ABOUT $20,000 will initially be wiped off the value of adjoining homes when a four-storey commuter car park is built, Sutherland apartment owners say.
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Executive committees of four apartment buildings in East Parade, Robertson Street and Oxford Street lodged a joint 26-page submission about the development application for the car park, objecting to the overall proposal and individual aspects.
The $37 million project would provide 300 commuter car parking spaces and 84 spots for Sutherland United Services Club patrons.
Residents consulted "an experienced local real estate agent" about the car park's detrimental effect on their property values.
"Without hesitation he said he estimated properties would experience an initial decrease in value of around $20,000," the submission said.
"Over time and the natural increase in market prices this may even out, but the proposal would still impact permanently on the amenity of the area and would therefore impact on property prices in the longer term."
The submission said a review of environmental factors focused on the benefits to "the commuter" rather than the effect on residents, which included "noise [and] air pollution, many more cars and people moving around our residential buildings, and a decrease in sunlight, privacy, trees in the area, open views and property values".
‘‘We ask that real consideration be given to the many property owners and residents who live here on a permanent basis,’’ the submission said.
‘‘These units are our homes and this proposal is going to have many negative impacts on our lives.’’
A Transport for NSW community engagement officer told one resident who made an individual complaint that the Sutherland Shire draft local environmental plan allowed for an eight-storey development on the site.
‘‘The proposed car park would be four storeys and therefore constitutes a lesser impact based on the development potential of the site,’’ she wrote in an email.
When the same resident complained to Sutherland Shire Council, he was told ‘‘it’s out of our hands’’.
A council spokeswoman said the Department of Planning and Infrastructure was the principal consent authority.
While the council was the consent authority for the ground-floor club car park, any conditions it imposed would have to be accepted by the department.
The spokeswoman said the council sought more details about several aspects of the project and also requested a bicycle bay and better site location identification for emergency services organisations.
‘‘The council also has requested the surrounding car park area be provided with shared pathways and street planting, and a pram access point and improved safety for pedestrians and cyclists in the laneway behind the club,’’ she said.
RESIDENTS OPPOSE CHANGES
SOME residents are unhappy the entry and exit points for the commuter car park have been relocated from Oxford Street to Robertson Street.
Oxford Street has a big concrete water tank, while Robertson Street has apartment blocks and a home.
Garry Leitch lives in Robertson Street and said that apart from traffic noise, there would inevitably be ‘‘hassles’’ between motorists entering and leaving the car park.
Another resident, Gordon Opperman, appealed to Transport for NSW to reconsider.
‘‘There will be screeching tyres, bright headlights, exhaust fumes as well as the nuisance and illegal problems associated with car parks,’’ he wrote.
Sutherland Shire Council supported the change.
‘‘Robertson Street carries a lot less traffic than Oxford Street,’’ a spokeswoman said.
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