Kelly Street Revitalisation Progress

THE work to revitalise on Kelly Street and attract more visitors once the bypass is open will not occur until Roads and Maritime Services has reclassified the road and handed responsibility for the road back to the Upper Hunter Shire Council, which may take six to 12 months. (Read: Who Got Whose Hopes Up?)

The final concept plan for the main street is awaiting input from the technical assessment of the road by the RMS and once on display the community is strongly encouraged to contribute their ideas.

Cr James Burns, chairman on the Scone Revitalisation committee, said while there is a committee and several sub-committees for the project, people are welcome to attend the meetings to contribute and all feedback on the concept plan is encouraged.

Prue Robertson, owner of Potter Macqueen and committee member gave an impassioned statement to others at the meeting to be part of planning Kelly Street. 

“The concept design is at its early stages and everyone has to engage – the participation is pretty poor and when this concept design comes up for community presentation that’s when you’ve got to stand up and say what you want to say,” said Ms Robertson.

“We are a long way from the final plan…the construction drawing comes quite a bit after, but we all have to be more proactive,” Prue Robertson said.

Cr Burns said Ms Robertson and members of the committee which reviewed horticulture had been performing an outstanding job.

“When the RMS brought plantings for the bypass, they literally ripped it apart…they gave the RMS a plan and the RMS was good enough to take it up,” said Cr Burns. 

“It’s local people, with local knowledge, working on a local problem,” Cr James Burns said.

Cr Burns said there was also a group working on a Horse Walk of Fame, including Bill Howie, Jill Macintyre, Peter Hayden and Dordie Bragg.

Progress so far and concept features:

• The first 60 page Town Centre Masterplan, produced by the previous Council was reviewed;
• In 2017 the branding was ratified, including community consultation and a retro art deco style was decided;
• Committee members have travelled to various towns to look at various ideas;
• The Mara Group will develop the concept plan and lead community consultation
• RHM Consulting Engineers, a locally based business, has been appointed and will be assessing the paving and drainage work;
• The current design has more parking spaces, additional spaces are being considered in Farram’s Lane and parking for long vehicles such as travellers and horse floats is being examined. There will be 45 degree parking spaces with discussions still ongoing if they will be nose to curb or rear to curb;
• Lighting, CCTV, public art and provision for other services, such as power for electric cars are being considered;
• Public toilets are being planned at 133 Kelly Street with connectivity to Farram’s Lane and possibly Campbell’s Corner;
• The traffic lights may be replaced by a round-about with pros and cons being described as 50-50;
• Stormwater reuse has not been included in the plans to date, but Council have said they will examine how stormwater may be used to water parks and plants;
• Recreational Vehicle facilities are being planned, and
• Signage is being developed for the entrance to the town and Council has begun the process to legally acquire the title of Horse Capital of Australia for inclusion on the signs.

Approach to Works

The process for how Kelly Street will be revitalised will be a matter of consultation with current businesses.

Alan Fletcher, manager for special projects with the Upper Hunter Shire Council, said the process for how Kelly Street will be revitalised will be a matter of consultation with current business owners.

‘We haven’t set anything firmly about the way we are going to do it, we want to talk to people who own the shops,” said Mr Fletcher.

“There is a possibility of a staged approach, or like Wodonga, which closed the whole lots and did the whole lot in a year, which was a pretty radical way to do it,” he said.

“Another way of doing might be one side of the street at one stage and doing six stages and have minimal impact, but a longer term project,” he said.

Steve McDonald, general manager for Upper Hunter Shire Council said he could speak from his experience in Muswellbrook.

“There was a bit of pain when we started, but we ensured every shop keeper was consulted and there was access to their shops,” said Mr McDonald.

“In Muswellbrook every shop had access all the time, we did pours in the middle of the night and there were duck walks over the footpath, including pram access and wheelchair access,” Mr McDonald said.

Attracting People After The Bypass

Steve Guihot from the Scone Chamber of Commerce said they were open to all ideas to help attract visitors to the town after the bypass.

“Bulahdelah has not done better since the bypass, it is booming,” said Mr Guihot.

Mr Guihot asked if anyone had experiences with towns with bypasses and one person said some businesses in Branxton had also faired better, “businesses that haven’t embraced it they have suffered, but everyone else has done well.”

The Chamber is considering ideas such as billboards, a reclaim Kelly Street long lunch and encouraged community members to come to the with ideas or to be part of a working group.