A decision by Gosford council to approve a childcare centre in Wamberal has created an uproar among local residents.
They say despite the warnings, council has chosen to ignore them – citing concerns of traffic, noise and safety.
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I think the Councillor needs to go back & read the draft for the E3 zoning.
Under the Council`s own draft proposal (E3) child care centres will “not” be permitted in E3 zoned land.
Bob Ward actually voted for the proposal,so if he doesn`t know what the draft contains “why not!”
Isn`t it the council officers job to have the Councillor`s fully briefed with the pro`s & con`s so that they can make an informed decision rather than the decision they have made?
I’m not sure if Bob Ward was correct with the rezoning, ? can somebody clarify? I can read where it says HOMEBASED child care centres will pass approval. I kind of think that mean a child care centre IN A HOME?
quote from Gosford LEP fact sheet
http://lep.gosford.nsw.gov.au/step-2/documents/fact-sheets/rural-factsheets/glep-fact-sheet-environment.pdf What uses are permitted with development consent?
Animal boarding or training establishments; Bed and
breakfast accommodation; Dwelling houses; Environmental
protection works; Extensive agriculture; Home based child
care; Home industries; Roads; Roadside stalls; Secondary
dwellings; Veterinary hospitals; Waterbodies (artificial).
What uses are prohibited?
Business premises; Industries; Intensive livestock agriculture;
Intensive plant agriculture; Multi-dwelling housing; Residential
flat buildings; Retail premises; Seniors housing; Service stations;
Warehouse or distribution centres; or any development not
specified as permitted with or without consent.
Where can I find out about the issue with cars going in and out the centre being altered? Is there now two entry & exit roads or something?
We have so many child care centres in our area, is there really a demand warranting a 24 hour centre for 120 children and that street is a dead end on a highway. 600 cars a day is an awful lot of traffic for a dead end street isn’t it and nothing happened to look at this I believe reading the council’s recommendation. It is like they did turn a blind eye. A child was killed last week with a 4 wheel drive involved blocking the view of a driver, what if this happens? who will be to blame?
Mothers on the coast are terrified about this super centre.
Congratulations to NBN for high quality, balanced reporting. The level of misinformation from Council is a disgrace.
This is possibly the largest child care centre in Australia, located on a dangerous intersection on a single lane dead end road. Everyone, including garbage trucks and delivery vans, will be forced into making three point turns and the consequences of this were seen in the tragedy at Carlingford on Wednesday when a motorist killed a young child. It could easily happen here as well because a child care centre is not safe at this site
Yet, Council approved this development in record time: it literally takes longer to get a carport approved by Council. They saved a lot of time in writing the report by simply doing a “copy and paste” from the developers application!
Everyone else is required to have 30 metre set backs but this would have cost the developer $$$$$ so Council simply ignored their own planning rules.
The control plans require a child care centre to not be in a cul-de-sac so Council ignored their own planning rules.
Council had a private meeting before the application was lodged and they told the developer they would approve it. So much for impartiality!. This pattern is repeated through out the Orwellian titled ” assessment” for this and many other big dollar developments.
And despite the silly comments by the deputy mayor, a child care centre of this size is NOT allowed under the new zoning. The new zonings only allow for “Home based child care” not industrial scale child care.
Council also threatened people with huge fines for simply having a sign in their own property.
Just what is going on with this Council?
Been observing council’s behaviour with this particular DA and following it carefully.
Looks to me Councillor Ward’s being somewhat misleading in this interview.
Looking at Council’s own DLEP one would assume Ward would know their own DLEP inside out. Absolutely says homebased child care under rezoning.
If you consider this separated double story monstrosity as per plans from council’s own website homebased and clearly about to generate volumes of traffic in/out a dead end street, you have rocks in your head sir. The public’s being treated as no brainers.
I’m of the opinion you need to re-interview this gentleman in regards to “homebased”.
Under the Draft LEP, the Wamberal site is proposed to be zoned E3 Environmental Management. A child care centre is prohibited within the proposed zone. However the use is permissible under the current 7(c2) zoning. This means that it is a ‘deferred matter’ under the Draft LEP and will therefore still be permissible under the Draft LEP.
Excuse me Mr Ward, it is permissible under 7c2 zoning ‘with consent’ I believe. You found ways around your own DCP’s over the community’s outrage with a development of this scale. Would it not be fair to say you worked against the community?
It is my understanding council have to take into consideration the draft LEP for E3zoning. Where did this occur sir? Once the E3 is gazetted development of this nature is not permitted. Gosford Council’s Youtube videos ‘open for business’ leave it in no doubt in anybody’s right mind that this council is pro development and the community is held in a much lesser regard.
The community is outraged that council made the desperately needed proposed medical centre in Ghersi Ave jump through that many hoops over 3 years they threw in the towel,yet they push through rapidly and without question or seriously addressing the major concerns of the community this monstrous building. One scratches their head with many doubts about the professionalism and ethics of Gosford Council.
How did you address the traffic Mr Ward and the deadly environment within the centre where our children can be run over?
