Export report filed in court finds Large St is too small for approved Middle Ridge housing and retirement development
An export report commissioned by the residents of Large St in their appeal against a retirement and townhouse development in Middle Ridge has some interesting conclusions.
Council
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An expert report has found a retirement and townhouse development next to Gabbinbar Homestead would be better served by access from Ramsay St, rather than through the road originally approved by Toowoomba Regional Council.
The report was commissioned by the Large Street Trust, a group of concerned residents who have lodged an appeal in the Planning and Environment Court.
Barry Bernoth and Oak Tree Group received approval from the council in March for a 51-unit retirement facility and a 43-unit townhouse development in Middle Ridge.
The sole access road approved for the development by TRC is Large St.
According to the report, compiled by Pekol Traffic and Transport’s Adam Pekol, Large St “functions as a cul-de-sac and has been constructed to the same standard as other cul-de-sacs in the area of similar vintage”.
“Accordingly, we believe Large St has the capacity to provide access for up to 12 dwellings”.
Mr Pekol wrote that if the development were to be built, Large St would be providing access to eight times the number of dwellings it was designed for.
He also said the Large St and Rowbotham St intersection was “not capable of safely servicing the number of turning vehicles expected” because there was “insufficient sight distance to the north of Large St” and “it lacks the auxiliary turn lanes warranted by relevant road design guidelines”.
Mr Pekol said the assumptions underpinning the proponent’s Traffic Impact Assessment were “not suitable and lead to the incorrect conclusion that the Large St/ Rowbotham St intersection would operate safely and efficiently with the addition of the development related traffic”.
“The development would be better served by the provision of either an alternate or additional access to Ramsay St, a higher order road that is capable of catering for much larger traffic volumes.”
The matter will be reviewed by the court on January 22.
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