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Precincts in Mt Colah
Council is trying to encourage more housing close to shops and train stations in Mt Colah. Do you support this approach? Do you have any comments?
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Mount Colah precincts (4.12 MB)
Comment 1 17 Mar 2010, 9:33 AM
NO NO NO> It's hard enough to get into a doctor in the Hornsby area now. What happens when they bring in thousands of more people to the area. I'll tell you what they'll do. They'll go to the emergency room at Hornsby Hospital. This will clog up an already failing hospital. Who is the mental giant that comes up with these stupid ideas. This is the Bushland shire. All of this new development will destroy that.
Comment 2 17 Mar 2010, 3:30 PM
Definitely a big NO to development at Mt Colah. This will mean DEATH to many species of wildlife that live in Judith Ave alone. Do you realise wallabys come out to feed in the evening. That we have possums that live and sleep on our front veranda. I would assume that Hornsby Councillors just sit in their cushey offices and really dont know what Mt Colah stands for. Why havent they savaged Cheltenham, it has less bush that Mt Colah and it is relatively flat land.
Comment 2.1 17 Mar 2010, 4:30 PM
I've just built a house and settled my young family in Mount Colah. I had to satisfy many DA requirements to build and now they propose to re-zone over the top of me to satisfy a gov't directive.
This is classic "how to kill a suburb lesson 101"
Unfortunatley, the slope can be used as an advantage when building. It makes it very easy to fool the eye and make the building look shorter than it actually is if you look at it from a particular angle :ie the highway. The slope also makes it easier to build underground carparking with more…
Comment 2.1.1 19 Mar 2010, 11:33 AM
Hi Kevin07.
I feel so sad for new families building new homes to have this shoved in their faces. We have been in Mt Colah for 42 years and have seen a lot of change but this is the worst to date. There is no concern for the local community. We have watched the wildlife become more reliant on the residents after bushfires, drought, to help them get themselves re-established. As most of the area designated for highrise is in bush fire prone land. I would hate to see the carnage if Mt Colah suffers a firestorm as in Victoria in more…
Comment 2.1.1.1 19 Mar 2010, 1:36 PM
I remember the burn-off - it was Sept last year. I was down at Foxglove Oval late in the afternoon and the ridge to the West was well alight and roaring!!!
Comment 2.1.1.2 8 Apr 2010, 1:49 PM
Couldn't agree more. I nearly purchased a house there recently for about $700,000 for my young family (missed out). It's a lovely area for people to have a family.
Turns out to be in one of the precincts however so a blessing in disguise. How can these studies say the houses in the precincts are of average construction and not worth keeping when they sell for that much?
Comment 2.2 21 Mar 2010, 3:38 PM
The Wallabys & Possums in your street will be OK, as long as they are part of the N.S.W. government, preferably as bureaucrats in the Planning Department.
But if they are only rate payers or residents of Mt. Colah, sorry, forget it!
Hey, don't bag out Cheltenham - if we can't stop incompetent bureaucrats from vandalizing Mt. Colah, we might want to move to Cheltenham!
Comment 2.3 4 Apr 2010, 8:25 AM
It is inconsistent to promote a Strategy based on medium density housing near Railway Stations and not include Cheltenham. It's sporting club includes many tennis courts on flat land directly opposite the train station.
For many residents to face losing their homes so that a few can manintain their tennis courts is totally inappropriate.
Comment 2.3.1 24 Apr 2010, 9:25 AM
I totally agree! But as you know money counts, money speaks. But you have to acknowledge that they have a prety solid local action group down that way - the Beecroft-Cheltenham Civic Trust, which as been around for years. Up this way we have enver been so united and active.
Also Cheltenham has all these caveats and thing on it preventing all sorts of development. They are not even allowed to have a shop, like a corner shop selling milk and papers! It's one of the reasons we decided not to buy land and build in Cheltenham a number of years ago.
