Trucking Ahead With Plans

THE design of the Scone bypass has thrown a spanner in the works for the town revitalisation plans and the redesign of the golf course, but Council say they will forge ahead to find the best solution for residents.

While the urban designers have said they will design the best solution for any criteria, a key factor to determine their design for the town centre is if it can be focused on pedestrians or needs to accommodate high numbers of heavy vehicles.

The current RMS design for the bypass would require all in town heavy vehicles to continue to use the main street, while Council are proposing an alternative approach which allows the trucks to go directly to the abattoir, saleyards and industrial area from the highway.

Mr Waid Crockett, general manager for Upper Hunter Shire Council, said the opportunity to get the infrastructure right was critical.

Incompatible: Trucks and pedestrian friendly environments

“We only get this kind of opportunity once, we have to get it right and we can’t cut corners,” said Mr Crockett.

“The whole intention is to make the Scone township and centre attractive and a place where people want to come, so that means looking to move some of the heavy traffic out of the township and is one of the key objectives of the revitalisation,” he said.

Waid said it was critical to have the town centre finished before the bypass.

“The reason behind that is so the town is ready to take advantage of visitors as soon as the bypass goes in, because if we aren’t ready, people won’t bother stopping,” he said.

“We need to make the town as attractive to visitors as possible before the bypass to develop a reputation as a great place to stop off on their journey.

“If they turn off the bypass and we haven’t revitalised the town centre, they won’t bother coming back,” he said.

“At the moment we are pushing ahead with the design development for the town centre without heavy vehicles as the ideal plan for everyone, including the truck drivers who could instead have a more direct route to where they want to go,” Waid Crockett said.

Diana Griffiths, urban designer from Studio GL, said the ideal solution for a thriving town centre is one with high pedestrian activity and limited heavy vehicle presence.

“For a high pedestrian area, you need an area that enables a safe environment for children and the elderly and trucks in terms of their scale and perception do not engender a sense of safety and comfort,” said Ms Griffiths.

“Narrower designs work to create a more pedestrian friendly space and narrower roads also slow traffic, creating a more relaxed environment, but those designs are not compatible with trucks which need wide turning circles and plenty of room,” she said.

“It’s not impossible, but the benefit of a bypass is that you can get those heavy vehicles out of the main street and create a much more relaxed atmosphere,” Diana Griffiths said.

GOLF COURSE

The bypass will be constructed through the existing golf course affecting holes 1, 4, 6, 7, 9 and the practice range, separating the Scone Sporties Clubhouse from the golf course.

Access to the course from the club house and car park will be under the bypass at Parsons Gully near the tee for the first hole.

Three designs from specialist golf course architects Shape On It were put forward, with one draft now on public display.

The design was developed in consultation with the Scone RSL Club which own the Scone Sporties, the Roads and Maritime Services and Council.

Waid Crockett said Council own property to the south of the course which can form part of a new golf course design.

“We will be doing what we can with that land to lease land to them, to assist in redeveloping the golf course and it will be part of the overall cost of the bypass,” Mr Crockett said.

“With the draft design we want to get the community’s ideas and find the best approach for the golf course,” he said.

Designs are currently on display at Council, with written comments invited by Friday, February 12.

A public information session will be held at 6pm, Wednesday, January 27 at Scone Sporties.