New Primary School at Googong

Looks great, although the need for a local pre-school should still be considered in the plans.

The project needs to take in consideration parking, children crossings and speed camera This project was obviously never taken into account when Googong was first developed. With the large amount of children moving in a suburban area, where it has already been noted that there is a speeding issue from both contractors and residents, the school will require a speed camera to reduce speeding. It will need appropriate crossings and parking to allow the safe pick and drop off of children. The Anglican School Googong has the usual speed signs indicating it as a 40km zone. This has not reduced people speeding. So only a camera can truly do this or police presence. Since the government doesn't like to invest in law enforcement a camera is the best option. Proper crossings, clearly marked for children to cross a busy road. Even the use of the traditional crossing guard should be used. Also needed will be proper parking for the safe drop off and pick up of children that does not impact on residents. Remember a injured or killed child can cause huge liability issues for the government if it is warned of issues and takes no action. Something that is being seen at the current Anglican School.

The community is in need of a public school.

I have 3 kids in home who will be ready to go to school in next couple of years. Hope the the project will be complete soon.

Please located this school away from major road ways in order to lessen the impact of school zones on motorists, and thus providing fewer unnecessary traffic jams

Whilst in principle I support the new school (which is sorely needed and wanted by the community) I do have some concerns regarding the planned landscaping of the site. I am pleased to see so many large trees planned, but as a parent whose child will potentially attend the school MANY YEARS BEFORE those planned trees will have grown enough to provide shade, I feel that the short to medium term planning for shade structures (sails, pergolas etc) to enable sun safe plan by students appears to have been totally overlooked. Are the children attending for the first decade just supposed to play in full sun environments or stay inside?

Thank you for consulting with Biodiversity and Conservation Division (BCD). BCD note that a BDAR waiver was issued for this proposal and have no further comment.

Hi Tuongvi,

Please find attached the Transport for NSW (TfNSW) response in relation to the above.

Regards


Andrew Lissenden
Development Case Officer
Community and Place I South Region
Regional and Outer Metropolitan
Transport for NSW

Heritage NSW comments attached for Aboriginal cultural heritage matters.

Please find attached comments from Council on the Googong Primary School Proposal - SSD-10326042

Please find attached the EPA's response to the EIS for SSD-10326042

I object to the project on the following grounds.
1. The drawings on which this plan is proposed appear to have been incorrectly scoped and planned. There are faults in the drawings of the surrounding areas; naming, labelling, resident and street design. I have no confidence due diligence or the parameters applied to the original scoping work have been applied to the proposed amendments.
2. The revised relocation of the Kiss and ride facilities from Apraisa Ave to Wilkins Way is unacceptable. These amendments to the plan:
a. Violate privacy of the residences and residents opposite in Wilkins Way, along Hopper Walk and Percival Road. This side of the proposed school is a residential area. The increased traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian will encroach on the residents privacy entitlements. Please note Hopper Park is NOT designated and was NOT DESIGNED to be a'playground' or family park area. It is an open space / green area. This design principle will not only be compromised but it will actually be obliterated by the proposed placement of the two new entrances on Wilkins Way and the Kiss and Drop construction . The increased traffic caused from these proposed amendments will bring vehicular and pedestrian traffic and unplanned; quite frankly, unwanted undesirable activity to this pleasant residential area.
b. Is unsafe due to:
* the slope and visibility over the decline from Gorman Rd to Aprasia St. Wilkins Way is already marked with 'no stopping' signs on the Left Hand side for this reason.
* narrowness of Wilkins Way - despite widening for parking / drop off road below Percival Road, the road is narrow and has low visibility.
* increased traffic along Wilkins Way.
There are two major residential laneways and Percival Road that lead / open onto Wilkins Way. It is noted that the Site drawings are inaccurate and do not reflect 'Ida Lane' between Gorman Road and Percival Road. One drawing even has 'Jones Lane' marked where Percival Road actually is adjacent to Hopper Park.
At present visibility entering Wilkins Way from either of the laneways or from Percival Road is severely compromised by cars parking on Wilkins Way. This safety issue will be increased with more traffic trying to park, turn into or move down Wilkins Way from both Gorman, Percival and Aprasia Ave.
* Percival Road is currently only wide enough for one way traffic, with residents on both sides of Hopper Park, parking on the road; opposing traffic cannot fit side by side down the road. Vehicles are consistently reversing back along Percival Rd to avoid incidents. Additional traffic through this area will exacerbate not only this traffic problem but will cause incidents.
3. The secondary entrance opposite Percival Road
* is unsafe
* will cause violation of the privacy of all residents of Wilkins Way, Percival Road and Jones Lane opposite Hopper Park.
This entrance will increase the foot traffic from Percival Road, also through the two residential laneways and across Hopper Park and Hopper Walk and Aprasia Ave.
Wilkins Way will itself have increased traffic due to the Kiss and ride facility. There is no safe road crossover proposed for on Wilkins Way.
It is unsafe and Illogical to have this second, secondary entrance on Wilkins Way. Its presence will cause traffic, safety and privacy issues.