Comment 2.4 23 Apr 2010, 2:13 PM
I really don't like the way the lyre birds rearrange out rockery but how wonderful to have wildlife like this in Mt Colah. I agree with Colahrite about the wildlife but I don't want Chelterham salvaged either. We bush suburbs need to be acting together against this bulldozer council and state government.
Comment 2.4.1 24 Apr 2010, 9:28 AM
I think that there could be some development in Cheltenham that was appropriately and located so that the suburb was not savaged. You might even get a small shop out of it so you can go buy milk and papers and maybe even a croissant on weekends! wouldn't that be civilised? It would even add to the value of properties in the suburb!
Comment 3 21 Mar 2010, 11:22 AM
HIGH-RISE IN BUSHLAND SUBURBS IS NOT ONLY OUT OF SCALE WITH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, IT IS ALSO OUT OF SCALE WITH THE BUSHLAND ENVIRONMENT!
Comment 4 21 Mar 2010, 4:06 PM
Urban consolidation in the form of densification in the Sydney metro area started years ago. Both Labour & Liberal governments support it & it has now arrived on our our doorstep!
If you want to see the result of resisting it, just take a look at the high-rise blighting Ku-ring-gai shire.
Mt. Colah has vacant land in close proximity to the station that should be sympathetically developed in keeping with the surrounding built & natural environment.
This is ABSOLUTELY NOT HIGH-RISE!
It is MAXIMUM 3 storey, 2 storey & town house development.
High-rise in this bushland area is not only stupid & unprofessional, it is also VANDALISM!
Comment 4.1 26 Mar 2010, 9:56 AM
Yes I agree that the Mt Colah Highway shops could do with an upgrade, plenty of room there for a maximum 3 storey town house development. Loud applause for the No High Rise comments, absolutely atrocious planning.
Comment 4.1.1 26 Mar 2010, 10:08 AM
By the way 3 or 5 storey units are not high rises, they are classified as medium density housing.
High rises are at least 7 or 8 storeys.
Comment 5 21 Mar 2010, 5:31 PM
SURVEY RESULTS OF RESIDENTS: PROPOSED HIGH-RISE in Mt.Colah & Mt. Kuring-gai.
During May & June 2009 we conducted a door -to-door survey by way of a petition to 504 home owners in Mt.Colah & Mt. Kuring-gai.
The results were;
HOME OWNERS CALLING ON H.S.C TO SCRAP HIGH-RISE IN ALL PRECINCTS NORTH OF HORNSBY 91%
Home owners supporting high-rise in precincts north of Hornsby: 2%
The balance (9%) consist of home owners who are; undecided/ not interested in the issue/do not wish to be involved in a petition/ etc.
Because the petition was conducted door-to-door, it yields accurate percentage sampling, & the size of the sample (504) more…
Comment 5.1 23 Mar 2010, 12:29 PM
I wish I had seen the petition. I am an affected resident of Mt Colah, and think High rise should only be in city centres. Unfortunalely in Mt Colah a developer already owns land in this area, and cant wait to build his development. He is not happy with us and our next door neighbour as our two properties are very necessary for his development. Where do we go from here.
Comment 5.1.1 26 Mar 2010, 11:03 AM
3 and 5 storeys and not classified as high rises
7 to 8 storeys are
Comment 5.1.2 30 Mar 2010, 2:57 PM
Colahrite,
Take a drive down to pymble and see what happened to the people who would not sell. Just after pymble station turn right at the lights and check out the crater that is being dug up and have a close look at the two houses right in the middle of the development. Developers can get around you done think your safe. We need to come up with a compromise plan with our own town planner
Comment 5.1.2.1 15 Apr 2010, 4:21 PM
I have been reading the replies from Mt colah and it seems to me that a lot of the reponses are getting a disagree more than an agree. from this I can only guess that someone is busy filling out the disagree respones and undermining the this wonderful forum.
Comment 5.1.2.1.1 15 Apr 2010, 7:46 PM
Yes Mooy I have noticed the same thing .. it is so disappointing to see such behavior rather than simply and openly stating their opinion in words. Alas .. one in every crowd.