Considering you are looking at a figure of possibly 200 children entering the parking areas each day, there is high probability a child will be run over. Of all DA’s you approve, here is a child care centre where YOU have allowed reversing cars in both the car parks. As a mum of small children, It’s beyond my comprehension!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The land is huge consisting of a few acres having plenty of room to accommodate a different style of car parks eliminating reversing over children. This is shameful and you will be held to account by the community. Are you prepared to show your face again on NBN when they do a story of another child run over by a 4 wheel drive in or around THIS approved centre?
explain ‘deferred matter’ please sir. We are just ordinary local folks here. One zoning says permissible then a backflip with exactly the same land being rezoned indicating not permissible? Curious on what benefits will be gained for prohibiting child care centres on this particular type of land under E3? What gains are expected for the warranting of rezoning?
9 out of 10 of your council officers did not communicate directly with the relevant residents opposing the DA. You say one did, what happened to the other 9?
“A child care centre is prohibited within the proposed zone” ?
I’m another mum living near the shops at Wamberal on the coast but not far from Reads Rd bus stop and my sister lives in Erina. We have daughters at one of the local smaller child cares a few days a week and will be looking at another year of care next year before working from home. Our family’s attention was drawn to this particular NBN’s news item last night and not following the comments made by Mr Ward, are slightly bewildered in attempting to understand Gosford council’s methodology here? how come they believe they have a serious need to rezone land not suitable for child care but goes right ahead and approves a child care centre on the future prohibited site? PLEASE EXPLAIN guys? Has council discovered the land to have been used as some kind of a toxic waste dump in the past when we were just all bush up here and that’s why they are rezoning Our children could be poisoned and we wouldn’t know it.
Gosford City Council DCP 117 Childcare Centres in force since 1994 … 19 years
no emotion .. just plain facts ….
7.3.1 Setbacks from property boundary to building:
Front: 30 metres Side and Rear: 10 metres fails to comply !
7.4.3 The site should not be located in a cul-de-sac, opposite an intersection or on any other road where additional vehicles may create traffic conflict or adverse impact on the amenity of the area.
fails to comply !
12.2.3 In established streetscapes, building design should be consistent with the dominant design themes within the immediate area. fails to comply ! few houses have a 65m frontage
7.4.4 Where possible, the site should be adjacent to a public reserve which will reduce the number of properties potentially affected by the child care centre. The site should be separated from residential activities. Preferred locations include sites adjacent to public reserves, commercial sites, schools or other non-residential uses. Sites located in the general vicinity of primary schools are encouraged.
fails to comply ! note for Cr Scott !
8.2 Traffic
8.2.1 Council will take into account the effect on, and by, traffic for the proposed development. Applicants are required to demonstrate that traffic will not interfere with the amenity of the area.
fails to comply !
8.2.5 Separate entry and exit driveways shall be provided for centres fails to comply !
9 Amenity 9.1 Objectives
9.1.1 To ensure that child care centres are located and designed to minimise any impact on the amenity of the surrounding area. fails to comply !
9.1.2 To minimise any loss of privacy through noise or overlooking into adjoining properties which may be caused by the child care centre. fails to comply !
GCC is so open for business they ignore their own Development Control documents to the detriment of local residents who just want to enjoy our quiet peaceful picturesque valley
I have been a Wamberal resident for over 30 years and have raised my family here. In the last few years I have noticed some of the “good work” the Wamberal action group (WAG) has made by using facts, diligence and being correctly informed…. however, lately it seems that every time WAG and it’s followers get involved, it is doing more damage than good to the community. I ask a few questions: 1. In regards to the Reads Rd. child care centre, I’ve read repeated comments and have seen numerous photos on the WAG site and the commotion about accidents, death trap, children been killed, black spot etc. etc. etc. Can WAG or anybody that does not have their head stuck in the sand provide me with proof of car accidents and deaths at the intersection of The Entrance Road and Reads Rd? 2. I take my two grandchildren to two different day care centres in the area and in both of those car parks I need to reverse at some stage, and then drive out in a forward direction, so what’s the difference with the one on Reads Rd? 3. Juniors at Wamberal does not appear to have a 30 metre setback, as a matter of fact I’d be surprised if it’s more than 10 metres! Please explain? 4. Daniella, where does 200 children come from?, I thought it is for 120 children! Also, what do you mean with “the deadly environment within the centre”? Also, please explain another way of creating a car park area without the need to reverse at some stage? I’m sorry to say, but it appears to be just more hysteria and ignorance! I read Bob Ward’s reply… that seems to explain it clearly enough to me! Having the child care centre approved is just progress, no different to when Reads rd was not a road and just one property! No different to the Entrance road becoming a 4 lane highway. So, unless we give all the land back to the indigenous people, we need to stop being hypocrites!
