents if this proposal is approved.
4. Pedestrian safety risks and general road safety risks will escalate as a result of the increased traffic in local streets.
5. Noise and air pollution in our local streets will increase due to more traffic and people, and as a result, noise will increase and air quality will reduce.
6. The streets of Queens Park are becoming ‘traffic sewers’ which is impacting friendly interaction between neighbours, resulting in a decreased sense of well-being, community, connectedness and security.
7. The visual amenity of Queens Park and Centennial Parkwill be adversely impacted by the sheer size of the proposed new buildings.
8. 3 weeks, especially in the busy lead up to end of year for local residents, is grossly inadequate for informed responses to the proposal, which contains nearly 1600 pages of complicated text and diagrams – more time is needed.
9. The ripple-on effect of the increase in traffic, congestion and pollution will extend to many residents who have not been notified of the proposal and who deserve the right to be informed and to comment.
10. The ‘Near Neighbour Letter Catchment’ was inadequate and needs to be significantly expanded so that all impacted neighbours are aware of Moriah’s intentions.
11. Queens Park residents would like Waverley Council to conduct their own independent and public traffic survey so that all stakeholders can better understand the impact.
12. Several points included in the proposal are incorrect and are misleading of the proposals original intent.

Thank you

Darienne Sutton
8 Stanley Street
Queens Park NSW 2022

I wish to object the plans for Moriahs extensions Regards Susan MacDonald
Manning St
Queens Park

Dear Dimitri,
My wife and I have been a residents of Figtree Avenue Randwick for the last 31 years. I've witnessed the intensification of the suburb and the commensurate increase in traffic and parking demand. While I understand the need for some growth, the road network in my area is historic, has not grown and is now operating beyond its capacity, particularly at peak times.
Should the Moriah development be approved in its current form, the enrolment will increase by 340 pupils with an unambiguous increase in traffic.
The only connections to and from Bondi Junction from my part of the Randwick LGA are Carrington Road, York Road and Newland Steet. During drop off and pick up times, Carrington Road caters for three schools (St Clare's, St Francis' and Waverley College) and is heavily impacted, leaving York Road and Newland Steet which are subject to existing Moriah College traffic. Newland Street is but one of a number of narrow residential streets forming a grid which are used as paths-of-desire or 'rat runs' for Moriah traffic, many streets unable to cope with two way traffic: with parking both side this can lead to dangerous conditions for pedestrians.
While I acknowledge that Moriah College and all the streets named above are in the Waverley LGA we, as residents of Randwick are directly affected by any such development, as it is only 400m away. In spite of this I note that the consultation undertaken by Moriah only extended to residents in the Queens Park precinct noted above.
I believe that Randwick CC should be requested to make a submission given that the boundary is close and many Randwick ratepayers like us are affected.
I have included below a summary of residents' concerns prepared by Queens Park Residents Against Moriah Expansion and I have copied in Andrew Stewart, their Coordinator.
I would be grateful for your support in this matter.
regards,

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN


MORIAH COLLEGE REDEVELOPMENT – MAJOR PROJECT 14741

We are residents of Queens Park and we strongly object to the proposed Moriah College expansion (many of our objections are noted below).

We request that Waverley City Council conducts a full and proper assessment of the proposal by Council staff and that there is further consultation with the residents and the wider local community and that appropriate time be allowed for a full and proper assessment be take place.The attempt by the College to rail-road this past residents and neighbours just days before Christmas is disrespectful and appalling to say the least.

