WCCC has lodged a submission regarding the Rivett supportive housing residences where units will have their backyards facing the street. Council understands that this is against the Territory Planning for this suburb [Rivett] where all houses on the street have to have the front of the house facing the street. Council is concerned that residents on the other side of Bangalay Crescent will be looking into these backyards!

www.wccc.com.au
info@wccc.com.au
PO Box 3701
Weston Creek ACT 2611
Telephone (02) 6288 8975

Comments on Development Application No 200915771
Block 4 Section 29 Bangalay Crescent Rivett
73 Supportive Housing Residences

The Weston Creek Community Council [WCCC] would like to make some late general comments on this Development Application.

The proposed Units that will face Bangalay Crescent will have their backyards facing the street.  Council understands that this is against the Territory Planning for this suburb [Rivett] where all houses on the street have to have the front of the house facing the street.  Council is concerned that residents on the other side of Bangalay Crescent will be looking into these backyards!

Council believes that the ACT Government has now completed spending about $1 million on relocating and rebuilding Noah's Ark to the northern wing of the Rivett School site.  This includes an approved plan for traffic flow for this re-building which uses the existing entrance and circular cul-de-sac for the traffic plan including the use of the existing 20 parking spaces.

Council has concerns that this Development Application changes this traffic plan for Noah's Ark Centre traffic and places Visitor’s Car Parks in the vicinity of the Noah’s Ark Centre.  Council would seek assurance that this development would not affect parking or access to the Noah’s Ark Centre.

The proposal also places a garden to the extreme left hand unit Type 2V in this driveway.  Council is of the view that the garden can be relocated to the north western side of this townhouse similar to the nine townhouses type 3 shown on the plan . Council believes that this would preserve the integrity of Noah's Ark approved plan.

Council has commented on the following matter in comparing the Proposals for Older Housing in Rivett and Chapman.  Council finds differences that may be significant for the Planning process in the way that each Development has been described in the separate applications.

Rivett is described on the ACTPLA Website as “MULTI DWELLING - 73 UNITS. Proposed construction of 73 residential units comprising of both single storey & 2 storey units”.

Chapman is described as “SUPPORTIVE HOUSING-32 RESIDENCES. Proposed construction of 32 residential single storey houses including garages, driveways, landscaping and 8 visitor parking spaces.”

The developments are meant to be almost identical in the housing that they are to provide.  On the Site Plan for the Rivett Development it is described as the Rivett Supportive Housing Development, the same as Chapman yet on the ACTPLA Website Rivett is listed simply as Multi-Dwelling.

Council is concerned that different criteria may be utilised in considering each of these proposals, particularly as the Chapman proposal is described as single story while Rivett is clearly described as some units having two stories.  This is partly because of the different descriptions of land use for each site and the different descriptions on the applications.

Council believes that each application should be considered by the same criteria, not differently for planning purposes.

Council would be pleased to discuss any or all of these matters if needed.

Tom Anderson
Deputy Chairman
Weston Creek Community Council

19 November 2009

Ph: 62873845