Mr Ward, You should hang your head in shame. You have given the go ahead for an extra 600 vehicle movements in a small, dilapidated road, which is in a terrible state and is crumbling. You did not even make the developer kerb and gutter both sides of the road. Extra cars will of course be using both sides of the road when entering and exiting Reads Road. When will Reads Road be kerned and guttered and made safe by Gosford City Council? We pay very high rates, we deserve some basic services, such as kerbed and guttered safe roads. You will be causing a queue of potentially up to 30 or more cars at peak hours waiting to exit onto the very busy Central Coast Highway at, which does not even have a safety merge lane. There are no traffic lights to allow cars safely and methodically out of Reads Road. The longer a driver is waiting at an intersection, the greater the risk of an accident occurring as drivers become impatient and take risks they wouldn’t normally take. There have already been fatalities at this intersection which you were informed of prior to your decision. That is with only a small number of cars currently using it. We will be holding you personally responsible and accountable for any future accidents at this intersection once the Child Care Centre is built and operational, as it was you who chaired both meetings and you voted for it. I hope that you will have the decency and courtesy to visit the patients and families involved in any forthcoming traffic accidents in hospital and apologise to them. Or worse, that you will attend the funerals of those affected by your and your councillors decision to approve this massive, possibly the largest Child Care Centre in Australia. Needless to say you have lost our vote along with as the councillors who approved this centre. I firmly believe that your decision will come back to haunt you, which will sadly be at the cost and suffering of those people involved in traffic-related accidents as a result of you approving the Reads Road Child Care Centre.
Look at the plans people. They’ve got reversing all over the shop inside the centre grounds.I gave councillors warnings in various complaints of four wheel drives reversing back and running over little kiddies while mum’s distracted with women’s business. They have done a big fat zilch to rectify the potential dangers after being asked to get this developer to change the parking. You tell me who’s looking out for the lives of kids in and around schools? Their comment went something like kids should hold the parents hand to avoid being run down. Never have we heard of such an outlandish statement. How many woman drive these things on the coast? You don’t have to be blind freddy to see an accident coming their way mate and what a sad day for those poor buggas. on 1 hectre of land council couldn’t find enough space to protect kiddies from being killed on site ? bloody hell, working with the community? that’s just crap.
Councillors Scott (I don’t mind the sound of children playing), McFayden (scarecrow), Ward (well known as piggy,snout in every trough I’ve heard) and Bowles (I’m new at this, don’t know the rules yet) voted for this big fella to build his monolith. a transparent council? bloody hell no it was all about rubbing shoulders with these big developers. Council even ordered a special meeting for 17 Dec, got word the new DLEP about to be gazetted around 20 Dec. Talk about a racket!
Putting this on record here for NBN to follow up when another kiddie is killed in or around schools i.e.THIS CENTRE.
Bring on the next lot of council votes.
The real issue for me is the safety of children coming into this centre and the layout of the car parks where reversing conditions haven’t been addressed, particularly where there are a lot of families on the Central Coast with use 4 wheel drives who take their children to school & pre-school. Both car parks on the plans show reversing actions must take place to leave the centre. We know as parents, how quickly children take off to play and the potential for a fatality by a reversing car who didn’t see the child running behind their vehicle is still there. I’m perplexed to understand why the Planning Dept. didn’t address this safety issue regarding small children & had the developer alter his plans to address this major concern. Why didn’t the Councillors insist on the developer making these changes?
Although Councillor Bowles was absolutely outstanding with her line of communication & was the ONLY Councillor from 10 Councillors who worked happily with us to have some special conditions put in place, we don’t believe the parking on site has been addressed adequately to eliminate small children running out behind reversing vehicles in the two car parks on site, particularly 4 wheel drives where they have blind spots with reversing. The traffic in and out of Reads Road will have an enormous impact on resident amenity with 120 cars entering & leaving the Centre twice a day plus other traffic (that’s if they even bother to drive into the centre where only 20 spots are available).
The Central Coast Highway is a busy highway in peak hours with a stop sign at the intersection of Reads Road & CCH and the impact on residents in this cul-de-sac by queuing will cause anger & dangerous situations trying to enter the highway. At function times, there will be a few hundred cars trying to re-enter the highway from this cul-de-sac. In an emergency, people will not be able to get out. Speeding cars turning in front of the stationary bus will be a major issue in the future unless something is done there.
Thank you to Councillor Gabby Bowles whose communication skills have to be commended through difficult decision making & her willingness to explain misunderstandings….if only some of the other Councillors put in as much effort as Gabby, we would have a more respected Council within the community.
Accidents are accidents & Councils have a duty of care to ratepayers to ensure strict measures are put in place by developers to prevent a death associated with their DA plans.
Councillor Ward’s quote “several amendments were added to the DA ‘improved access and egress of CARS” Tell us what were the improved access and egress of cars?
Inaccurate comment here Mr Ward. All you did was relocate garbage truck’s movements to the front of the boundary, won’t change a thing for CARS and parents running over their kids from reversing CARS inside those two carparks.
