Call for new road consultation
Sep 7, 2009
A duel carriageway with an expected volume of 20,000 vehicles per day will be built next to a suburban road and directly across from the front doors of houses in one of Canberra’s newest suburbs.Residents of Harrison say the ACT Government has not consulted with them over Well Station drive, which will connect to Horse Park drive and service the rapidly growing suburbs of Gungahlin, including Harrison, Kenny and Throsby.
A spokesman for the planning minister Andrew Barr said the road had been considered by the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment, which received 19 submissions from community groups, the public, and the government. But residents said they had not been consulted whatsoever. “This office is advised by the ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA) that from late 2003, the Territory Plan map has indicated the proposed Well Station drive alignment and the location of its intersection with Horse Park Drive,” Mr Barr’s spokesman said. He said the Land Development Agency’s (LDA) sales documentation for the area bounded by the future Well Station Drive extension, Horse Park Drive and Well Station Homestead also indicated the proposed road alignment and the location of its intersection with Horse Park Drive.
However residents of Carpentaria Street, which is located directly across from the proposed road, said public consultation was conducted well before land was released to the public and any houses built in the area and needed to be done again. “It’s only the kangaroos that were consulted,” said Harrison resident Gary Sievers. “They have to do the consultation now – all of the area was vacant before.”
Residents said they first raised concerns with the government 12 months ago, saying the intersection between the proposed Well Station Drive and Horse Park Drive would be dangerous. They were also concerned the road would be noisy and dangerous for the young children who currently play in the area and would pollute the environment which was advertised to them by the LDA as “country living in the city”.
Carpentaria Street resident Yang Xu said he was concerned there were no plans for traffic lights at the intersection of Well Station Drive and Horse Park Drive, or any plans for sound barriers or safety fencing. He said he couldn’t understand why the government would decide to put an arterial road through his suburb. “In Harrison there are more than 60% of families with kids, all my neighbours here have small kids, they love to play outside and this would be a great hazard to their safety.” He said.
Mr Sievers also said he was worried for the safety of his children. “I’m pretty sure that most of the people with kids don’t want a four lane road and a major intersection where kids play,” he said. “I personally don’t think it makes any sense to do what they’re doing. “They haven’t even talked to us about it. It certainly feels like the government is detached from the population they are meant to be serving, the least they could do is listen to us.”
Construction of the road is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2010.
Source: The Northside Chronicle – 7 July 2009.
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