Narrabeen businesses in Garden St, residents in Taiyul Rd fear parking chaos if proposal goes ahead

Traders say they will fight proposals to bring in new parking rules to part of Narrabeen, on Sydney’s northern beaches, with claims the plan could lead to businesses closing.

Business owners and workers who are upset about the parking changes about to be implemented in Garden St, North Narrabeen. Picture: Julian Andrews.

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Traders and residents have vowed to fight parking changes which they say will impact hundreds of people, threaten longstanding businesses and stop others from parking outside their homes.

Clint Welsh, who owns Chubby Welsh Autos, said Northern Beaches Council, was looking to introduce one hour and four hour parking in the industrial area of Garden St, Narrabeen, which will affect 150 staff and many businesses, mainly car repair workshops and cafes.

Garden St in Narrabeen where traders are concerned about proposed parking changes. Picture: Google.

He added that the issue of staff finding parking elsewhere would be compounded by the fact that in nearby Taiyul Rd, on-street parking was to be taken away for around 40 residents.

Added to that was recent parking restrictions in Powderworks Rd that is already having a detrimental impact on businesses, according to Mr Welsh.

“We believe this is a Band-Aid solution by the council and will simply just move cars from one area to the next,” he said.

“Staff, and Taiyul Rd residents are going to have to park somewhere.

“They will now have to park in already busy residential areas creating an issue for other residents of the local area and this is not fair. The cars will not magically disappear they will just move.”

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Mr Welsh said the roads had got busier due to the overdevelopment of Warriewood Valley over the last 20 years.

“I remember when it was glass houses and farms and most businesses in Garden St predate this,” he said.

“Now the local businesses that have been operating 40 years and well before the development are suffering from the council’s oversight to proper planning of infrastructure.”

Mr Welsh said he expected some businesses would have to downsize or close if it goes ahead. He has set up a petition with 360 people signing it already.

Northern Beaches Council CEO Ray Brownlee said a proposal for parking changes in Garden St would address concerns over the lack of turnover. At Taiyul Rd, the approved changes are designed to improve the safety of this area.

The council is looking for community feedback before September 12.