The the article "Luxury Cronulla units plan slammed" (theleader.com.au, March 25) demonstrates the blatant and contemptuous disregard for the Shire's Planning rules by the proponent of this development at 18 Gerrale Street, Cronulla.
In addition, the traffic implications are diabolical.
Access to the basement carpark stacking system is off Cecil Monro Avenue, which is a short, narrow road providing the only access from Gerrale Street. to Ozone Street.
Ozone Street. contains ten high-rise apartment blocks fronting the Esplanade, and others on the western side of the street, including a development before the Land and Environment Court where the developer claims that replacing 13 existing units with 32 new ones will reduce traffic volumes! Can you believe it?
Queuing for the underground parking system will turn Gerrale Street into a bigger parking station than it already is. Cecil Monro Avenue between Gerrale Street and the carpark entry is currently a "No Stopping" zone for good reason.
Vehicles exceeding 5.5 metres, such as garbage trucks and removal vans, will be required to reverse in (or out) of Cecil Monro Avenue as they will be unable to turn on the site.
This will create serious traffic issues for vehicles entering Cecil Monro Avenue.
Apart from not meeting the Shire's Planning requirements, flaws in the car-parking queueing analysis may have catastrophic impacts on traffic congestion in Cronulla, particularly in Gerrale Street, and access to the whole of the South Cronulla peninsular.
In fact, no further development applications should be approved in Cronulla until a traffic management plan, which considers the cumulative impact of all developments anticipated in the LEP and DCP is completed.
Every traffic study projects net increase in traffic created by that development is minimal and will not have any unacceptable traffic implications.
A cup of water added to a full bucket still makes a mess!
Bill Swingler, Cronulla
