Major concerns over development at Penang Parklands

Kariong Progress Association has written to Planning Minister John Roberts and the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) expressing concerns over work being undertaken in Penang Parklands at Kariong.

One of the major areas of concern if traffic issues.

“With the new connection to Kangoo Rd at the northern end of the precinct, the Parklands have now been permanently linked to the Somersby Industrial area,” the letter says.

“This will inevitably increase traffic volumes both commercially and privately throughout the Parklands area.

“We are concerned for safety of children in the area –preschool and junior primary students from two schools.

“We are also concerned for residents and visitors who use the existing roadways for walking, cycling and running.

“Furthermore, we have been given to understand that one of the heritage-listed roads (McCabe Rd) has been sold (and) designated ‘Special Purpose’.

“Such a mystery zoning is extremely worrying, and we fear for the impact that this ‘Special Purpose’ development will eventually have on the area, both from a traffic and an environmental perspective.

“We believe the Parklands roadways, which already experience congestion on a daily basis in relation to school start and finish times, will now be inundated by many new users in an area that has only ever been designated for low level, calm, low speed light transport.”

The letter says the heritage and environmental significance of the parklands is gradually being diminished.

“The destruction of the original trees making way for roads and development has been extremely upsetting for many Kariong residents,” it says.

“Directly related to this destruction, we are now confronted with industrial creep into the Mt Penang area from the Somersby Industrial Estate.

“The natural buffer that Penang Parkland has always offered to the Kariong village community will in time disappear because of bad political/bureaucratic decisionmaking with no environmental consideration for the future of the area.

“Unless the developers and stakeholders are prepared to listen to the community, walking and cycling in a beautiful environment filled with tree and birds will very soon be a thing of the past.”

The letter says a designated festival area where the Central Coast community assembled for markets, entertainment, special group gatherings, annual fairs, park runs and a variety of public uses over many years is now gone, sold to a private company.

“This is an example of irresponsible planning and obviously drastic consequence for the community,” it says.

“The natural waterways and green areas are now fully exposed to industrial and commercial development, and unless something is done ASAP to stop this thoughtless development, they will be eventually destroyed.”

The letter says the dog offleash area must be maintained with proper fencing and roadside parking and that special provision must be made for citizens requiring mobility access and disabled parking, including pathways and ramps for mobility appliances.

It says it is imperative that pathways for walking and cycling be maintained throughout the entire Mt Penang precinct.

“The Kariong Progress Association participated in the Have Your Say campaign in July 2021,” the letter says.

“We offered a lot of community input with ideas gathered at many meetings that did not see the light of day.

“We fear that the Government and bureaucratic departments are fixated on destroying the character of Penang Parklands with over commercialisation and have, therefore, chosen to disregard our input.

“It may be worth considering that Mt Penang is of considerable historical significance, that it was in existence more than 40 years before Kariong became a suburb, and that once it has been destroyed by development and profit directed commercial interest it will be impossible to bring it back to life.”

Source: Media release, Feb 20 Kariong Progress Association