Comment 5.2 8 Apr 2010, 2:05 PM
Firstly splendid job on the campaigning but I'm not sure if you are aware of the following.
I was reading the council minutes in relation to the community responses about the initial housing strategy late last year. Unfortunately I can not find the section at present and will have to paraphrase and will edit if I find it.
It basically said that because a form petition was received as opposed to individual submissions it felt they didn't carry as much weight. To me the concerns felt brushed aside. I will really try and find the council paper but can't see it online anymore. However more individual emails, letters etc need to be submitted to fight this.
Comment 5.2.1 10 Apr 2010, 6:39 PM
Use the links on the Mt Colah Neighbourhood Watch website to send individual emails to Mayor and council members.
Comment 6 22 Mar 2010, 2:05 PM
I have recently had the opportunity to review the draft Strategy as it affects Mt Colah and was horrified to see that the strategy proposes the resumption of 2 Amaroo Avenue Mt Colah for the creation of a road link between Judith Avenue and Amaroo Avenue.
I am very disappointed in the manner in which I found out about this proposal. I was not informed directly in my notice from council but by being advised of the impact on their land by the worried elderly owners of 2 Amaroo Avenue. Surely a proposal which has an obvious deleterious impact on properties more…
Comment 6.1 23 Mar 2010, 12:25 PM
I agree with everything you mentioned. What they havent shown is the road that will enter Judith Ave from Amaroo Rd, is at a point below the cliff. The landscape will make this road impassable. It is also where Wallabies graze on this neighbours land. Hornsby Council will be responsible for the native animals complete destruction. What council wants to be know as a killer of wildlife. The problem is I think the council is already in bed with a certain developer. As this person!!! has already acquired the property from the top of Judith Ave to the shops and that land behind the Pacific Highway. I would like to know what other properties he owns.
Comment 6.1.1 15 Apr 2010, 12:51 PM
In addition, the new precinct between Judith and Amaroo is going to have a double ended car-park at the rear.
The proposed Traffic Lights to be installed on the intersection of Pacific Hwy and Amaroo will create a shortcut between Judith and Amaroo for motorists driving south that want to enter Amaroo but also want to avoid the lights to save some time.
Great - not only are the going to ruin the suburb but they are also going to create a dangerous rat-run shortcut for motorists.
Call Channel 7 and let them know about a new street circuit they may want the V8's to run at.
Comment 7 24 Mar 2010, 12:13 PM
I am completely confused.
I believe most residents of Mount Colah would be interested in seeing some of the more unslightly areas along the Pacific Highway redeveloped, I don’t think anyone would say no to this improvement. What confuses me is how on earth with all the submissions that we sent did the council get the idea that we wanted more of the same.
Everyone in the community I spoke with wanted townhouses or at worst no more than 3 levels.
The council knew that we were going to be up in arms. Obviously Berowra made a lot of noise and had more…
Comment 7.1 4 Apr 2010, 8:02 AM
This Strategy is designed to encourage different suburbs to turn on each other. The old Roman "divide and conquer" theory. The common thread between us is fear, anger and helplessness which is causing this. Otherwise I don't think any of us would wish anything detructive on our Shire neighbours.
At the recent exhibition at Asquith, we were informed by a councillor that State Govt Planning is aware that existing infrastructure is not sufficient and will be providing this after the buildings are completed.
I wouldn't hold my breath.....
Comment 8 26 Mar 2010, 10:16 AM
Gday to you all,
On reading and seeing the plans for the new housing strategy I must say it looks fantastic, however, I ve been in the game long enough to know that plans and models can be done up to look fantastic and the actual end result looks nothing like the originals. Also I do understand the need for 5 story buildings but to place them along Pacific Hwy is going to ruin Our suburban area, why can t 3 story buildings be put up instead, if council really care about how this suburb (or indeed this great City of Sydney,) is going to appear to the eye, in the future, they should really re-think the whole 5 story design. We, the Council paying residence, do not want Mount Colah and surrounding areas to end up looking like Waitara etc.
