20thSeptember 2018 Edition One. In this edition:
Presidents Report, Heritage listed cottage in Beecroft demolished Revised DA for seniors housing at 14-18 Sutherland Road Update from Emma Heyde,
Changes at Beecroft for the new bus movements
Our
Member for Epping Damien Tudehope gave us an update on the lift at
Beecroft Station. We expect the proposed design to be placed on public
exhibition next month for comment. He informed us that funds are
in the budget to build it but construction is likely to be delayed until
after the Metro is completed. This is to minimise disruption to
the train network.
Those who enjoy our bushland will be interested to know that a couple of
Trust members, together with a representative from Hornsby Council, met
with Transurban (M2) personnel to discuss how all stakeholders can
better co-ordinate bush regeneration work along the M2 corridor.
Transurban is in correspondence with all councils along the M2 corridor
to prepare an efficient long term strategy for managing weeds.
Heritage listed cottage in Beecroft demolished. Last
week the Trust was informed that the oldest dwelling in the Hornsby
Shire was demolished by a developer back in June. The dwelling, circa
1838, was tucked in behind houses at the north east corner of Pennant
Hills and Copeland Roads. The dwelling was a small two room cottage,
described as a shepherd’s cottage.
The cottage stood within a larger site that is being developed for a seniors housing complex. The
cottage had local heritage significance and was conditioned as part of
the development to be carefully repaired and retained as a heritage
feature within the seniors housing complex.
The developer had since lodged a fresh Development Application to
rebuild the cottage, arguing that the building was so structurally
unsound it could not be saved intact. Not surprisingly, this is
now disputed. The cottage had been used as an outbuilding for many
years, attached to a more modern house at 578 Pennant Hills Road. So
the Trust questions whether the cottage was in such a state of disrepair
that it could not be kept intact.
Council has commenced the process of prosecuting the developer. The
Trust considers the unlawful demolition of the heritage listed cottage
as totally unacceptable and believes an example should be made to deter
other developers from similar actions. The first DA1485/2015 for seniors
housing can be viewed at http://hscenquiry.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/Pages/XC.Track/SearchApplication.aspx?id=830428
The Trust will soon course be submitting an objection.
Revised DA1115/2017 for seniors housing at 14-18 Sutherland Road Cheltenham Residents
have asked the Trust to notify them if this development site comes on
public exhibition. Revised plans have recently been lodged with Hornsby
Council during August. If you wish to object, please do so quickly
as the exhibition period closes soon. Plans for DA1115/2017 can
be accessed at http://hscenquiry.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/Pages/XC.Track/SearchApplication.aspx?id=774672.
While the revised plans have addressed certain matters raised with the
previous plans, the Trust still has concerns with road safety, visitor
parking and minimal landscaping at the street frontage. The Trust
submitted an objection last week.
Ahimsa and Marie Byles – last Saturday 15th September and Sunday 16th September 2018 The open day at Ahimsa last Saturday and Sunday was a success with close to 100 people attending over the two days.
Julie
Peterson
Councillor Robert Browne Councillor
Robert Browne opened the event on Saturday afternoon in the hut of The
Happy Omen, The Trust then led an informative walk from Marie Byles’
childhood home, Chilworth in Beecroft, through Cheltenham streets to
finish at Ahimsa.
Chilworth On
Sunday afternoon the Trust incorporated our annual Spring Walk through
Lane Cove National Park to finish at Ahimsa for afternoon tea and in
time for a screening of A Singular Woman; a film on Marie’s life. The
Trust wishes to thank Martin Fallding for organising the weekend event.
Richard Silink, Deputy CEO of the National Trust.
Changes at Beecroft for the New Bus Movements With
the closure of the Epping to Chatswood line on 30 September expect an
increase in bus and probably car movements. The footpath outside the
playground in Wongala Ave has been re-concreted and enlarged for the
increase in buses. You may have noticed the small camera erected above
the Hannah St traffic
lights.