Mark Baldassarre and Jane Cosgrave
70 Queens Park Road, Queens Park


I strongly object to this development as a resident of Queens Park for the following reasons:
1. Traffic congestion is already a major problem particularly between 7:30am and 9:30am and later in the afternoons. There is an almost continuous flow of traffic blocking local streets at peak times generated by student drop-offs and pick-ups.
2. Moriah College has failed to manage its own Transport, Traffic & Parking Plan (TTPP) for a long time, evidenced by the number of students, parents and staff vehicles parking daily in local streets contrary to its own TTPP. I constantly observe students parking in Queens Park Rd and surrounding streets,
3. Moriah College night-time events are frequent, attract large numbers of people and use local streets for parking. This will only worsen for residents if this proposal is approved.
4. Pedestrian safety risks and general road safety risks will escalate as a result of the increased traffic in local streets.
5. Noise and air pollution in our local streets will increase due to more traffic and people, and as a result, noise will increase and air quality will reduce.
6. The streets of Queens Park are becoming ‘traffic sewers’ which is impacting friendly interaction between neighbours, resulting in a decreased sense of well-being, community, connectedness and security.
7. The visual amenity of Queens Park and Centennial Park will be adversely impacted by the sheer size of the proposed new buildings.
8. 3 weeks, especially in the busy lead up to end of year for local residents, is grossly inadequate for informed responses to the proposal, which contains nearly 1600 pages of complicated text and diagrams – more time is needed.
9. The ripple-on effect of the increase in traffic, congestion and pollution will extend to many residents who have not been notified of the proposal and who deserve the right to be informed and to comment.
10. Moria College is seeking increase the numbers of 'Early Learning Students' from 80 to 130 after committing to no increase just last year. These very young students (under 5) have to be driven therefore further increasing the traffic burden on our streets.
11. The ‘Near Neighbour Letter Catchment’ was inadequate and needs to be significantly expanded so that all impacted neighbours are aware of Moriah’s intentions.
12. Queens Park residents would like Waverley Council to conduct their own independent and public traffic survey so that all stakeholders can better understand the impact.
13. Furthermore, Moria's whole traffic plan was based on just a single day's survey (and only 4 hours) which they say was done on Tuesday the 28th of June. Unfortunately for them, the 28th of June was a Friday i.e. the report is (i) statistically insignificant and (ii) the wrong date makes it invalid in any case.
14. Queens Park is a small residential suburb, which allowed this school to be developed relatively recently (1980s) and the College was clearly aware of the limitations of this site when the school moved there. It should therefore come as no surprise to the school that Queens Park can not cater for an increase in its student numbers.
The suburb does not have the infrastructure to cater for the existing traffic flows. The school is already one of the largest schools in the eastern suburbs. If it has reached capacity, then quite simply, it can not cater for any more students and if Moria wishes to expand the size of its student population, the opening a new campus at a more suitable location remains as a clear option for the College, as has been the case with many other eastern suburbs schools.

As a resident of Queens Park I strongly object to this proposed development of Moriah College for the following reasons:

1. Traffic congestion on the main roads and our narrow local roads is already a major problem particularly during school zones times 7:30am and 9:30am and later in the afternoons. There is an almost continuous flow of traffic blocking local streets at peak times generated by the drop-offs and pick-ups of pupils of the Early Learning Centre, the primary school and the senior school on this campus. This not only affects local residents but those of surrounding suburbs and all who use Carrington Rd, York Rd, Queens Park Rd, Newland St, Baronga Ave, Denison St etc during these times.

2. Moriah College has failed to comply with or manage the Transport, Traffic & Parking Plans (TTPP) for previous DA approvals as evidenced by the number of students, parents and staff vehicles parking daily in local streets, contrary to TTPP conditions.

3. Night-time events at Moriah College are frequent and large numbers of people use local streets for parking. If the proposed increase in student/staff numbers and extended hours of operation are approved the increased activity and noise in our streets will impact further on residents

4. Pedestrian safety and general road safety risks will further escalate as a result of the increased traffic in local streets. I have observed cars carrying Moriah College students speeding down laneways and travelling in the wrong direction down laneways to avoid the congested streets. Children often gather in these lane ways while waiting to go to their schools. It is common to see incidents of road rage when two cars are head to head in the narrow two-way streets and neither driver agrees to back up.
5. The streets of Queens Park are becoming ‘traffic sewers’ which is impacting friendly interaction between neighbours, resulting in a decreased sense of well-being, community, connectedness and security.
6. Air pollution in our local streets is increasing due to more traffic and prolonged queues of cars and air quality will further increase with further expansion of the school.

7. The noise of the electronic school bell has extended to two blocks from the school and this will get louder and more invasive if approval is granted for taller buildings.

8. The visual amenity of Queens Park and Centennial Park will be adversely impacted by the sheer size of the proposed new buildings. The proposed 4-storey building opposite Queens Park is not at all compatible with the area or its surroundings.

9. The exhibition period of 28 days is grossly inadequate for local residents to critically appraise the nearly 1600 pages of complicated text and diagrams contained in this state significant DA. At this busy time of year and with the school term in recess until February 2020, concerned residents and Waverley Council are unable to commission an independent traffic assessment until school resume. The end date for submissions needs to be extended to allow this.

10. The ripple-on effect of the increase in traffic, congestion and pollution will extend to many residents who have not been notified of the proposal and who deserve the right to be informed and to comment.
11. The ‘Near Neighbour Letter Catchment’ was inadequate and needs to be significantly expanded so that all impacted neighbours are aware of the Moriah College proposed expansion.
12. Queens Park residents have requested Waverley Council to conduct their own independent and public traffic survey so that all stakeholders can better understand the impact. The end date for submissions needs to be extended well into 2020.
I am making this submission by email as I was unable to submit it through the Major Projects Portal
--
Christopher Armstrong
168 Denison Street
Queens Park
NSW 2022