Residents group say Moriah College redevelopment could turn streets into ‘traffic sewers’
Members of an eastern suburbs community have said their “leafy” neighbourhood is under threat following the announcement of major college redevelopment plans.
Wentworth Courier
Don't miss out on the headlines from Wentworth Courier. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Residents are fighting a college’s $81m redevelopment plans with locals fearing their “small leafy suburb” in being overun.
Last month, Moriah War Memorial College launched major plans to expand and improve their current campus.
The Queens Park Residents group has already launched a “Stop Moriah’s Over Expansion” campaign.
Group members have said the College is continually encroaching on their small Queens Park community, particularly in relation to traffic.
An objection guide by the Queens Park Residents asks locals to “Help us stop this threat to our quiet neighbourhood”, stating “the streets of Queens Park are becoming ‘traffic sewers’.”
The two-stage redevelopment plan, submitted to the NSW Department of Planning last week, includes a state-of-the-art $62.7 million STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) building and an $18.9 million three-storey early learning centre (ELC) building.
The proposal also looks to increase the school’s maximum student capacity by 290 students over 15 years.
But residents believe an increase in students and teachers over the next decade will exacerbate already severe traffic issues.
“They will increase capacity, whether in a decade or 5 years. And this includes numbers for support staff and teachers,” Queens Park Residents member Victoria Lincoln said.
“Each DA is much more intrusive. The area is dominated by the college,” she said.
The STEAM and ELC buildings include hi-tech labs and hubs, aimed to turn “dilapidated assets” into “spaces to suit contemporary teaching methodologies and technologies”.
The part three-storey, part four-storey STEAM building is set to feature a 250 seat auditorium, a student cafe, design and technology rooms with a hi-tech fabrication lab, physics, chemistry, maths and food technology classrooms.
In an objection guide, the Queens Park Residents’ group states: “Our small leafy suburb is being profoundly impacted by traffic. This will get worse if this massive project is approved.”
“There is an almost continuous flow of traffic blocking local streets at peak times generated by student drop-offs and pick-ups.”
“Moriah College night-time events are frequent, attract significant numbers of people and use local streets as a parking lot.”
This is despite Moriah College proposing to direct traffic away from Queens Park homes.
Moriah College President Stephen Jankelowitz said there will be a “redirection of vehicle access away from residents on Queens Park Road by relocating the main entry and administration of Moriah College to York Road and Baronga Ave, further reducing potential impact for near neighbours.”
He also said the planning proposal addresses some existing community traffic concerns.
“A new internal ‘ring road,’ which will ensure all High School vehicle drop-off and pick-up will occur entirely within the site, improving traffic flow and keeping more cars on campus and off local roads,” Mr Jankelowitz said.
A new “green plan” said to encourage public transport, walking, carpooling and cycling is expected to reduce private vehicle use by 10 per cent.