24th October 2020. Edition One. In this edition: President's Message, Proposed Child Care Centre at 181-183 Beecroft Rd,
NorthConnex opening Saturday 31 October,
Have your say on Greater Western Sydney’s new metro railway,
The latest on Twilight House,
More Draft Strategies from Hornsby Council,
Update on the Beecroft War Memorial, Newsletter from Jullian Leeser MP,
Recent Development Applications,
Latest Police Reports.
Message from the President I
normally try to provide good news in the Trust’s eNews, so I will
report that the NorthConnex is finally opening and preliminary works
have commenced on Beecroft Station pedestrian lifts.
However, there are two other State Government related matters, both
affecting our amenity and health, that have been dragging on for too
long with no clear conclusion in sight.
Since the widening of the M2 the Trust has received numerous complaints
from residents about an increase in ambient traffic noise. Residents
living in streets on both sides of the M2, including Boronia,
Castle Howard, Austral and Murray Farm, have contacted the Trust with an
expectation that the State Government will investigate residents’
concerns. Initial enquiries through our local State Member Dominic
Perrottet MP indicate some resistance from RMS to act on the Trust’s
request for further noise monitoring. While the Trust is
still pursuing the matter, it would help if you could also email
directly to our Member for Epping Dominic Perrottet MP at Dominic
Perrottet (epping@parliament.nsw.gov.au)
or write to suite 303, level 3, 51 Rawson St Epping 2121, and request
the need for further noise studies either by RMS or an independent
consultant.
The second issue is related to the former temporary haulage road behind
the Cheltenham Oval netball courts through to Kirkham Street. The
haulage road was built through bushland as a temporary access for the
removal of tunnel material as part of the Metro project. The actual
Metro approval was for the final reinstatement of the bushland. There
was an agreement between the Metro Project and Hornsby Council that the
bushland, when reinstated would be handed back to Hornsby Council for
their care, control and management. Council provided the native tube
stock propagated by volunteers from its own nursery.
The bushland reinstatement process started to fail when Metro employed a
landscaping contractor for 12 months instead of professional bush
regenerators. The contractor did not manage the site well, resulting in
the loss of the majority of the tube stock with weeds aplenty.
Council has offered to correct the mismanagement and complete the
project using bush regenerators but conditional upon Metro providing the
required funding. Apparently without consulting Council, Metro instead
closed down the project and left the site after the 12 month period.
Council, frustrated by the lack of cooperation by Metro, had no
alternative but refuse to accept a handover unless the funding was
forthcoming. I understand Dominic Perrottet is in the process of
requesting the necessary funds from Transport NSW to allow Council to
complete the project.
I will continue liaising with Dominic Perrottet MP but again, if
you are concerned about the recovery of our local bushland please email
Mr Perrottet. In the meantime it is not right that Council’s
volunteer bush regenerators, most being your fellow residents, feel
compelled to start weeding in the former haulage road site that
has been abandoned by the Metro project.
Proposed Child Care Centre at 181-183 Beecroft Rd Cheltenham Development
Application 259/2020 has been very contentious and has generated a
significant amount of objections. The DA process has been
complicated by the tenants using the original 1920 bungalow as a drug
laboratory and then the property was raided by the Police. The DA
will be determined by the Local Planning Panel this coming Wednesday
night. The recommendation by Hornsby Council’s officers is
refusal. Details of Council’s report is listed as item 3 on the
Panel’s agenda and can be viewed by Clicking here.
The Panel meeting will be live streamed. Click here for details of how to watch the meeting.
NorthConnex opening Saturday 31 October Some of you would have received an email from NorthConnex. Click here for the email.
Have your say on Greater Western Sydney’s new metro railway project This email was sent out last week. Click here for details.
The latest on Twilight House Twilight
House, or recently known as Jamieson House, is located on a large
parcel of land at the corner of York and Hannah Streets Beecroft.
Owned by Twilight Aged Care Group, the York St property had been a
nursing home until recently when it was closed down. It is
currently being used as temporary accommodation for displaced women over
55. Representatives of Twilight House met with the Trust last
week to discuss the future of the property. While there is no
formal documentation lodged with Hornsby Council, Twilight House have
indicated that they are proposing a new low density, high quality, aged
care facility similar to their other facilities located in Mosman,
Gordon and Hunters Hill. They propose to restore the heritage
listed house, Sheen, and front gardens. It’s very early days, so
expect an approval time-frame of about two years.
More Draft Strategies from Hornsby Council Please note the following strategies are currently on exhibition and available for comment;
Draft Walking and Cycling Strategy
Draft Economic Development and Tourism Strategy
Draft Employment Lands Study
Draft Play Plan.
Residents are encouraged to comment on these strategies by visiting the Future Hornsby website. Click here.
Update on the Beecroft War Memorial The sand stone repair work on the War Memorial in Beecroft Gardens is programmed to commence on Thursday 12th
November 2020. The stone mason has been working off site and will
fence off the area around the memorial the day after Remembrance
Day. The Trust has completed the paperwork for our successful NSW
Government’s Community Building Partnerships Grant so the $10.000 we
receive will be used by Hornsby Council for the stone repair.
Julian Leeser MP. Newsletter dated October2020 The Trust's policy is that we will publish submitted newsletters from any of our elected representatives. CLICK HERE
Recent Development Applications The
Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust's Web Site now has links to recently
submitted Development Applications in the 2119 postcode area. This
page will be updated with every eNews publication. CLICK HERE To access them.
Latest Police Reports CLICK HERE for
the latest reports. Just a reminder that these reports are
regularly provided by the Ryde Police Area Command which includes the
entire suburbs of Beecroft & Cheltenham.
Annual Memberships for 2020 became due in March... CLICK HERE
Keep our two suburbs strong and informed by being a member!
To support or join the Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust, please visit our website. CLICK HERE.The
eNews has become our main method for disseminating information to the
community. Currently we have over 1090 email addresses. We
encourage residents who receive the eNews to tell their neighbours and
friends. The eNews letter is available to all who subscribe.
Trust Membership is not a requirement.
The eNews archives are available HERE. To subscribe to the eNews: CLICK HERE.The Trust has always had an unwritten policy to assist any resident regardless of their membership status.