Could Gosford City Council please explain why it has seen fit to approve a massive commercial development that will adversely affect the quality of life of hundreds of residents? 120 very young children will be exposed to pollutants from thousands of vehicles travelling along the Central Coast Highway, and will be placed at great risk of being involved in a traffic accident. Residents will be subjected to noise and traffic chaos due to hundreds of extra cars in a small run-down road that struggles to cope with the current traffic flow. No traffic lights are to be installed. There could be dozens of cars waiting to get out of Reads Road onto the very busy Central Coast Highway during peak hour. It is a joke – although no one who will be affected is laughing.
Also could you please explain why a much needed and wanted Medical Centre that was to be built on the corner of Ghersi Road and Seaview Avenue in Wamberal was rejected by Gosford City Council? You imposed so many conditions on the doctors who bought this land and cost them so much money and stress, that they eventually admitted defeat and after almost 4 years of ‘negotiating’ with you have put the land on the market. It is currently up for sale. It should be noted that this is commercial land and not residential land, like the massive Reads Road money-making Child Care Centre is to be built on. It would appear you make it very difficult for people who are not property developers with substantial assets to successfully build businesses. Just checking, did Mr Bob Ward used to be a Real Estate agent before he became the Deputy Mayor? It would be very nteresting to find this fact out.
To the four councillors who voted for the Reads Road Child Care Centre, make the most of your time as councillors, it is very unlikely you will receive many votes at the next election. To the three councillors who voted against the development, thank you for your intelligence and forward thinking. You did the right thing and attempted to protect your constituents. Your sensible and considerate actions were in stark contrast to Ms Gabby Bowles who said she had 5 young children and needed child care. It is interesting, Ms Bowles, that you put your own needs ahead of your constituents and what would have been better for the majority of people. I cannot help thinking how very selfish and insular this was of you.
Out, Damn ( Black ) Spot……. Macbeth doth murder sleep………….
Child killed in Pre-School CarParking incidient this week in Carlingford in Sydney.
THIS is reality, not statistics and looking backwards to LEPs and previous traffic plans.
Leaders should lead and look forward not avert their gaze at incoveniences.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/fateful-decision-to-walk-to-school-led-to-heartbreak-for-sisters-zoe-and-ellie-stephen/story-fni0cx12-1226787005745
I am shocked and feel terribly let down by these councillors who voted for this DA and about the way this gigantic building of a commercial nature has slipped through within a very short period of time with no consideration whatsoever given
by Mr Ward (Deputy Mayor) for alterations to be made to DA plans to prevent a tragedy of a child coming into contact with a parent reversing their car before moving forward to leave the carpark. I have a young daughter can’t imagine considering sending her to a centre like this one that allows massive reversing every minute of the day inside the grounds.
WRITING ON THE WALL FOR THIS ONE FROM START. DEVELOPER TELLING FOLKS BEFORE OBJECTION PERIOD EVEN FINISHED THAT CHILD CARE CENTRE WOULD BE APPROVED AND BUILT REGARDLESS OF ANY OBJECTIONS. COUNCIL RANGER AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER BRAD CALLEIA OF GOSFORD CITY COUNCIL GOING TO RESIDENTS HOMES AND TELLING THEM IF THEY DIDN’T TAKE PROTEST SIGNS DOWN FROM THEIR OWN HOMES AND PRIVATE PROPERTY THEY WOULD BE FINED $1,500.00 BY COUNCIL. SAID THEY HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED BY THE MAYOR, LAWRIE McKINNA TO DO THIS. DEVELOPER WAS RIGHT. DA44499/2013 APPROVED WITHIN 2 MONTHS IN SPITE OF HUNDREDS OF OBJECTIONS FROM RESIDENTS. MUST BE NICE TO HAVE FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES. IT’S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW BUT WHO YOU KNOW. ANYONE KNOW NUMBER FOR ICAC?
Gosford City Council is one of the most complained about councils in Australia. I wonder why? Perhaps because it doesn’t listen to its ratepayers and yet increases rates so Gosford homeowners now have some of highest in Australia. Sides with wealthy developers and gives them permission to do whatever they want, so long as they are paying high ‘fees’ to them, forget about the ratepayers, they are just little people, not important. Goes against its own guidelines to help developers build massive commercial businesses. The Government is currently throwing money at large child care centres – they are cash cows. Great if you have the money to build one. The rich get richer and the poor get walked all over and lose substantial amounts from the value of their properties – which are a lot of peoples life savings. They have nothing in the bank, just a mortgage and a bit of equity in their homes which dwindles away to nothing when a 120 child care centre plus huge private dwelling is built right next to their home. Constant traffic, noise and disruption 13 hours a day. A great selling point for anyone’s house! I’m sure all of the residents affected would like to wish Gosford City Council and the 4 Councillors who voted for this completely inappropriate and dangerous development, a very merry Christmas.
