Say NO to Woolworths supermarket at Barden Ridge

Background:
Woolworths have lodged a DA with Sutherland Council to build a 140 car park shopping centre at Barden Ridge (DA11/0834).

The shopping centre will be located at the vacant land, Old Illawarra Rd opposite Driscoll Place.

Here are some facts about the proposed site:

1. Place for 140 Car park shopping centre – Woolworths supermarket + 3 specialty shops. This will be 50% bigger than the Aldi shopping centre

2. Trading hours will be 7am – 10pm, seven (7) days a week

3. Entrance for cars and loading trucks will be from Old Illawarra Rd

Do you want this at Barden Ridge and near the school?

1. Traffic noise – Old Illawarra Rd will have traffic similar to Allison Crescent at Menai Market with trucks delivering from 6am 7 days a week.

2. Traffic will be operating 7am – 10pm, seven (7) days a week – extra 100 cars per hour through the new traffic lights.

3. Imagine that much traffic during school hours when dropping or picking up kids along with school buses

4. Congestion of traffic at the intersection New Illawarra Rd & Old Illawarra Rd – We already see traffic jams without the shopping centre being there

5. Delivery & goods trucks (semi-trailer) will need to come into Old Illawarra Rd, make a U turn through the proposed round about (outside Driscoll Place) to the loading dock

6. Social impact of this shopping centre cannot be under estimated, new hangout for kids

7. Woolworths cannot guarantee that a bottle shop will not be included in the speciality shops.

Petition:
We call on Sutherland Shire Council to reject the development application due to:

1. The traffic plan proposed poses lives at risk through the constraint of Old Illawarra Rd daily traffic movement and limits the critical evacuation path for the Barden Ridge community.

2. The development proposed is well beyond the community expectations of the true interpretation and understanding of a Zone 10 community centre (small development).

3. The proposed plan does not limit further expansion plans for additional commercials developments and/or extensions of this location, which in no way reflects the environmental landscape of Barden Ridge.