There is no escaping the Mortdale streetscape works problems when shopping at our lovely Mortdale village. It took 14 years to build the Sydney Opera House. Friends at my local branch of AIR (Australian Independent Retirees) wonder if the Mortdale streetscape works will take longer than it took to build the Opera House!
We experience the frustration with reduced parking and constant pavement reworking almost on a daily basis. Shops are closing down in Mortdale. There are parts of the 'new' paving that have been re-laid several times due to poor workmanship causing rain water to run into shop doorways. It seems amazing that this was done in part to remove the unsightly power poles when large 'flag' poles have been erected in their place. Visual pollution replaced by visual pollution. With due respect to Council who have had to manage this project out of hours with much work done after shops close. However, there are rumours that the Council are now on a 'go-slow' due to lack of funds.
If this does take longer than it took to build the Opera House then Mortdale should at least get some sails!
N Birdsall, Mortdale
Continuous publishing
I must congratulate your paper The Leader in producing a revealing, objective and informative newspaper.
It's great to keep up with local reporting re councils decisions for example.
A lot of areas don't have a "local paper" these days, quite sad.
Here's hoping The Leader resists being bought by a conglomerate and as consequence ceases production.
Paul Stephenson
No planning for planning changes
Chris Minns writes (The Leader March 6, page 27) that the Government has a plan to address housing crisis. Looking at Kogarah North Precinct, the high-rise residential buildings have been approved by Georges River Council (GRC) and the Southern Region Planning Panel. The residents on the northern side of Kogarah Public School look into class rooms and onto playgrounds. The Education Department did not object to the closeness of residents, nor did the Council and Planning Panel.
The Kogarah Public School P&C Committee is seeking signatures for a petition, to lobby for a new school, a high rise, to accommodate the growing children's population which is moving into the neighbouring buildings.
Open space is in very small supply. Hogben Park cannot expand. Kogarah High School fenced in the sports ground and the teachers' car park, restricting access.
There is a greater need for electricity because the interiors are not well ventilated. Kitchen, laundry and bathrooms are without windows, hence the need for clothes dryers and air conditioning.
The GRC Local Government Area cannot provide employment for the existing population, nor in the future, if more housing is built, with the expected population.
If the Government is committed to housing expansion it needs to be planning now for the infrastructure replacement and expansion.
Mr Minns points to the efforts made for expanding the powers of the NSW Building Commission to monitor design and quality work. In Wollongong, a 20 storey and 8 storey buildings have serious defects, and the Building Commissioner is refusing to issue an occupancy certificate. There are big changes happening around us, the NSW Government is not planning for these changes.