To Councillors and Mr Ward, We strongly oppose this development on the grounds of traffic, which is of course not the only issue here. We have trouble entering the C.C. Highway now out of Reads Road and can only imagine with horror what it would be like if another 180 vehicles have to do the same and also for them to turn right at Pitt Road, endeavouring to return to Terrigal or Wamberal via the roundabout then again onto the C.C. Highway. We live in this valley adjoining the property concerned and were of the opinion that our zoning is rural residential, not commercial!!! This is definitely not an appropriate block of land for such a development. The noise factor is another worry, you just can’t control that many children at play as far as noise goes, no matter how one may think you can. This is a peaceful area and if this goes through, it will no longer be so. We must stress again, we are very strongly against this development going ahead and would like to know how this was allowed to eventuate in the first place? On two and a half acres there is only supposed to be one dwelling built and this is flaunting all zoning conditions. Thanking you, from concerned residents, Bill and Norma
An irresponsible suggestion by Council in their resolution of meeting of 17 Dec was that the bus stop be relocated to the beginning of the turn left lane into Reads Rd. – how will this work without causing more danger to the traffic build up on the highway behind the stationary bus. what about the increase in a dangerous situation occurring by the lack of distance cars need in slowing down to turn into Reads Road. This will cause more cars unable to break adequately before turning left.
This was just a hypothetical with Council knowing there will be no real action by RMS because of the danger. Another trick by Council to make it look like they have addressed the traffic issue where they haven’t.
DCP 117 6aStates ‘to ensure that potential impact of childcare centres on surrounding residential amenity is minimised’
7.4.3 “The site should not be located in a cul-de-sac, opposite an intersection or on any other road where additional vehicles may create traffic conflict or adverse impact on the amenity of the area.” SHOULD NOT MEANS NOT RECOMMENDED so why did you recommend?
Mr Ward, pls explain what steps were taken by Gosford City Council to minimise the impact on the amenity of the residents in Reads Road pls name every one of them. It appears you found no issues from the submissions by residents to class as impact on their amenity. The residents requested many things to minimise the impact, through written objections, It seems the Residents and YOU have a different interpretation of impact on their amenity!set back didn’t change, the height didn’t change, the hours of operation didn’t change, not in a cul-de-sac didn’t change, not on a highway didn’t change, not near an intersection didn’t change. Parking and reversing of cars inside the grounds didn’t change. Pick up and set down ignored. Protection for pedestrians didn’t change, potential for children and older pedestrians being knocked over inside centre and in Reads Road hasn’t changed. Waking up neighbours early in the mornings 6 days per week hasn’t changed, the crumpled road condition didn’t change, queues of vehicles in peak times entering the highway was fobbed off. SO WHAT CHANGEFD to minimise the impact on the amenity Mr Ward? Children playing wasn’t the major noise issue – the noise of the increased traffic in and out of Reads Road cul-de-sac was the real issue. Potential accidents hasn’t been addressed. Mr Ward you are a representative of the Green’s political party yet you did nothing to protect the scenic quality and the lifestyle in this little hamlet. As part of the COSS you are seen to have a duty to protect the environment on the coast yet you ‘looked the other way’. Your actions are disgusting as a member of the Greens Party.
Can you show a list of what changes were made to MINIMISE impact on residents amenity?
Mr Ward how was the impact on the amenity minimised?
DCP 117 6aStates ‘to ensure that potential impact of childcare centres on surrounding residential amenity is minimised’
According to correspondence, the residents requested many things to minimise the impact, through written objections It seems the Residents and you have a different interpretation of impact on their amenity! set back didn’t change, the height didn’t change, the hours of operation didn’t change, not in a cul-de-sac didn’t change, not on a highway didn’t change, not near an intersection didn’t change. Parking and reversing of cars inside the grounds didn’t change. Pick up and set down ignored. Protection for pedestrians didn’t change, potential for children and older pedestrians being knocked over inside centre and in Reads Road hasn’t changed. Waking up neighbours early in the mornings 6 days per week hasn’t changed, the crumpled road condition didn’t change, queues of vehicles in peak times entering the highway was fobbed off.
Answer this question,what action was taken by Council to minimise the impact on the amenity of residents?
The subject site is located within the desired character place: “Wamberal 10 – Rural
Hamlets” under DCP 159 – Character which provides the following objectives:
These should remain rural-residential buffers between surrounding urban areas, where the scenically-distinctive qualities and amenity of existing secluded settings are preserved by very-low density residential development plus low-impact rural activities or businesses that are associated with a dwelling.
Council ignores their own DCPs or twists them around to pass developments.
A family member showed us the list of conditions (about 20 or so) and the council only considered ONE change for some fencing at the front of the building of the child care boundary.
One adjoining property got two minor changes.
Mr Wards statement was a half truth.
If you Google, tragically one child often a toddler is run over in the driveway of their own home every week in Australia so why did Council ignore these statistics? Every car entering this site will be required to reverse.
You may notice when children are killed there is no one around to look after them or old their hand. They are neglected little toddlers. Mum is never around to wave dad goodbye when he goes to work or see any relative off.
I am bitterly disappointed, alarmed and very concerned by Gosford City Council’s and councillors Bob Ward, Jim McFadyen, Gabby Bowles and Vicki Scott’s decision to approve a 120 place Child Care Centre and extremely large separate dwelling on the corner of the Central Coast Highway and Reads Road in Wamberal. There have been hundreds of objections to this development, mainly citing concerns about traffic-related accidents and children’s safety. When I read these concerns I thought this can’t possibly go ahead. How can it? It is just far too dangerous and risky. Gosford City Council will never allow this to happen. How very naive of me.