Yours, John Mooney
Comment 8.1 26 Mar 2010, 10:17 AM
Couldn t agree more !
Comment 8.2 26 Mar 2010, 2:08 PM
Hi John,
It has little to do with street-scape and aesthetic qualities.
The problems are, and the council will point these out when this question is asked directly of them.
1. If they, (the Council) scrap the 5 storey idea in favour of 3 storey buildings then the target yield is affected which will result in more properties being impacted by bigger and more precincts being created to achieve the targets that have been set.
This will in-turn make it near impossible to satisfy anyone (Residents or Council alike) and then if you can believe what is being said we all run more…
Comment 8.2.1 1 Apr 2010, 1:28 PM
Kevin07,
Dear oh dear. You must really have a look at some of the buildings our big developers have put up. They are not what I call well built.
Comment 8.2.1.1 6 Apr 2010, 9:45 AM
I agree, but this is what the Council believe to be the case. I'm really at a loss to explain how the Council came to this conclusion.
Comment 8.2.2 8 Apr 2010, 2:10 PM
Three level building should have lifts too.
How can you get a pram and kids up and down all those stairs safely or even easily.
They are not suited to the elderly or infirm either but yet they occupy the land closest to the shops/chemist etc.
Comment 8.2.2.1 23 Apr 2010, 12:12 PM
Did everyone read the letter by our mayor in the latest Bush tele. He said the buildings have to be five storeys so they can have lifts. Has he thought of the fact that the elderly and the disabled have to manage on pensions. No way, will they be able to afford the strata fees to pay the extra maintenance costs. They wont be able to access the train station anyway, as I cant see the station being upgraded for many years. I have lived at Mt Colah over 40 years. When I first came here we were lucky to get a train an hour. We have seen outstanding (sic) progress in we now have two trains an hour. I gave up going to work by train as often the announcement would come over to advise "That for today only this train has been cancelled" I gave up using the train after too many late starts at work. You shouldnt have to start extra early to travel a distance of three stations. Please get those submissions in today.
Comment 8.2.2.1.1 23 Apr 2010, 2:06 PM
Why doesn't the mayor just legislate that 3 storey buldings must have lifts? And if all buildings must have lifts then all train stations north of Hornsby must also have lifts installed for the elderly.
Comment 9 6 Apr 2010, 9:09 AM
.. VOICE your objections beyond this verbal display of thoughts !!
There are links on the Mt Colah Neighbourhood Watch website ( www.mtcolahnhw.com ) to email the Mayor and Hornsby council .. use them !
Comment 10 8 Apr 2010, 12:37 PM
I currently live in Hornsby and was considering moving to Mount Colah until this. I don't understand why a place like Mount Colah should have more high rise when a great deal of the inner west (Stanmore etc) and Eastern suburbs (Woollahra etc). People move to Mount Colah for a different quality of life. No-one wants to live in the high-rises. Just look at all the vacant flats in St Ives.
It isn't even a major train stop.
Comment 11 14 Apr 2010, 11:20 AM
Round Trip by car to pick up my kids from day-care, Mount Colah to Hornsby and return leaving at 6pm Monday 12/4/10 with the F3 closed and the RTA unable to react to the situation - Travel time: 1 hr 5mins.
Seriously - what a joke - and they want to put more dwellings along the highway?
Clearly there has not been any traffic volumes or profiling conducted in the event of an emergency such as major accident on the F3 or bushfire and the contra-flow system on the F3 is ineffective.
Just think of all of those motorist, (me included), burning to death in their cars trying to escape the suburb during a bushfire.
Comment 12 14 Apr 2010, 12:01 PM
New Surveyor's pegs have been spotted on parts of the proposed "Mount Colah Commercial Precinct" recently.
Things are already happening. Is it all too late? Is all of this debate for nothing?
