Council Street Cooks Hill renewal, consultation record

We consulted with our community on the renewal works for Council Street, Cooks Hill, through face to face education and discussion forums. The aim was to educate local residents on the drainage and traffic safety issues in the area.

A summary of our consultation for the concept design of Council Street renewal works included:

• On site in the Cooks Hill catchment area in March 2015. These discussions identified resident concerns including storm water, traffic and tree issues in the area that were used to inform the concept workshop preparation.
• Two community workshops were conducted with the residents at the YWCA (corner of Council and Dawson Streets);
  • Community Workshop 1 was held on 27 June 2015 to inform the residents of the need to undertake the work and to obtain additional community input to inform the concept design.
  • Community Workshop 2 was held on 28 November 2015 to present two design options to the community. An informal vote & design option evaluation form completed by meeting participants identified Option 1 as the preferred option.
  • Council Officers also met a number of residents that were unable to attend the second community workshop to explain the two design options face to face and receive their feedback.
  • Council resolved on the 26 April 2016 to place Option 1 and 2 concept plan designs for Council Street on Public Exhibition for four weeks (30 April 2016 to the 27 May 2016). The Public Exhibition for Council Street renewal was advertised on our website, in libraries and in our customer information centre in our central administration office. Council Street residents and property owners, Cooks Hill Community Group, Darby Street Traders and Newcastle Now were also notified of the Public Exhibition.

At the Council meeting on 26 July 2016, Council resolved to endorse Option 1 as the preferred concept design option, based on the submissions received from our community, changing Council Street to one way, west bound (see links below).

This concept plan progressed to detailed design:
 

•   Council Street plan (pdf)
•   Council Street cross-section (pdf)

During detailed design, the concept plan changed slightly to accommodate the various utilities in the area, and to account for the engineering complexity of the streetscape (both above and below ground). Elements of the design needed to be adjusted in order to ensure the stormwater drained efficiently.
 

• A community information session was held on 26 September 2017 to inform residents of the tree species that were to be offered to residents, as well as discuss project timeframes and provide a status update
• A community information session was held on 16 January 2018 to inform local residents of the new design for Council Street, as well as talk about the variety of projects that are planned for Cooks Hill
• Council Officers also met with local residents face to face in January 2018 to discuss the new designs for Council Street.