There have been many traffic accidents and fatalities at this intersection. It is at the bottom of a hill, on a bend, and there is a bus bay there where buses attempt to pull out into a continuous flow of traffic, with a left-hand road turn in front of the bus bay, which is Reads Road. It is a well-known black spot. I was speaking with a lady a couple of days ago who said someone ran into the back of her car when she had slowed down on the Central Coast Highway at the Reads Road intersection to allow a bus to exit from the bus bay. The driver of the other car that ran into her was very upset and apologetic and said they just hadn’t realised she had slowed down. The traffic was moving so quickly there was no time to realise what was happening. She was lucky she wasn’t seriously injured. What would have been the outcome if it was a semi-trailer that had ran into the back of her? Those things are huge and take a long distance to stop because of the weight they carry. They can’t stop within a metre or two. It could have ran right over the top of her car and kept going for some distance because of its inability to stop.
I note in an email from Deputy Mayor, Bob Ward, he states that he was aware ’emotions were running high over this development application’. Please let Mr Ward and the other 3 councillors who approved this development be aware that should any child or person be injured or killed as a result of their approval, that emotions will run much higher, given the vast number of warnings they have been given and acknowledged.
This stinks. John the number for ICAC is 02 8281 5999 or 1800 463 909
I am really disappointed and upset about what has happened with this development application. There have been hundreds of objections and warnings about how dangerous the intersection is at Reads Road and the Central Coast Highway where the 120 place Child Care Centre is to be built. Lots of factors make is a black spot. It’s on a very busy highway, on a bend, at the bottom of a hill, it has a bus bay just before Reads Road where buses pull in and out obscuring drivers and pedestrians view. Cars have to stop to allow buses out in fast moving traffic on the Central Coast Highway and are at risk of someone running into the back of them. Gosford City Council and Councillors warned of the danger and of previous accidents and fatalities here.
I honestly thought GCC would say no to this development. I believed that they would see sense, acknowledge the danger and protect residents and ratepayers. Boy was I wrong! Bob Ward said in an email he was aware that emotions were running high in relation to this DA. Just to let Bob, the 4 out of the 7 councillors who voted for the development and also Gosford City Council know that if a child or adult is injured or killed as a result of their decision, then emotions will be running a lot higher.
Another shocking decision by Gosford City Council. Residents deserve a rates rebate as they will be living next door to commercial/industrial development not residential homes. GCC can afford it with all the commission they are receiving from developments. GCC said it is open for business. Shame if you want to live in a nice quiet place. There will be noise and dust from building works and cars and people everywhere. Better off living in inner city, at least you know what to expect there.
I am very disappointed by Gosford City Council’s decision and also the 4 councillors, Bob Ward, Jim Macfayden, Gabby Bowles and Vicki Scott’s decision to approve this massive and inappropriately placed commercial development. I have read all of the hundreds of objections warning how dangerous this would be, and how many accidents and fatalities had occurred at the Reads Road and Central Coast Highway intersection. I genuinely thought that Gosford City Council would not approve this 120 Place Child Care Centre at 1 Reads Road. I thought how could they? It would be dangerous and putting children and people at risk. I realise now that was very naive of me.
The location is just off a very busy highway, downhill, on a bend, with a left hand turn into Reads Road in front of a bus bay. Motorists have have people run into the back of them when they have slowed down to allow a bus to exit from the bus bay. Due to the fast moving traffic and the short space from the round-a-bout to the left turn into Reads Road, motorists are unaware of the dangerous and fraught situation. Traffic is moving fast and motorists are changing lanes and everything is happening too quickly. Deputy Mayor, Mr Bob Ward stated in an email that he was aware that ’emotions were running high’ with this development. I would like to advise Mr Ward, Gosford City Council and the other councillors who voted in favour of this development application, that if a child or person is injured, maimed or killed as a result of their decision, that emotions will be running much higher.
I am so upset by this decision. I have attempted to lodge several comments on this forum, all without success. I believed Gosford City Council would say no to this DA due to the hundreds of objections and complaints that have been lodged saying how dangerous and unsuitable the location was. I thought GCC would protect its residents and rate payers – obviously not.
Councillor Gabby Bowles said residents’ concerns had largely been addressed with the inclusion of stringent conditions of consent. – half true but mostly untrue.
“There are ome very strong feelings over this issue,” Cr Bowles said. – absolutely true and not resolved.
“The residents had some very reasonable concerns largely concerned with noise levels and traffic considerations, but I feel these have been addressed. – not true!
“We also need to consider the strong benefits of more child care being available for our children when they are at very impressionable ages.” – Bowels voted for her own selfish needs – she said at the council meeting ‘I have 5 children’ needing childcare.
Cr Bowles said waste and service vehicle entry had been relocated on site and strong noise mitigation measures had been included. – not asked for. Parking within the grounds with reversing vehicles like cars & 4 wheel drives which kill roaming children did not get addressed. 2.5 acres and they couldn’t redesign the car parks?
