“THIS is not a plan for infrastructure, it’s a plan for destruction.”
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Hawkesbury real estate agent John Starr summed up the feelings of more than 250 Grose Vale and Grose Wold residents as they joined to discuss plans for a third river crossing at Navua Reserve on Monday night.
Organised by local woman, Pauline Alchin, the meeting gave residents the opportunity to look at proposed plans and ask questions of councillors in attendance, including Christine Paine, Paul Rasmussen and Barry Calvert.
The Navua Reserve proposal was put forward by the developers of the North Richmond Joint Venture as a contribution from their 2000 home proposal at Redbank to ease traffic congestion west of the river.
The proposed bridge feeds off Grose River Road and Ashton Road and exits onto Springwood Road with an option to head east, or west over the existing Yarramundi bridge. “Some estimates I have received on property values if this goes through are between 10 and 20 per cent losses,” Mr Starr said. “That means if you own a property worth $1 million, you’re losing around $100,000.”
Standing to speak at the meeting was Grose Wold resident and former university lecturer Robert Woog, who said the community’s approach to the situation had to be tactical and proactive. “The weakness in our argument is this – ‘you have complained of the lack of infrastructure, here it is, and you’re still whinging’,” Mr Woog said.
“In our proposal we need to say that we’re willing to work with council and the developers in addressing infrastructure problems.
“Let’s come up with three, four or five suitable solutions that could address these problems.”
Mr Woog received rousing applause from the audience. After that the idea of forming a sub-committee under the already-established North Richmond and Districts Community Action Association was discussed.
At the meeting Cr Rasmussen told residents that estimates from the developers in regards to traffic volumes expected along Grose River Road if the bridge went in, were 700-800 per hour.
For more on Monday’s meeting see next week’s issue of the Gazette.
