Sweeping it under the carpark

New underground parking will be available underneath Bondi Beach, according to the latest draft plan of management.

Waverley Mayor Sally Betts said Council was looking at increasing the number of recreational spaces in Bondi by 15 per cent, with Council looking to replace Watsons Carpark with trees and lawn areas.

“There are lots of people living in units just over the road. This is their back garden, this is where they come for their recreation space,” she said.

“I’m passionate about getting rid of the cars. Once the cars are gone from the front of the pavilion, [there] will be extra space where we can have some cafes underneath the area where the murals are.”

But Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak said it was important to consider the environmental impacts that a large-scale underground development could have on the local amenity of Bondi Beach.

“If we are making a major intrusion with the car park structure, then we need to be careful with the flow-on effects that this will have on the Bondi Basin … and how it will affect the community,” he said.

The Bondi Beach, Parks and Pavilion Plan of Management outlines Council’s vision of replacing the parking along Queen Elizabeth Dr with an underground car park, providing local residents and beachgoers with more shaded areas and recreational space.

Director of Bondi Transition group Lance Lieber expressed concerns over the “astronomical cost” that underground parking would involve, opining that Council should instead consider investing in the existing public transport infrastructure.

“If you put in an underground carpark, it’s indulgent [and] a huge cost to the environment. There’s very little in the way of bicycle lanes … compared to what there should be. Council should look at introducing bicycle libraries where people can borrow bikes or hire them for the day,” he said.

Councillor John Wakefield agreed, arguing Council should instead focus on creating an “improved public transport hub” that would provide a larger movement of people without an increase in vehicles. Mr Wakefield said it was important to create a “pedestrian desire line” by joining Campbell Pde to the rear of Bondi Pavilion, forming a promenade for pedestrians.

“What we needed to do was to create a facilitation that would allow efficient and desirable movement. It means that you provide pedestrian pathways; you provide signage and lighting to the area,” he said.

Mr Lieber said Council should look at alternative solutions to the increased movement of people to Bondi Beach, including the implementation of light rail.

“Council should provide other options so that the buses are more accessible. These are little things that wouldn’t cost much, but it would be encouraging better use of the roads,” he said.

Public submissions for the Plan of Management are open to the community until Friday, May 31.