RESIDENTS of a narrow Charlestown street are gobsmacked after Lake Macquarie council approved a 12-unit development they say will inevitably lead to a serious crash, or worse.
The project at 15 Princes Avenue will add three driveways and some 20-plus cars to the already congested street just below a blind spot at the crest of the hill.
Paul Chaplin, who has lived across the road for 14 years, said their issue was not with infill development, it was with safety.
"This is going to be a recipe for disaster, there are going to be serious accidents and possibly a fatality down the road and the council are going to have to wear that," he said.
"This isn't about making a noise because we're unhappy and NIMBYism, this is about safety ... the issue is they're retro-fitting a massive development on a very, very dangerous section of roadway.
"This is about greedy developers, a dangerous roadway and a council that could not care less."
Earlier this month, Lake Macquarie councillors pushed back a decision on the proposal, opting to visit the site and see the public's concerns for themselves.
The development is located in an R3 zone, where multi-dwelling housing is, by the council's own standards, considered appropriate and encouraged.
Concerns 'well-warranted'
Liberal Cr Jack Antcliff said while residents' concerns are "well-warranted", the council had to make decisions in the best interests of the city.
"We've set the ground rules around what R3 can look like, we've made a broader decision, if we question that methodology every time something comes up where there's community angst we may never build anything in this city," he said.
"We need to change the expectation of the city more broadly and say density is part of the future for us."
Princes Avenue is already home to a four-unit multi-dwelling development next door to the site, a six-unit housing development and there are a number of others south of it in Edwards Street.
Resident Len Biglin said he had not complained about any of the other large-scale development in the street because they did not pose a safety concern.
"This street has an angle across it which prevents any footpaths either side, so all the mums with pram, school kids, dog walkers, the elderly, are all on the street," he said.
"Often there's only one active lane down the middle of the street, it's not safe now, and to add another 20-odd cars and three driveways it's just not safe, it's crazy."
Labor Cr Brian Adamthwaite was the only one to vote against the proposal, while Labor deputy mayor Madeline Bishop left the chamber due to a conflict of interest.
A criteria question
At the end of the day, Liberal Cr Jason Pauling said his decision came down to the development meeting council's criteria.
"We have a reasonable development application, largely compliant with strong merit smack-bang in the middle of an R3 zone, and that's one of the key issues here," he said.
"I'm happy to support this in full, I apologise to local residents, I'm sure we're not on any of their Christmas card lists right now, I've got no doubt about that."
He encouraged residents to use the avenues at their disposal to complain if the developer doesn't comply with the traffic or construction management plans.
Mayor Kay Fraser said on the whole, the council is looking to intensify development around its CBDs.
"We talk about infill housing and this is where the rubber hits the road, this is where you have to be brave and bold and say, 'I know the community aren't going to be happy with our decision' but we need to make the right decision," she said.
"We need to make sure there's that diversity of housing and people can move into the Charlestown area and other areas."
The project will be built in stages, the first being three units facing the street followed by nine within the site.
