New Development Against Community's History - Is It Progress Or Will It Promote A Disgruntled Community

Whalan is a former suburb that I have lived in for over  23 years. With under a population of 6,000, the area that changed in the last 2 decades, in such a positive manner: more young people are studying hard obtaining Tertiary Qualifications, more people working at all sorts of jobs around Sydney and also NSW Housing tenants moving out of the area,  with a reduction of same properties. 
 
Physically, roads have remained the same whilst being maintained. There has been closure of a medical center, news agent and Post Office and recently closure of a Bottle Shop/grocery store and recent opening of FoodMart, chicken/pizza shop and Hair Dresser.

There are pocket areas of Whalan that could do with improvements of which has been mentioned in other blogs (see below). Today, we
need to raise issue of concern in relation to small residential developments.

In Balimba Place Whalan an Owner/Developer from Cremorne wants to add a  'Granny Flat' to the back of the property and also an application for 6 foot high fence. The issue is not ' No body in the area doesn't want a Granny Flat'. The question is...... well see for
yourself!

This is where the Granny Flat has been planned!

So here you can see this is where the 'Granny Flat' is proposed to be developed. That's right. This is the actual back of the house. You can see this is the actual frontage of the property. Where I am standing, there is a public path way (that has no number - see below), leading to Ellengowan Crescent Whalan  and the other side of path leads to Emerton Shops & Woodstock Road Whalan. This public walk way is prone to broken bottles being smashed, sometimes used drug needles and  rubbish thrown on lawns and stone throwing. All anti-social behaviors! There are currently no granny flats in Balimba Place, Detzner Place, Dampier Place, Bramble Place and Basilisk Place Whalan  facing the path way.

Below is the same property, entrance and driveway is at Balimba Place, Whalan. Here there is ample room for a granny flat. Also there are 2/3 properties in Balimba Place, with granny flats of their own and they all are positioned facing the street.


The problem stems from Blacktown City Council's original Town Planning, for the area when it was first established. Currently in the the area are all houses built, with their frontage facing the path way and their back yards facing the street.  A majority of fences on the streets are 6-8 foot high, which- represents a different of living rather than having the proper front of the house facing the street and back of the house facing the path way. I was informed by Council 2-3 years ago that on the pathway side, only 4ft high fences can be built and I have complied to this.

Here 2 Granny Flats that are facing the Street in Balimba Place:










Under NSW Planning & Infrastructure, there is promotion guidelines to support 'Granny Flats' Click here for Granny Flats information - NSW Planning & Infrastructure . The application has lodged through Council and approved by an outside Certifier, which (I believe) has not seen  how it would change this area of Whalan.


Councillor Charlie Lowles, Blacktown City Councillor has been called in by one of the community members 'Laurie', to see what Council can do as well as a petition of community members of at least twenty-five. I understand that the Whalan Community Action Group is also providing support, when needed.
Left is the letter that has been sent to Blacktown City Council.

The applicant has advised that plans are available to a letter sent to neighbours within 25 metres of the proposed property development but apparently the applicant is hard to contact, and the plans are therefor not available and have not been presented for viewing or inspection, so far. 

What is asked by the community of Whalan to all Blacktown City Councillors, Council Officers and the Certifier, is to approve the 'Granny Flat' on the street side of the property, which fits into the community scenery, image and continuity of the area.

More than four years ago Blacktown City Council and NSW  Housing met at Whalan Public School with the local community, to look at closing path ways/ lane ways. If this issue was resolved, all lane ways would have been closed by 'the giving of land' from path ways to private owners and  NSW Housing Tenants, 8 foot fences being placed, thus complete privacy and if needed 'Granny Flats'.

The BLEP 2013 (Blacktown Local Environmental Plan 2013)  Click Here For BLEP 2013 , is planning for the future growth of population for 20 years time.This plan was being created by the previous Local Labor Council and launched by the Liberal/Independent Council. A lot of people may not have been aware of it but it showed community hubs that are encouraged to have median density house. So far, the Whalan house in question is not part of median density housing plan.

The current application of the 'Granny Flat' should be denied and the applicant strongly advised to develop the 'Granny Flat' in the front of the property, unless Blacktown City Council  changes the way this part of Whalan has been planned, from its beginnings.

Here is Balimba Place, Whalan and other similar streets - checked the grey-lined path ways

 

Click Here for Whalan Bus Access Street Issues

Click Here For blog on Whalan overpass - not required