Concerns re: proposed development at 9 Lincoln St

The current owner of 9 Lincoln Street, Eastwood has submitted an application to develop the property from the existing single story home into a new manor house development, containing 4 dwellings over 2 stories with parking for 4 cars. While the notice of this application is posted in front of the property, it is very small, partially hidden by a bush on one side and has likely gone unnoticed by most people.

As neighbors and families of students attending Eastwood Heights Public School, we have the following concerns with the proposed Major Development Proposal as it currently stands:

1) Child safety: The proposed development will have 4 parking spaces and a driveway immediately next to Eastwood Heights Public School. This can increase the risk of accidents as children arrive at and leave the school if the driveway has restricted sight lines. In addition, the proposed two story structure will allow direct visual access into the school with limited privacy provisions. Given there are no laws in NSW to require vetting of occupants in properties next to a primary school, and the high occupancy nature of the proposed development, there is currently no reasonable means to ensure that ill-intended people do not move in there.

2) Impact on local traffic: Related to the previous point, the proposed development will likely have a significant impact on local traffic, particularly during school drop off and pick up. The proposed development will have 13-14 bedrooms in total and it is highly likely that at least some of occupants of these dwellings will have more than one car. This will likely reduce the amount of available street parking for other residents on the street and for families collecting or dropping off kids.

3) The risk for it becomes a pseudo-motel: Currently, the owner uses this property to run an overnight-stay business. Actually, from Monday to Friday, often one or two trucks park on street and the truck drivers stay in the house. Potentially, the owner can expand his/her business after building the manor-house.

4) Storm Water Run-Off: While the proposed plans include provisions for absorption trenches to collect storm water, given the slope and increased amount of hard surface areas, we do not believe these will be sufficient over the long term to capture and effectively drain storm water, particularly during times of torrential or prolonged rain. There is an increased likelihood for greater storm water run off down the hill into the school grounds and neighboring properties, particularly on Deborah Place.

5) Keeping with Local Character: Lincoln Street is a small residential street, focused on the local public school. The proposed two story, 4 dwelling plan will have a large footprint on a very narrow block and is not consistent with the look and feel, or overall character, of the street.

The full development application can be viewed online at www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/haveyoursay/Lets-Plan/Development-Applications-on-Exhibition. Concerns are requested to be lodged with the Council by 8 Feb 2021.

If you share these concerns, please sign this petition before 8 Feb. If you have any other concerns, or a different perspective, I encourage you to make your own submission by emailing cityofryde@ryde.nsw.gov.au, with the subject line Submissions - LDA2020/0443.