Concerns over proposed access to new housing estate

A group of Lake Munmorah residents have written to Central Coast Council opposing proposed exit and entry points for a new housing estate on the Pacific Hwy on safety grounds.

The development application, now on public exhibition, proposes 283 residential blocks, two conservation allotments, a public park and internal roads.

It proposes vehicular access to and from the highway via Tall Timbers Rd and Chisholm Ave on the western side of the site, with a secondary access to be provided to the highway in the east via Wallaby Rd, Kookaburra Ave, Possum St and Kangaroo Ave and an internal collector road to link Chisolm Ave to Wallaby Rd.

But residents say it would be safer and make more sense for the exit and entry to be directly out of the estate rather than via Tall Timbers Rd and Chisolm Ave.

The group has also written to relevant MPs on the matter.

“We are not opposed to the estate, just the entry and exit (plans),” a spokesperson said.

“A more current and accurate traffic study needs to be carried out, which should include holiday and football season times.

“The amount of traffic stated in the proposal isn’t anywhere near the amount of traffic our roads encounter every day and certainly not during these times.

“No-one that we have spoken to can figure out how those numbers had come about, unless it was carried out during COVID lockdown time.

“In holiday time and pre public holiday time Tall Timbers Rd is chaotic to negotiate; exiting the shopping centre turning right onto Tall Timbers Rd is near impossible and extremely dangerous to say the least.

“On football days it is even worse with cars parked on Tall Timbers Rd.

“Adults and children crossing the road between cars is an accident or death waiting to happen now, and adding further traffic into the mix will be catastrophic.”

The residents say in the event of an emergency there will be extreme chaos with only one right-hand turn exit from the estate through Chisholm Ave onto Tall Timbers Rd to the highway.

“This is not just a traffic flow problem, but in the case of an emergency, access would be catastrophic, and where are the evacuation plans for any extra homes?” the letter to Council says.

“It would make more sense, and be much safer, to put a set of traffic lights exiting the estate opposite Colongra Bay Rd (with) left and right turns.

“It has been brought to our attention that having multiple sets of traffic lights within a short distance on the highway may be an issue, but there are two sets of lights on the main road close together on the highway at San Remo and Northlakes shopping centre.

“For the sake of traffic congestion, a separate exit with traffic lights would be a more suitable option.

“It would also be a much safer option for pedestrians crossing the highway going to the club and recreation facilities on the  eastern side.”

DA/161/2024 is available for public submissions on the Central Coast Council website.