[your name]

[your address]

Your email address]

[date]

 

Planning Assessment Officer,

Redlands City Council.

damailbox@redland.qld.gov.au

REF:       Submission on the Proposed Development application MCU19/0142, Mary Pleasant Drive, Birkdale for a large 24/7 fast food restaurant and drive through and medical centre.
 

I make my submission by way of objection to the proposed development.

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I moved to Birkdale because of the large block, low density neighbourhood and the beauty of the canals. Over the years traffic on all local roads and Birkdale Road has increased along with traffic delays, and traffic noise. The Birkdale Fair shopping centre regularly experiences a full carpark. The amenity we have enjoyed is now under threat by this proposed development which I am convinced does not comply with the intent of the Redlands Planning Scheme for the area, broadly it;

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• represents poor design of internal carparking and traffic flows and pedestrian safety

• is outside the planning scheme with a 24/7 drive through operation

• will generate noise and light spill throughout the night

• is based on an inadequate traffic study based on outdated volume data and under estimates total additional fast food traffic

• it will cause increased traffic and parking in local streets creating an unsafe environment

• it will create pedestrian safety outside and inside the centre

• Proposed relocation of carparking spaces to the side and rear of the centre along with large truck traffic will greatly reduce the current shopping experience with long unstructured and uncovered walk and create a dangerous situation.

• The entire landscaping plan changes the nature of the centre and Mary Pleasant Drive.

 

1. Internal traffic & carparking: The design of internal traffic flows and carparking is inadequate and may be dangerous. Entry off Mary Pleasant Drive funnels traffic into a pedestrian crossing. The drive through will focus exiting traffic back into the general parking areas with no defined pathway. Entry and exit at the proposed northern end is near a bend in the road creating a dangerous turn both ways. Additional traffic using the access laneway from Agnes Street to Birkdale Fair, behind the IGA, will worsen the school drop off zones as well as mixing traffic with delivery vehicles and forcing foot traffic dangerously close to an unfenced 1 metre drop over a concrete wall. The choke point located at the end of the lane is already difficult to manouvre with current traffic volumes. The proposed carparks on Mary Pleasant Drive will mix traffic and pedestrians with delivery vehicles and the increasingly popular Woolworths pickup centre. The proposed carparks located to the Northern edge behind the centre will place vehicles and pedestrians mixing with very large delivery vehicles and a long walk with no cover and no pathways. The loss of carparking spaces on Birkdale Road will place more pressure on carparking in the adjacent shopping centres.
    

2. External traffic: The traffic study appears to rely on old data taken during low use periods and does not take into account the huge increase in usage over the last two years and the Woolworths renovations. The total vehicle traffic estimates appear to be low for a large fast food outlet Local traffic patterns in Birkdale will change with traffic travelling to the fast food outlet. Pedestrians are not catered for across Mary Pleasant Drive and Birkdale Road for adults and children. The State Government should undertake a detailed study of the impact on the centre, Birkdale Road and the various traffic lights and roundabouts currently in use.
    

3. Operating hours: The proposal to operate 24hours per day 7 days per week is way outside what is appropriate in a residential area. Noise from the operation, machinery, vehicles and lighting throughout the night will impact on local residents.
    

4. Landscape: The proposed landscape plan will dramatically alter the Aquatic Paradise themed entry, the removal of trees from Mary Pleasant Drive will harshen the street scape, removing shade and worsening the visual entry to Mary Pleasant Drive.
    

5. Local streets: Birkdale Road, Agnes St, Mary Pleasant Dve and Dorsal Dve are already suffering under the current traffic volumes which will worsen from more traffic and a longer spread (throughout the night) along with hooning and rubbish from late night parties.

 

In summary the proposed development does not appear to meet with the planning scheme requirements, will impact negatively on the community by worsening access to what is a well used local shopping resource and create dangerous situations for vehicles and pedestrians that are unacceptable. Basically there is not enough room on the Birkdale Fair site to effectively, efficiently and safely accommodate what is a very large volume fast food restaurant and drive through.

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Please include my objection as part of the development assessment process.

 

Yours sincerely

 

[Your name]