Council must enforce on-site parking Date: 03/07/2006 Publication: Illawarra Mercury
THE Mercury article (Health company plans high-tech headquarters, June 22) makes enthralling reading.
Some of the terms used in regard to this building could be easily replaced by more understandable terms, for example, should one replace "orientation responsible sun shades" with venetian blinds?
The next point of interest is the order of events outlined by the spin doctors, i.e "If it gains approval ... will invest $25 million into the new headquarters" and below that quote, "The construction contract has been snapped up by ..." To the uninformed, that would appear a little presumptuous, or may we say a deal has been done?
One has to admire how the good doctors flit over the important issues with a few casual words like "the 27m high proposal exceeds the council's building height limit of 20m, although it is only 15m on its southern end".
An attempt has been made to explain the proposal's shortfall in the provision of car parking spaces, i.e "28 per cent short" with the following, "Under the plan, 28 parking spots for bicycles will be provided in the building". So what is being suggested as a reasonable solution to the cutting of the council-required number of car parking spaces from 205, is 131 with space for 28 bicycles.
Why does the council not employ planners who vet applications and tell the applicants "this proposal does not meet council's requirements - take it away and fix it?"
It would appear that the Australian Health Management's board did not tap into the full gambit of skill its directors bring to the table.
It is now public knowledge that one director on this board is a council officer, responsible for planning, who would be the full bottle on council's requirements on city building height limits and parking space numbers to be provided.
Let us know that the passing of this can of worms from council to the planning minister will save the community from more over-development on an inner-city site and force the developers to meet their full responsibilities of on-site parking.
- W STUTCHBURY,
Coniston.