BUTLER residents have signed a petition against a multi-storey development overlooking Marmion Avenue.
Gary Weston said he and neighbours objected to the plans for a 54-apartment development on Newmarket Parade.
“We believe this is a low-density housing area, not a high-density area for multi-storey apartments,” he said.
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READ NOW“The lives of the ratepayers who have purchased the properties that will be affected by the construction of these apartments need to be considered.
“When we asked what the block, previously used for display home parking, was zoned for, we were simply told ‘residential’.”
The 244-signature petition, submitted to the City last week, calls for planners to reject the proposed development of 54 dwellings over parking, height and traffic issues.
“The proposal is for 54 units and we must allow for at least two vehicles per unit, which equates to 108 parking bays to be provided,” the petition said.
“Developers are providing only 70 parking bays with four more in Newmarket Parade, which is a total of 74 bays.
“This does not allow for visitors.
“Existing homes already do not have enough parking.”
Mr Weston said apartments on the opposite corner of Marmion Avenue and Camborne Parkway had parking issues.
“Already the tenants and visitors from these apartments have to park in the street surrounding them,” he said.
“An additional block of 54 two or three-bedroom apartments will just add a huge amount of traffic, noise and parking problems to the already congested area.”
Mr Weston said people in Newmarket Parade barely had enough parking for visitors, as the road was narrow.
The petition said the development would have three or four storeys on all four sides of the block.
“Residents will be able to see directly into the existing homes,” it said. “The homes from numbers 2 to 12 will have these units above the lines of their existing homes.
“Homes 15 to number 23 will have no privacy.”
The petition also said the increased volume of traffic would cause noise and traffic problems in the area.
A traffic report by Shawmac Pty Ltd included in the public consultation documents said the existing site was a carpark and children’s playground used for the Eden Beach housing estate display homes and land sales office.
The report said traffic movements on surrounding streets were 1142 vehicles a day on Newmarket Parade, 17,613 on Marmion Avenue and 2326 on Camborne Parkway.
“It is estimated that the proposed development has the potential to generate approximately 254 vehicle trips per day, or approximately 25 vehicles in the morning and afternoon peak-hour periods,” it said.
The plans proposed 70 car parking bays, with 61 allocated to dwellings and nine for visitors, plus four verge bays.
“For 54 dwellings, a minimum of 18 resident and six visitor bicycle parking spaces are required,” the report said.
“Seventeen bicycle racks are provided within the gated parking area.”
The council is due to consider the development application next month.
Mr Weston said he hoped many Butler landowners would attend the briefing session and meeting on May 17 and 24.