But Councillor Craig Doyle said he was still not convinced that traffic issues had been satisfactorily resolved., with the centre to be located on the busy intersection of Reads Rd and the Central Coast Highway.
“The relocation of traffic lights and a bus stop along the highway might help ease these concerns but the RMS won’t play the game,” Cr Doyle said.
With Councillors Lawrie McKinna and Jesff Strickson absent and Councillor Hillary Morris not participating in debate, the centre was approved by a slim 4-3 vote. – Mckinna called this special meeting to push through this DA before xmas then disappears so he doesn’t have to vote.
SERIOUS ISSUES UNRESOLVED
Resident Richard Wells, representing the Wamberal village community and action group, said there were still many serious issues to be resolved.
“Our primary concern is for the safety of the children,” Mr Wells said.
why are our comments not being published? something very wrong here NBN!!!!
“We also need to consider the strong benefits of more child care being available for our children when they are at very impressionable ages.” – Bowels voted for her own selfish needs – she said at the council meeting ‘I have 5 children’ needing childcare. It wasn’t about HER.
Councillor Gabby Bowles said residents’ concerns had largely been addressed with the inclusion of stringent conditions of consent. – half true but mostly untrue.
“There are ome very strong feelings over this issue,” Cr Bowles said. – absolutely true and not resolved.
“The residents had some very reasonable concerns largely concerned with noise levels and traffic considerations, but I feel these have been addressed. – not true!
Cr Bowles said waste and service vehicle entry had been relocated on site and strong noise mitigation measures had been included. – waste & service vehicle relocation not asked for.
Parking within the grounds with reversing vehicles like cars & 4 wheel drives which kill roaming children did not get addressed. 2.5 acres and they couldn’t redesign the car parks?
With Councillors Lawrie McKinna and Jesff Strickson absent and Councillor Hillary Morris not participating in debate, the centre was approved by a slim 4-3 vote. – Mckinna called this special meeting to push through this DA before xmas then disappears so he doesn’t have to vote.
SERIOUS ISSUES UNRESOLVED
Resident Richard Wells, representing the Wamberal village community and action group, said there were still many serious issues to be resolved.
“Our primary concern is for the safety of the children,” Mr Wells said.
Bpb Ward did NOT declare his non-pecuniary interest! so dishonest!
Lawrie McKinna confided in a ‘mate’ saying he would vote against this DA – what changed Mr McKinna, a quick trip overseas? People are very suspicious about this particular DA.
At the onsite meeting body language gave away Bob Ward and the Town Planner had already secretly approved the DA. Then at the council meeting Counciller Bocking after saying she would vote against it, looked directly at that developer and gave him a very friendly smile. Suspicious behaviour all round yes?
Bob Ward stated in an email that he was aware that ’emotions were running high’ with this development application. Bob Ward should be aware that if a child or person is injured, maimed or killed as a result of his, Gabby Bowles, Jim Macfadyen, Vicki Scott and Gosford City Council’s decision to approve this centre – then emotions will be running much, much higher.
Bob Ward stated in an email that he was aware that ‘emotions were running high’ with this development application. Bob Ward should be aware that if a child or person is seriously injured as a result of his, Gabby Bowles, Jim Macfadyen, Vicki Scott and Gosford City Council’s decision to approve this centre – then emotions will be running much, much higher.
Gosford Council’s pushing thru as many DA’s since Paul Anderson became GM and not listening to any ratepayer whatsoever, just pretending to go through the motions. they want development and the $$$ and won’t let these ‘pesky’ residents get in their way. This council meeting was no joke like viewing a pre-rehearsed set up, they had cameras doing a training video. The only one who showed genuine concern was Doyle. The two women voting for the CCC had a personal agenda. One loved the sound of children playing and the other had 5 kids and works full time, no wonder she voted YES.
In all fairness, Gabby Bowles did work well with me being the only Councillor who made a genuine effort on having some conditions put in place the day before the Council Meeting took place and for this we are thankful but overall the amount of traffic entering a cul-de-sac upsetting neighbours early in the mornings and all the vehicle activity inside the grounds to drop off/pick up their children then having to reverse inside the grounds still remains a major issue of concern for my husband and I. Traffic build up leaving the cul-de-sac to enter a very busy highway in peak hours has not been addressed at all because RMS spent a lot of time working out the safest place for the bus stop when the highway was upgraded. The easiest solution was not to approve this massive centre on the highway in the first place. Why should RMS at taxpayer’s expense be forced to move a bus stop just because a commercial building is passed by council when it goes against their own DA’s.
