DEVELOPMENT of the $6.5 million Korumburra Community Hub could lead to changes in traffic flow and parking in Little Commercial Street.
The long-awaited hub is to be built on the former kindergarten site at 15 Little Commercial Street, Korumburra and will include a 24-hour library service, multipurpose space for various community organisations, and provide a home for Milpara Community House, Korumburra Senior Citizens, Korumburra and District Historical Society, and the Korumburra Rotary Club.
Details of plans to restrict traffic to one-way only at the South Gippsland Highway intersection and cut parking spaces are included in a planning permit application lodged with South Gippsland Shire Council by the shire council itself.
A consultant’s traffic report found the intersection, where the Little Commercial Street line joins the highway at the top of town, had several issues, “including narrowness of the laneway, illegal turn movements, [and] poor visibility of pedestrians on the footpath”.
The report found that of 396 parking spaces in the area and surrounding streets, there were typically 155 spaces available, based on occupancy rates.
The proposed changes would see the number of public parking spaces in Little Commercial Street and Boston Place cut by 29, down from 113 to 84.
“The loss of parking is required to provide public parking spaces compliant with the planning scheme and Australia Standards, DDA access to the community centre and site entry to the community centre that complements the architecture of the building,” the report said.
However, it said businesses would still have rear access via Little Commercial Street for deliveries and rubbish collection.
The report also noted many of the footpaths servicing the area around the hub site were “quite steep” and would not meet disability access requirements.
Council has advertised the planning permit application.
Not in an appropriate area for people with disabilities and the whole town doesn’t have enough parking for staff and store holders of the main street if now and if you take way their parking where do they park … not enough disability parking in our town on flat ground. This is rediculals to build on undulate land then have to remove dirt we need to keep our town original to the land scape.