Residents on edge over plan

SOME residents may consider moving out of Edgewood Estate in Woonona if plans for a two-story, 156-bed, $12million retirement village are approved for the site.

Edgewood resident Peter Hammersley said estate residents are worried their quiet family suburb will become a dangerous thoroughfare for retirement village workers and visitors to the village.

"We've talked to a lot of people and they're all experiencing the concerns we all share," he said.

"It's going to cause major traffic problems and of course there's been no regard given to nearby residents.

"You can imagine 156 beds&and there's only 33 car parking spaces."

The Statement Environmental Effects submitted to council on behalf of BDC Properties Ltd for facility asserts that there will be no adverse effects on traffic.

Quoting a Traffic Impact Study commissioned for the development, the report states that "the proposed development provides adequate carparking on-site, no additional street parking is required. The predicted traffic generation is less than that which could be generated if the site was used for single unit residential housing similar to that adjacent the site, the existing streetscape has been designed to cater for residential development."

However Edgewood residents are not convinced.

Mr Hammersley and fellow Edgewood resident Kimberly Humphries organized a public meeting on Saturday to publicise the 'enormity of the situation.

About 50-60 people, as well as Ward 1 councillors Alice Cartan and Dave Martin, attended.

Ms Humphries said people were worried that their children may not be able to play safely if the plans go ahead.

"In Hickory Street, within five houses there are 11 kids," Ms Humphries said.

"It will be unsafe for the children to play out on their front lawn."

Concerns have been raised that the estate's thin streets - which are about five metres across - are not wide enough to cope with on-street parking or heavy traffic.

Residents have been aware that there was a retirement village planned for the area but say they had no idea it would be so large.

Council will take written objections and submissions on the proposed development until August 17.