Overall the amendments to the original plans are unacceptable.

Most specifically the relocation of the Kiss and Ride facilities and the inclusion of two new entrances on what was originally a predominantly, fenced side of the school are unacceptable. Safety, security and privacy issues are compromised.
It appears the amendments have been made without thorough analysis, planning, revision and checking. Consequently these amendments need to be rescinded and rethought.
I am very disappointed that despite wanting to provide comment earlier my contact request and phone calls were not returned.
We are now provided with inaccurate, unsatisfactory and unacceptable amendments to review.

To successfully integrate into the community the school and its planning need to meet the requirements of the community; this project clearly does not have the wholistic community perspective.

Hi
can you please elaborate on any changes that may be made to the opposite school side of Wilkins way following the updates to the proposal, now that the kiss & drop area has been moved to Wilkins Way we are looking to know of any changes to traffic or parking/footpath on the opposite side of the road to the kiss and drop area.

regards

Paul McCrudden

I don’t think Wilkins Way should be used as any sort of drop off or collection zone. It will not be convenient for parents who drop off/collect their kids and will be a huge inconvenience to those that live on that street. Apraisa Ave, McPhail St and Gorman Dr are all more suitable streets.

I am concerned that the revised amendments to the proposal (in particular the kiss and drop relocated to Wilkins Way) has not had relevant traffic studies conducted to realise the impact that this amendment may have on this street. There has been no indication as to whether the street will remain as a two way street nor whether parking will still be able to occur in front of the houses on Wilkins Way. The street itself is already narrow and difficult to navigate when there are parked cars and traffic driving in both directions. There are also access issues for those who live on Jones Lane, Percival Road and Ida Lane. There has not been any indication as to how you will manage these access issues. For the home owners in this street, it would decrease the value of their homes given there was no intent to place the kiss and ride on Wilkins Way when the school was first designated on this site.
Being able to park in front of the house I live in is particularly important to me as I have a disability. I have a permanent degenerative neurological condition whereby I am losing muscle control from my waist down. I rely on carers providing additional supports in my home. They are required to park on the street as our home is rented through Defence Housing Australia. Many of the other houses in this street are also managed by Defence Housing Australia. Defence Housing Australia set rules that do not allow other parties to park on the property (ie the driveway) so external parties, contractors and removalists must always have access to street parking. Given many of the families in this street are defence families there is a frequent turnover of occupants and hence a frequent occurrence of removal trucks moving people in and out. It is therefore essential that parking access remains in front of these properties.
I can assume that the original plan for the Kiss and Ride to be located on Aprasia Ave was dismissed due to potential traffic issues. There is far more space available on Aprasia Ave and the curb has already been designed in preparation for this. To prevent traffic build up on Aprasia may I suggest as an alternative that the cars would have to enter the kiss and ride from Wilkins Way and that the entrance would be blocked on Aprasia Ave.

I do not agree with the decision to move the kiss and ride facilities to Wilkins Way.
Wilkins Way would not be a safe area for the kiss and ride area as it is around a narrow curved road and down a hill. It doesn’t have great visibility for cars or pedestrians. There are also lots of residences with the townhouses so there is already enough traffic and cars parked on the small road.
I would suggest relocating the kiss and ride area to be next to the existing car park. Or on Gorman Drive or Aprasia Avenue which is a larger road with more visibility.

I object to the single pedestrian crossing on Gorman Drive in the center of the townhouses. Living in one of the townhouses there will be lots of foot traffic along in front of houses. If the Zebra crossing was at either end of the block this would reduce foot traffic on the housing side and shift it over to the school block. There are already footpaths that run along Gorman Drive that could be used as zebra crossings.

Regarding to objection of the Gorman Drive Zebra crossing in the middle of the block. Traffic speed will also be reduced with crossings at either end as cars will have to slow and stop before they are crossing in front of the school. I recognize that school speed restriction signs will be posted, however additional traffic slowing measures would only be of benefit.