The proposed, and recently approved, 120 place Child Care Centre is to be built in a dangerous and unsuitable location. The intersection where it is to be built has had many traffic accidents, tragically some of them fatal. The Reads Road turn off is situated down hill from a busy roundabout, off the extremely busy Central Coast Highway, on a bend, in front of a bus bay, where buses have to attempt to pull out into fast and continual traffic. Drivers waiting to turn into Reads Road have to wait behind the buses until they leave the bus bay. If there are 2 or more cars waiting then they will not fit into the bus bay and are stationary and very vulnerable in fast moving traffic on the Central Coast Highway. A friend of mine said someone ran into the back of her when she had slowed on the Central Coast Highway to allow a bus to pull out. The driver who ran into her was very apologetic and upset. They said they just had realised she had slowed down. Everything had happened so quickly, and there were cars pulling in and out of lanes and they just didn’t see her. Luckliy she wasn’t seriously injured, and very luckily it wasn’t a semi-trailer that run into the back of her. They are massive and take a long distance to stop because of their size, weight and momentum. It could have ran straight over the top of her and kept going.
Mr Ward stated in an email that he was aware ’emotions were running high’ over this development application. Please be advised Bob Ward, Gabby Bowles, Jim Macfadyen, Vicki Scott and Gosford City Council, that if a child or person is injured, maimed or killed as a result of your decision to approve the Reads Road Child Care Centre, then emotions will be running much higher.
sorry – last sentence should have read ‘goes against their own DCP’s”
Bill Robinson announced himself as a Director of Reads Group…LIE
Bill Robinson said he will live in the dwelling – what? give up that huge mansion in Matcham and live next door to a child care centre facing into a crappy Reads Road? LIE
The wives are doing a child care course? really? WHERE? THEY ARE NOT REGISTERED
Mr Ward me thinks you have been fibbed to or you know more than letting on. It pays to do ur research mister.
I have never seen a DA application pushed through so quickly with so many community concerns. In my understanding once you had made a submission, you were kept in the loop with regard to meetings and decisions. Where was the notice that it was going to a vote on the 17th December, only one week after a meeting on site with councillors where they indicated that they needed to take into consideration traffic and noise reports other than those provided by the developer. How was there time for this consideration in 7 days?
I was astounded to read that Councillor Gabby Bowles said, as quoted in the Central Coast Express Advocate on 8th January 2014, regarding the now approved centre “The residents had some very reasonable concerns largely concerned with noise levels and traffic considerations, but I feel they have now been addressed”. Is she joking? I am still extremely concerned that children may get run over, that people may have cars running into the back of them when they are trying to turn into Reads Road in front or behind of buses in the bus bay, and that cars may crash into the side of them when they are attempting to exit Reads Road. Nothing has been done to address traffic concerns. This is a very dangerous intersection and has unfortunately had many accidents, tragically some of them fatal. Gosford Council and Gabby Bowles, Bob Ward, Vicki Scott and Jim Macfadyen, who were informed and were well aware of these previous accidents, have chosen to approve a 120 place child care centre which will effectively see traffic more than quadruple in Reads Road. Approximately an extra 600 vehicle movements, 6 days per week. Tragically another young child was killed on the Central Coast by a 4WD on Monday. It was a tragic accident and not the drivers fault. Young children are excitable, don’t think of consequences and unpredictable by their very nature. This poor little boy was only 4 years old. There will be many 4 year olds at Reads Road Child Care Centre. This is a very ill thought out and very dangerous approval. The Central Coast community will be holding all those responsible for voting for this centre accountable, should another child or person be maimed or killed due to their reckless decision.
Go ahead and get it done. Don’t any of those tough looking protestors work. If they got a job it would keep their mind active and not worry about other peoples business.
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Without prejudice. It concerns me that Chris Hartcher and other councillors, politicians and Gosford Council are currently being investigated by ICAC for accepting inappropriate donations from certain Property Developers and some other influential businessmen and businesswoman. I am not making any accusations or insinuations, merely voicing my concerns about the apparent inconsistencies in DA approvals. It should be an equal and fair system, regardless of who you are, what your place in society is, or who your friends happen to be. I believe that all donations to political parties should be banned with immediate effect.
Without prejudice. ‘Mr Taxpayer’, when fat cat property developers allegedly use their low friends in high places to get DA’s approved, that should never have been approved, that will cause massive disruption, lower property values, put children, pedestrians and motorists at risk, and affect the quality of life of hard-working, taxpaying and rate-paying residents – then it is EVERYONE’S business. Just wondering Mr Developer, sorry, I meant to say ‘Mr Taxpayer’, if you have made any political donations recently? Protestors who are not minding their own business and ICAC would love to know what tax-deductions you have claimed?
I’m shocked and utterly disgusted to read what has been going on with the approval of this oversized child care centre which will apparently be the largest in Australia. I have been told that the owners have now named it Alkira Early Learning Centre Wamberal, probably to distance itself from the name Reads Road and all of the understandably bad publicity it has received.
Very suspicious indeed! I hope that the authorities will investigate how this came to be approved so quickly, with very few, or it would appear, no additional safety or traffic calming measures, in great depth and will leave no stone unturned. Seems to me like one or two people will win and one or two hundred people will lose. An absolute disgrace.
Shame on Gosford City Council and the Councillors who voted for it. I will be bracing myself for the accidents and the subsequent court cases and claims for compensation to the victims. A further waste of ratepayers money no doubt!