Shortland Local Centre

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We have improved safety and accessibility in Shortland as well as enhanced the look and feel of the area to make it a better place to visit and shop for the community.

Our upgrade has:

  • Improved safety and accessibility for pedestrians with new kerb ramps and a new pedestrian refuge on Sandgate Road.
  • Reduced driver speeds and improved pedestrian safety with new speed cushions and the introduction of a 40km/hr zone.
  • Made Shortland a nicer place to shop and visit with new footpaths, landscaping and seating.

Features

  • A 40km/h zone and associated traffic calming devices to reduce speed and increase safety.
  • A new pedestrian refuge on Sandgate Road
  • New street trees.
  • New street furniture including seats.
  • New kerb, gutter and footpath.
  • Renewed road pavement.
  • A new community mural on the corner of the pharmacy building on Hansen Place to celebrate Shortland’s character developed in partnership with the local community and school groups.

Official Opening

Shortland Local Centre was officially opened by Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes on Thursday 18 August 2022. Business and community residents were in attendance along with students Alek Stankovski, Harry Fitz-Gibbon, Lily Westaway, and Meti Suba from Our Lady of Victories School.

Timed parking

During earlier consultation we heard concerns from the community about the availability of parking in the area and problems with waste collection. In response we asked the community for feedback on a range of options for additional timed parking restrictions in the area through an online survey which was open from Monday 18 October to Monday 8 November 2021.

The survey results have informed changes to parking restrictions which were implemented in conjunction with our planned upgrade of Shortland Local Centre. Changes included:

  • Relocation of disabled parking from Hansen Place onto Sandgate Road.
  • Additional 1 hour timed parking spaces at the eastern end of Hansen Place.
  • Additional 15 minute parking spaces on Sandgate Road.
  • A new waste collection zone on Sandgate Road.

For more details on the changes view the Timed Parking Zones Plan. The new parking layout was approved by the Newcastle City Traffic Committee on 27 April.

Project background

At the elected Council’s meeting of 27 November 2018 Councillors resolved to have a public domain plan prepared for Shortland Local Centre under the Local Centres Public Domain Infrastructure Renewal Program.

Improvements will include aspects of the public domain such as traffic and pedestrian safety, footpaths, lighting, trees and street furniture.

In April 2019 City of Newcastle officers met with the owners of businesses in Shortland to discuss their issues. We also reached out to the broader community for input to a community survey which was open from 15 June - 29 June 2020. To find out more about this consultation, visit our Have Your Say page.

The results of the community survey showed that traffic safety and crossing Sandgate Road safely is a major issue. In response to the community’s concerns we developed a Draft Shortland Public Domain and Traffic Plan which includes a 40km/hr High Pedestrian Activity Area (HPAA) on Sandgate Road between the 7-Eleven service station and the Hunter Valley Private Hospital.

The Draft Shortland Public Domain and Traffic Plan was on public exhibition from 22 February to 21 March 2021. We reviewed community submissions and the results have informed the finalisation of the PDP.

The final Public Domain Plan and a proposed Light Traffic Thoroughfare (LTT) were supported in principle by the Newcastle City Traffic Committee (NCTC) on 19 April 2021, and endorsed by the elected Council on 25 May 2021.

Parking was raised as a significant issue and we invited the community to have their say on options for timed parking via a community survey, which was open 18 October to 8 November 2021.

In August 2022, the completed Shortland Local Centre was officially opened by Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes.

For an understanding of the overall project process view the Shortland Local Centre Public Domain Planning Process Flow Chart (pdf).