Residents and interest groups oppose plan for a temporary access road at Sandy Bay

Residents and interest groups have complained about a council plan to build and then remove a road to repair flood protection infrastructure, saying there was a more suitable solution.

A DISPUTE has emerged in affluent Sandy Bay over a council plan to build and then remove a temporary access road in order to repair a key piece of flood protection infrastructure.

The council needs to perform works on the Folder Creek headwall — located at the base of Bicentennial Park — as part of repairs to the city’s stormwater system after floods in May 2018.

A group of residents on Sandy Bay Rd and interest groups, including walkers and mountain bikers, have raised concerns over Hobart City Council’s proposal, questioning why an established road leading to the same site could not be used instead.

Three options were considered, but council’s preference is to establish a temporary access on vacant city-owned land off Sandy Bay Rd to access the headwall, which sits behind 703a Sandy Bay Rd.

Council general manager Nick Heath said another of the options was to use Folder St, which traverses private property, and Sandy Bay Rd resident Matthew Stilwell believes some residents of Folder St voiced their opposition.

Mr Stilwell feared the new access road would pose safety issues and increase traffic congestion on a busy thoroughfare, and that it would cause “unnecessary disturbance” to the land, trees, vegetation and habitat, which he said could destabilise steep land.

He said the planned access road would cut across a popular access point for walkers, mountain bikers and other users of Bicentennial Park and Porter Hill Reserve, and that the removal of trees would reduce the area’s amenity.

Mr Stilwell said the temporary solution failed to address the long-term need for access to the site for maintenance, and was not a good use of ratepayers’ money.

“The whole thing seems very strange to me when you’ve got a perfectly viable access road [that could be used instead],” he said.

Local residents Matthew Stilwell, with daughter Maya, 8, Stephanie Cooper and Peter Voss are concerned at the Hobart City Council’s proposal to build and then remove a road to access and repair flood infrastructure. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Mr Stilwell said consultation was inadequate and that nearby residents were given only a week’s notice of the impending work, which was due to start on Monday.

In a statement to the Mercury on Friday, Mr Heath said the “critical work” on the headwall would require the temporary road to be established.

Mr Heath said it would require minimal works and would be removed and fully reinstated after repairs to the headwall, with the temporary road expected to be in place for 30 days.

Mr Heath said of the three options investigated, the temporary access road was deemed the most suitable.

“This option would have the least impact on nearby residents and is the most cost-effective option for ratepayers,” he said.

“Residents in the immediate area have been contacted directly about the works that are required.”

Mr Stilwell said Mr Heath phoned him on Saturday morning to say construction was now not going to start on Monday as had been planned, which he welcomed.

“The suspension of works creates space for dialogue and a better outcome for everyone,” Mr Stilwell said.

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