Waverley Council’s plans for Campbell Parade clarified

By TILEAH DOBSON

The Waverley Council is seeking to upgrade the streetscape along Campbell Parade at North Bondi, with encouragement for the community to give their feedback once the designs have been workshopped.

In a recent Strategic Planning and Development Committee meeting, the council proposed to revamp the area along Campbell Parade at North Bondi shops and the bus terminus.

In the meeting, it was decided by the council that the location of the crossings is to be “reassessed to avoid traffic congestion that may exacerbate the traffic bottleneck,” and that the “proposed palm trees being reconsidered due to blocking beach vistas from retail and residential properties.”

As the project is in the early stages of planning, there will be three drafts of design concepts that will be presented to stakeholders before being exposed to the community.

Mayor of the council, Paula Masselos told City Hub that at the moment there were no decisions made on the “design elements of these draft concepts, including with respects to parking or landscaping.”

“We are taking three concepts to the community and seeking their views. The feedback will then be considered and incorporated into the final design which will then go back on exhibition,” she said.

Concerns Raised 

This clarification comes after a recent article written in the Sydney Morning Herald that focused on community backlash to the council’s proposal. It outlined that the community “want more, not less, car parking – and do not want trees to block views of Bondi Beach.”

Concerns had also been raised by Liberal councillors who found fault with the proposed upgrade, with Cr Leon Goltsman telling City Hub that the biggest concerns from the community are “rushed plans, limited pre-exhibition consultation, and potentially devastating impacts on local businesses and amenities.”

“They feel that the key stakeholders (including bus companies, long-term businesses, and residents) are being sidelined and that this process is flawed. Local businesses and residents are demanding greater stakeholder engagement and transparent decision-making. They don’t want to be the last ones to know,” he said.

“The current process, unfortunately, appears flawed and needs to be rectified for the success of this project. We must engage in a more collaborative and inclusive process that respects and incorporates the views and needs of all stakeholders.”

Fellow Liberal councillor Angela Burrill echoed the same sentiment when she spoke with City Hub, stating that the “3 new concepts are much the same as previously rejected by businesses in Council’s 2016 consultation.”

“Concerns were raised about loss of parking and large palm trees blocking beach vistas,” Cr Burrill said.

“7 years later and we’re back to square one with no clear plan to upgrade this important local centre.”

No Decisions Made

However, a spokesperson for the Waverly Council has strongly reaffirmed that no decisions on the designs for the project have been made.

“We want to make it very clear that NO decisions have been made whatsoever regarding the design elements of this proposed project including with regards to parking and landscaping,” they said.

“The draft resolution (attached) clearly states Council will undertake stakeholder and community consultation. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done though before we even reach that stage.”