Decision details

Minute by the Lord Mayor

To Council:

Kings Cross has played an important role in our city’s history and is one of the most diverse and densely populated areas in Australia.

In August 2018, Council resolved for the Chief Executive Officer to develop a package of public domain works in response to community feedback regarding the City East precinct.  Macleay Street, Potts Point is identified in the City’s Liveable Green Network Strategy and Master Plan and was identified for an upgrade.

The Macleay Street Streetscape Improvement project includes new streetscape design, concrete unit paving, landscaping and low-level planting, new trees, removal of inefficient lighting and replacement with Smartpoles and LED lighting, bubblers, bike racks, seating, continuous footpath treatments at several intersections and a raised intersection at Greenknowe Avenue.

The project was endorsed by Council in June 2020 and commenced in October 2020.

This work will make a significant difference to the amenity of the area and support many small businesses, and I would like to see this benefit extended further by continuing the project to McDonald Street, which is the natural end of this high street.

The work in this area would involve an upgrade of the streetscape palette to match the treatments already underway for the Macleay Street Streetscape Improvement project. This will include concrete unit paving, landscaping and low-level planting, Smartpoles and LED lighting, bubblers, bike racks, seating and pedestrian safety improvements, with the installation of a continuous footpath treatment across McDonald Street. The work would not remove any parking or have impacts to traffic signals.

I asked City staff to consider this proposal and to provide information on the cost and timeframe for the additional work. Staff have informed me that the work is achievable and could be accommodated from within this year’s budget and next year’s draft budget for the Liveable Green Network (LGN) and Traffic Safety Works capital programs. This section of Macleay Street is part of the City’s Liveable Green Network and forms part of a network of improved footways across the Local Government Area. The continuous footpath treatment at McDonald Street will be funded from the Traffic Safety Works program.

This project will replace the Eve and Coulson Streets, Erskineville continuous footpath treatment project. This project has been deferred due to the MacDonald Street, Erskineville upgrade and impacts to this project’s delivery timeframe and impacts to the community. The Eve and Coulson Streets continuous footpath treatment will be built at the completion of the MacDonald Street, Erskineville works.

The estimate for the work is $1.3 million and it will take approximately 14 to 16 weeks.

The advantage of doing these works is that there is a contractor already established at Macleay Street and there would be overall savings in doing these works now rather than in isolation in a future year’s program.

I have spoken with local community members who have been very supportive of such an extension of the current works.

COUNCILLOR CLOVER MOORE

Lord Mayor

Moved by the Chair (the Lord Mayor), seconded by Councillor Scully –

It is resolved that –

(A)        Council note that the existing Macleay Street Streetscape Improvements project and proposed additional work in Macleay Street are supported by the community;

(B)        authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer to proceed with the proposed upgrade of Macleay Street from Challis Avenue to McDonald Street, in accordance with the City’s standard materials palette, with no requirement to resubmit a scoping report;

(C)       Council note the estimated expenditure of $1.3 million for the upgrade of the streetscape palette to match the treatments already underway for the Macleay Street Streetscape Improvement project. This will include concrete unit paving, landscaping and low-level planting, Smartpoles and LED lighting, bubblers, bike racks, seating and pedestrian safety improvements with the installation of a continuous footpath treatment across McDonald Street;

(D)       Council approve the transfer of $0.5 million from the 2020/21 Liveable Green Network capital budget and $0.3 million from the 2020/21 Miscellaneous Traffic Works capital budget and a further $0.5 million from the Liveable Green Network 2021/22 capital budget in order to fund the additional works; and

(E)        the Chief Executive Officer be requested to notify residents of the City’s plan to upgrade Macleay Street from Challis Avenue to McDonald Street in accordance with the City’s standard materials palette.

The Minute was carried on the following show of hands –

Ayes (8)          The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Chung, Kok, Miller, Phelps Scully, Thalis and Vithoulkas

Noes (2)          Councillors Forster and Scott.

Minute carried.

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