We understand it provides live streaming back to Transport Management
Centre at Everleigh to allow monitoring of the new pink transit buses.
So pedestrians and residents in Beecroft, Cheltenham and Epping need to
take extra care. For example, in Beecroft, pedestrians should
expect more buses to be using the loop arrangement where they turn into
Hannah Street, then into Wongala Crescent and leave via Copeland Road.
If you want to view new train timetable before 30th September when the Macquarie Line closes, google plan tripper https://transportnsw.info/ and enter a date after September 30th.
Expect this new timetable to become permanent and remain in place after
the Metro opens. As stated in an earlier eNews, commuters to the
City Circle will need to allow extra time in peak hour to walk from the
country platform at Central to the City Circle network.
Update from Hornsby C ward Councillor, Emma Heyde CLICK HERE
Mayoral Meeting to discuss the Cheltenham Church funds The
Civic Trust, Byles Creek Valley Union and representatives from the
Beecroft sporting clubs had a productive meeting with the Mayor Philip
Ruddock, various Councillors and Council staff to discuss the future use
of the $2.1 million currently held in a special account from the sale
of the former Council owned church at Cheltenham. There was
general agreement that the funds could be used on possibly two special
projects, namely a synthetic playing surface at Cheltenham Oval and
acquisition of land for open space in Byles Creek Valley. The process
will take time and if these two projects are adopted, they will be
incorporated as part of Council’s Sports ground strategy and the current
review of council’s planning controls respectively. The process will
involve extensive public consultation.
Sydney Hills District Branch of the Association of Independent Retirees We
are the Sydney Hills District Branch of the Association of
Independent Retirees. Some of our members are independent
retirees, some are part pensioners.
We meet in the Beecroft Presbyterian Church Hall, Welham Street,
Beecroft on the first Friday of each month (except January).
The meeting commences at 10.45 a.m.
We have a speaker during the first half of the meeting on matters of
interest to retirees, then morning tea and then we raise other matters,
closing about 12.30 p.m.
The Association is an Australia wide organisation.
Visitors are most welcome to come to one of our meetings.
Lauris Rennie
President.
A Sad Story with a "Happily Ever After Ending" For One of Our Little Owls There
has recently been a concerning issue, whereby it appears there was
unapproved clearing of vegetation in the National Park. Sadly, this was
around the nesting hollow of our local Byles Creek Valley Powerful Owls
where there was a new little chick in the hollow. The experts feel the
chick fledged earlier than it should have on the day of the clearing and
it was found floundering on low branches, unable to balance and unable
to fly and this was the afternoon of the recent terrible storm. Photo courtesy Michael Bianchino
Local volunteers of the Powerful Owl Project, Sydney Wildlife, Birdlife
Australia, Higher Ground Raptors and numerous vets made the difficult
decision to put the chick in rehabilitation as it would not have
survived if left in the bush. After five days the chick was reunited
with its parents who amazingly called to the chick. It then flew to its
Mum and then Dad joined them with a possum dinner. An amazingly happy
ending from a bad start in life! Thanks to all involved. If you'd like
to read more go to Byles Creek Valley Union's Facebook Page Click Here
Media Information from Ryde Police Area Command 10 SeptemberCLICK HERE 17 SeptemberCLICK HERE
South Turramurra Environment Protection (STEP) August to December Program CLICK HERE.
Beecroft & District Garden Club
The Garden Club will hold it’s Monthly Meeting for October at the Beecroft Bowling Club, 128 Copeland Road, Beecroft on Friday, 5th October 2018 commencing at 7.30 pm for an 8 pm
start. Visitors welcome. Our guest speaker is Norm
Webb, award-winning apiarist, who will be presenting a talk on honey
bees.
Keep our two suburbs strong and informed by being a member!
To support or join the Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust, please visit our website. CLICK HERE.
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community. Currently we have over 1040 email addresses, up from 900 two
months ago. We encourage residents who receive the eNews to tell
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