The developers last year tried to convince us that the 202 manufactured homes would only increase traffic in Tallwoods by 1-2 cars per day! At the very least we think they got the units wrong - try every 5 minutes! As if 4 fewer dwellings will make that much difference to traffic flows!

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Just think what it would be like if a similar development was approved for the bottom of the Pulpit, with it's traffic spilling out onto Grangewood Avenue.

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The "Brains Trust" who are pouring through the details of the current version of the 303 Blackhead Road DA have gone through the Traffic Impact report and they conclude that the proposed development does not consider the following issues:

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• Traffic impacts of infill development (construction of homes on vacant housing lots within Tallwoods);

• Foot traffic generation between the development and the Tallwoods Golf Course and the horse stabling facilities that are to be constructed within the Hallidays Point Caravan Park;

• Capacity of the roads within Tallwoods to handle the increase in traffic generated on top of existing and future traffic loads;

• Existing uses of the road network for parking;

 

Transport Services
The development is isolated from transport services, required from the senior residents that this development is targeted at, and who have a greater need for transport services to gain access to services they need to support their quality of life. 

 

Parking
14 RV spaces is inadequate, and it is anticipated that a total of 30 + RV parking spots will be needed for this development, with these spots to be progressively made available as the development is staged. 

 

Traffic
The report understates the forecast traffic volumes generated from the development which would probably be double what the consultants presented.

 

Flaws in the proposal include:

• No discussion about the existing use of The Boulevard and the safety choke point being created at the bus stop.

• No discussion about the flow of traffic along Coastal View Drive. No detailed safety report identifying the risks associated with the road geometry down the steep grade and around the corner before the entrance of the development. Parking restrictions either side of the developments entrance should be installed to ensure adequate sight lines are available when considering the speed of vehicles coming down a steep grade.

 

Flaws in the design thinking include:

• The bicycle path should be constructed in conjunction with Stage 1, and to Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 6A: Paths for Walking and Cycling clearly states in Section 5.1.4 that Regional Paths for shared use by both cyclists and walkers is a desirable minimum width of 3.0m; not the proposed 2.0m proposed by the developer. MidCoast Council constructs local shared paths at a width of 2.5m.

 

The balance of the regional footpath network through to Hallidays Point is currently not in place and needs to be constructed sooner than later to service this development.

• There is no path linkage through to the Tallwoods golf course, a major focal point for resident use. The above side link path should be continued from the community centre through to Coastal View Drive. At Coastal View Drive a pedestrian refuge should be constructed and the path continued to connect into the Tallwoods Village path network. The path needs to be off road and suitable for shared use with golf carts, a width of 3.0m minimum is thus recommended.