Comment 12.1 23 Apr 2010, 11:47 AM
Hi Kevin07
If you had checked out the pegs you would have seen as well as the land included in the strategy proposal, he has pegged out extra land for his development not included in the strategy, this land is also fire prone land. This developer is determined to get his plans approved. Do we have a hope. Get your submissions in today.
Comment 12.1.1 23 Apr 2010, 9:09 PM
That is horrifying!
Comment 13 14 Apr 2010, 11:37 PM
I have lived in Mount Colah for over 30 years and have watched the section of the Pacific Highway between the railway station and Amaroo Ave slowly deteriorate. Land has been acquired; vacant properties have had squatters move in. These buildings were eventually demolished, trees have been cleared and the areas fenced off. The areas have become overgrown and infested with weeds and vermin. The centre of Mount Colah has been left looking deserted and without a sense of community for some time now by whoever has been grabbing the land and just “sitting” on it. They have not become more…
Comment 14 15 Apr 2010, 4:47 PM
I Object strongly to this development for all the sensible and common sense reasons previously posted (I wont bother rehashing them all).
Even someone of limited intelligence who took a quick drive around the area and didnt event get out of the car could see this idea is out of place.
Say no to greedy developers and dont let Mount Colah become another St Ives/Turramurra.
Comment 15 15 Apr 2010, 7:50 PM
Don't forget guys to LODGE your objections directly to the Council as well .. Links are available on the Mt Colah Neighbourhood Watch website ... www.mtcolahnhw.com
Comment 16 22 Apr 2010, 12:45 PM
How many of our councillors, that are making these decisions for the future of our suburb actually live in the area? I am guessing none.
Comment 17 22 Apr 2010, 1:22 PM
When the F3 was closed recently, the traffic heading north through Mt Colah along the Pacific Highway was at a standstill. Imagine this occurring with an increased local population. I gather that local residents would have to stay put on these occasions. My journey home from Hornsby took me 1 hour, a trip that normally only takes around 10 minutes.
Mt Colah is a relatively small suburb, bounded by bush in all directions, and I believe that areas of the proposed development are in bushfire zoned areas. Do we really need a crystal ball to predict the potential for a devestating more…
Comment 18 22 Apr 2010, 5:42 PM
Guys LAST day for objections is 23 April 2010 .. make your stand !!
Links are available on the Mt Colah Neighbourhood Watch website .. www.mtcolahnhw.com
Comment 18.1 23 Apr 2010, 10:41 AM
That's right everyone, it is not too late. Make sure that you lodge your objection to Hornsby Council no later than today. Hand deliver your submission if you have to, but make sure you have your say. Our community is counting on it.
Comment 19 24 Apr 2010, 3:06 PM
To everyone who has been so critical of Normanhurst and accusing Normanhurst residents of having nominated Linda St Hornsby, Asquith, Waitara, Carlingford and anywhere else inappropriate, please read the following list taken directly from Volume 3 - Report on Submissions
Normanhurst submissions - Alternative Locations suggested:
Hornsby Westfield
Hornsby West Side
George Street, Hornsby
Pacific Highway, Waitara
Epping Town Centre
Beecroft Shopping Village
Pennant Hills shops
NOWHERE ARE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL AREAS MENTIONED.
SO PLEASE APOLOGISE!
Comment 20 27 Apr 2010, 1:47 PM
To From
The GM & Cllrs M.P Gallagher
Hornsby Shire Council 9 Northview Place
Pacific Hwy, Hornsby Mt Colah, NSW 2079
Mob: 0418 112 675
Fri 23 April 2010 Email: mick4oz@optusnet.com.au
Mick Gallagher
Hornsby Shire Council
Amended Housing Strategy 2010
1. The main concern in the leafy suburb of Mt Colah is development no higher than three storey maximum along the Pacific Hwy so as to keep development below the existing tree canopy. It should be noted that Mt Colah has been voted the No 1 suburb in Australia, something we in Hornsby Shire should be proud of and Hornsby Council should preserve.
2. With the proposed new rezoning, there should more…