$6.5m housing development an 'accident waiting to happen'

"YOU don't go out intending to purchase a property to then have a high density, multi-dwelling development put in behind you."

Proposed blocks for $6.5m East Lismore multi-dwelling housing development. Picture: Jasmine Burke

CONCERNED residents have hit out at plans for a $6.5 million housing complex in East Lismore comprised of 26 dwellings.

The vision for the project marked for 47 Caldwell Ave and 93 College St according to applicants Newton Denny Chapelle was to provide affordable housing with a focus on providing accommodation to people with disability.

But residents think the development is "too big" for the space and would bring a multitude of traffic and safety issues.

Resident Jacinda Hazell said the development would be metres away from her home's back fence.

"The development doesn't appear to have enough parking for all the residents and staff they propose will be there," Ms Hazell said.

"There's not enough adequate on street parking for residents in Caldwell Ave...and neither in College St. You can't park a car on either street and then have two vehicles in opposite directions safely pass each other so to then have an increase in the amount of cars parked on the street it's going to negatively impact the current residents.

"Adding another 106 traffic movements a day is a substantial increase. It's just an accident waiting to happen."

Ms Hazell said residents "weren't anti-development" but said she would like to see the proposed development to be smaller with less density, less units so there was less noise, less traffic movements and less on-street parking issues.

"To purchase a property in East Lismore you pay a premium price for it," Ms Hazell said.

"You don't go out intending to purchase a property to then have a high density, multi-dwelling development put in behind you.

"It's going to affect everybody, not the construction phase but the completed phase as well.

"I'd like more room made for visitor and resident parking within the complex so it doesn't put a strain on the existing infrastructure on the local residents' street."

Town planner for Newton Denny Chapelle, Karina Vikstrom, said the development as proposed would result in approximately 67 additional people within the neighbourhood, and it was calculated 51 carparks were required for the site.

"The development complies fully with the density permitted via Council's Development Control Plan," Ms Vikstrom said.

Ms Vikstrom also said the surrounding road network has the capacity to accommodate the additional traffic expected to be generated by the development.

"The main driveway accessing the property from College Street has been located in a position removed from the rear yards of the properties to the south of the development site.

"As such, adverse impacts with respect to vehicles driving through this part of the site are not expected to occur.

"The driveway access to Caldwell Avenue is already existing. Traffic using this driveway is expected to be less than that which occurred via the previous use of the land as a workshop and training facility."

She said the proposed development was residential in form and character and noise generated on site would be comparable with that normally associated with development of this kind.

Submissions made to the DA close August 29.