Ever since a 53 lot subdivision was announced on the northern entrance of the National Trust classified village of Millthorpe, the community has been engaged in a lengthy debate on the future of the popular village.
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The Millthorpe Village Committee have acted as a conduit for those who wished to express their views on the development through an online survey, but many residents have also completed their own submissions, either for or against the development.
With submissions now closed the results have been collated and of the 258 people who responded, the overwhelming majority have major concerns over the impact of the development.
77 percent of the respondents are concerned about the unique village character of Millthorpe being destroyed by the development, and those concerns manifest themselves in traffic, visual aesthetics, community connectivity and infrastructure.
The survey noted the following:
- 69% of the respondents have major concerns regarding the access via Park Street, 21% suggest it could work.
- 73% are concerned about traffic.
- 75% of the respondents are concerned about the impact on the culture and heritage of Millthorpe.
- 66% consider views are a major concern, especially those entering Millthorpe.
- 77% have major concerns about the rural landscape aesthetic, 10% believe the development supports the current landscape.
- 64% suggest its too much development too soon (considering recent approvals,) 13 percent are keen on development in Millthorpe.
- 79% suggested that Blayney Council put in some controls on what can be developed.
Resident Mary-Liz Andrews' property will back onto the new development and has submitted her own nine page document that goes well beyond her own private concerns.
"The development is inconsistent with the existing historic layout of the village and the developers should seek to improve rather than exacerbate the poor planning that has led to the current lack of connectivity within the village," she said.
"Millthorpe's street layout to the north of Victoria Street has developed from a historic grid comprising just three east-west streets and three north-south cross streets, with the addition of Stabback and Unwin Streets as single-access no-through roads."
The isolated, unconnected nature of the development is a major concern for Ms Andrews, and a majority of the respondents.
"The layout and connections do not respond appropriately to the surrounding area nor contribute to connectivity between existing and proposed roads, landscape corridors, public spaces or walking and cycling paths," she said.
"Throughout the village zone, there are, in fact, eight dead-end streets of a total of just 23 streets."
Resident Helen Russ said that the design's lack of connectivity would create an enclave on the northern edge of town.
"The proposal is unremarkable and functional. It has been designed without generosity, ingenuity and little care for those who will be its residents," she said.
"It does not offer amenity or lifestyle benefits, there is no design or environmental innovations.
"It does not fit with the ambience or character of Millthorpe. It does not offer anything that would entice or inspire.
"I would argue that it does not make Millthorpe better. It is not aligned with the spirit of Millthorpe."
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Send us your thoughts with a letter to the editor:
Mark Logan
Started working in newspapers in the 1990's in the darkroom of the Pastoral Times in Deniliquin before moving to Millthorpe in 2003. Soon after arriving I started as a photographer at the CWD. Now a journalist at the Blayney Chronicle.
Started working in newspapers in the 1990's in the darkroom of the Pastoral Times in Deniliquin before moving to Millthorpe in 2003. Soon after arriving I started as a photographer at the CWD. Now a journalist at the Blayney Chronicle.
