Locals caught off guard with Flower Power approval
The Terrey Hills community was given only a week’s notice ahead of a local planning panel meeting, at which Flower Power’s $14 million development proposal for its site at 62 Myoora Road in Terrey Hills was approved.
Terrey Hills Progress Association president Paul Davenport said it was disappointed with the whole process and wanted more time to read the reports. “We knew this was coming up with the planning panel and only given seven days’ notice,” Mr Davenport said. We wrote to the panel chair twice to have the meeting deferred, but never received a response.”
There is still concern about the closure of the Mona Vale Road entrance to Flower Power, with objections from the majority of 80-plus submissions. A new exit will be created on Cooyong Road for cars only and Myoora Road will be an exit/entry for other vehicles. President of Duffys Forest Resident’s Association David Harris said the decision to close the Mona Vale entrance meant heavy vehicles would enter and leave the site from Myoora Road, directly opposite Terrey Hills Public School.
Mr Harris said that other vehicles, during and after construction, will enter and exit via Cooyong Road, also near the school. Council has stipulated that as part of the development consent, there cannot be heavy vehicle movements or construction activities during school zone hours (8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm on weekdays). Mr Davenport is concerned these rules will slip over time. It also does not take into account the before and after school care, which runs at the school from 7am to 9am, and 3pm to 6pm, as well as extra-curricular activities which may finish after 4pm.
Mr Davenport was also concerned about large trucks manoeuvring through the Myoora Road entrance, near the bus stop. “Can these vehicles access the road without crossing to the other (lane)?” he asked.” If a bus pulls up next to the proposed driveway, there is no way anyone can see around that.”
The association is worried about the long-term effects on the area once the upgrades were operational, given two other large facilities nearby. The Wyvern Private Hospital on Myoora Road will open later this year, and the adjacent Hills Flower Market also has a development in the works.
“We want to hear from the council and the traffic department,” Mr Davenport said. “At what point is Myoora Road going to reach capacity? You can’t keep dumping trucks and cars onto that road without some long-term implications.”