Harbour Trust Draft Master Plan for Middle Head – Summary of Key Areas of Concern
1. Not a Master Plan
The Draft Master Plan is NOT a Master Plan; rather, it is an architectural vision and more correctly described as a concept plan. The Draft Plan lacks essential details to enable informed assessments and does not meet the Trust’s own definition of a master plan.
2. Events
The Draft Master Plan proposes events attracting 2000 people lasting up to 3 days, yet there are no details. No study has been completed to identify what level of activity Middle Head can sustain. There may be major impacts on parking, car, bus and pedestrian movements on Middle Head and neighbourhood streets.
3. Traffic, Parking and Pedestrian Numbers
The Draft Master Plan lacks the analysis of people numbers, transportation and traffic impact necessary to provide informed comments. Removal of the roundabout, road widening of the heritage listed road, no provision for bus turnaround and new sports drop-off zones are all proposed without sufficient investigation as to the impact. Traffic impact on the Middle Head Road neighbourhood is also a major concern.
4. Relocation of Middle Head Oval change facilities, and consequent demolition of the Guardhouse and Middle Head Café
The Draft Master Plan proposes demolishing the change facilities and constructing a new pavilion in place of The Guardhouse. HPG does not support new buildings in the historic Middle Head precinct.
Re-orientation of Middle Head Oval, requiring extensive infrastructure changes and encroachment on the existing field, is also planned.
There needs to be more detail on these development plans and costs. Some information has been deliberately omitted. All this will is proposed in order to provide an arrival point and open up a view. It is unnecessary, inappropriate and wasteful. Simply upgrading existing change facilities would meet contemporary requirements.
The Guardhouse is now a café providing a much-valued life and amenity to the precinct. It does not seem appropriate to demolish a flourishing business paying rent to the Trust for relocating change rooms and toilets.
5. Demolition of Barracks Buildings 1,2 and 3 and relocation of Parade Ground
The Plan allows for demolishing all three Barracks and the Parade Ground (currently a carpark) moved to create landscaped space for events and indigenous rituals. The Barracks are Commonwealth Heritage Listed and are important for their relationship to other buildings making up the village. HPG advocates for the retention of at least one Barrack (nearest Middle Head Oval) to complete the story of the military village. It could be adaptively re-used for veterans’ use / accommodation for the Bondi to Manly 80 km long coastal walk.
6. Landscaping
HPG is concerned that the landscape will be urbanised with terracing, street guttering, concrete paths and children’s playgrounds, consequently diminishing the natural values of Middle Head.
Submissions
We encourage you to express your views on Middle Head development plans to the Trust. Unfortunately, the Trust will only accept submissions online by completing a survey and attaching notes or formal submission documents. Otherwise, mail your submission to Harbour Trust, PO Box 607, Mosman. NSW 2088
SUBMISSIONS CLOSE AT 5.00 PM TUESDAY 9 MAY 2023.
Any questions? Email us at: savemiddlehead@gmail.com