1. Executive summary

• 1 Conclusion
  • 1.1 Land Use and Retail Activity
  • 1.2 Urban Design and Character
  • 1.3 Parking
  • 1.4 Traffic Circulation
  • 1.5 Strengths and Weaknesses
• 2 Recommendations
• Table 8.1: Implementation Sequence and Costing (Summary)
• Table 8.2: Responsibility for Implementation
• Acknowledgments
• Disclaimer

This Study was commissioned in July 1992 by Blue Mountains City Council to examine all aspects of the Springwood. Town Centre, and provide guidelines for its future development.

Detailed studies have been conducted by the consultant team into existing land use, traffic circulation, parking, retail trade catchment area, future business prospects, visual qualities and urban design characteristics of the Centre. During these studies, workshops were held with local community representatives, and the consultants met with a range of interest groups. Over 320 shoppers were interviewed in the Centre.

A Steering Committee comprising elected members of Council, the Springwood Chamber of Commerce, and other community representatives provided direction for the Study.

1 Conclusion

The main conclusions reached by the consultant team are summarised below.

1.1 Land Use and Retail Activity

• Springwood is the second largest commercial centre in the Blue Mountains with about 13,000 m2 retail and 6,000 m2 office floor space;
• Springwood's main role is as a service centre for the lower Blue Mountains, and has a primary catchment area with an estimated population in 1991 of 19,300 covering Springwood, Faulconbridge, Winmalee and Yellow Rock. The secondary catchment includes residents from Wentworth Falls, Blaxland and Katoomba (Figure 3.5 refers);
• The main retail core extends along Macquarie Rd between Raymond Rd and the railway station;
• A zone of mixed land uses extends along both ends of Macquarie Rd and Ferguson Rd beyond the retail core.
• The Centre has about 200 separate business, community, and government establishments. Retail outlets account for about 55% of this total. There are about 134 separate dwelling units in the study area.
• Retail outlets do not form a continuous strip along Macquarie Rd, and area separated by banks, real estate agencies, open space and other land uses.
• The majority of retail outlets fall into food and household categories. Clothing stores only account for about one third of total retail outlets.
• Most retail outlets are local enterprises, with few of the larger retail chains represented in the Centre.
• Springwood has a wide range and depth of personal services, especially banks, real estate agents, medical services and hair dressers.
• Vacancy rates were calculated at about 9% of total commercial space, but the majority of vacant space was located away from prime retail areas.
• Significant amounts of land in strategic locations are held in public ownership, with Council either owning or managing several sites with commercial redevelopment potential (eg. Post Office carpark; Springwood Ave carpark).
• The shopper survey confirmed the local role of Springwood as a Town Centre meeting weekly food needs and personal services. The majority of people using the Centre make frequent visits each week.
• About 85% of shoppers lived within a 10km radius of the Centre. Only about 10% of users lived outside the Blue Mountains. Springwood does not attract a high percentage of visitors to the mountains, and is not very well geared to attract visitors.
• The main improvements need to the Centre, as suggested by shoppers, included - more parking, better toilets, and a better range of retail services.
• Springwood acts as a Meeting place and social focus but this role could be strengthened by better child care facilities, as well as services and entertainment for youth and aged groups.
• The catchment's population has higher than state/metropolitan averages for children and young families, but about average proportions of persons aged 65+. The catchment has a medium to high socio-economic•character. Household income levels are on a par with Western Sydney and State averages.
• Population projections for the primary catchment show about 25,000 to the year 2006. Total catchment population is projected to be about 63000 by year 2006.
• Escape expenditure from the primary catchment is estimated to be about 40% of total household expenditure. This trade is lost to other centres, including the metropolitan area.
• Based on a detailed set of assumptions, including medium range population estimates, future retail floorspace projections show room for approximately 8,500m2 of extra retail space and about 1500m2 office space in the Centre by the year 2006.

1.2 Urban Design and Character

Despite its location adjacent to a busy tourist highway, there is a strong "village" -character associated with Springwood Town Centre, This atmosphere is reinforced by the role of the Centre as serving local needs (c.f. Penrith), the scale of the built form, the amount of total commercial floorspace and the mix of community facilities and open space in the centre. Concentration of pedestrian activity along Macquarie Rd as the main business/community thoroughfare reinforces this village atmosphere.

In urban design terms, the Centre offers a number of design opportunities including:

• maintain and enhance views of surrounding bushland;
• strengthening of gateways approaches;
• creation of new pedestrian spaces along Macquarie Rd;
• improvements to built ficade,s, including the retention of several buildings with heritage significance;
• removal of advertising signage above street canopy facades;
• introduction of street trees;
• use of paving and street furniture to create more attractive pedestrian spaces.
• retention of a two storey height limit to provide opportunity for new commercial development but reinforce the existing "village" atmosphere and sense of visual containment.

A full pedestrian mall along Macquarie Rd was considered by the study team but not recommended. Alternative pedestrian solutions are proposed (see below).

1.3 Parking

There is an adequate total parking supply, but an imbalance between short and long stay spaces, as well as difficult access to Macquarie Road because of steep topography.

The recommended traffic management strategy would have the effect of minor reduction in existing public parking spaces along Macquarie Rd and the proposed new link road between. Springwood Ave and Macquarie Rd, but an overall net increase of public surface parking adjacent to the town centre through creation of new spaces, and better use of existing spaces.

Development of major new commercial sites in the Centre would be accompanied by new parking structures that would replace lost spaces, cater for new demand, and generally improve parking accessibility to existing commercial uses.

1.4 Traffic Circulation

Existing traffic circulation within the Centre could be substantially improved to benefit businesses, pedestrians and driver convenience.

The recommended strategy (see below) involves creation of a ring road, roundabouts and small sections of street narrowing. These improvements have also been based on the need for a practical and low cost implementation strategy, and are considered sufficient to accommodate traffic growth associated with possible increase in commercial floorspace over the next decade or more.

1.5 Strengths and Weaknesses

The main existing strengths of the Centre are:

• good regional and local access to the lower mountains, via public transport and Great Western Highway by-pass;
• friendly village atmosphere;
• wide range of professional and community services as well as retailing;
• relatively dompact and level retail core- along Macquarie Road;
• scope for further development of the Centre; and
• Council ownership of strategic land parcels suitable for - commercial development (north and south of Macquarie Rd).

The main existing weaknesses and threats facing the Centre include:

• growth of Penrith and other retail centres in the local catchment (e.g. Winmalee and Blaxland);-
• steep topography on either side of the main shopping street;
• lack of signage and promotion on the Great Western Highway; and
• difficulties associated with traffic circulation through and within the Centre;

A strategy for the Centre should seek to build on these strengths and remove (where possible) the weaknesses and threats facing Springwood.

It should be noted here however, that a successful implementation of the strategy will require a number of essential ingredients including:

• concerted and coordinated effort by all sections of the community working together;
• a long term commitment based on an agreed set of plans and priorities some of which will be plans relating to physical facilities, others relating to general objectives for economic development, diversity of interests and social/cultural development of the city;
• joint responsibility by all sections of the community for implementation of a strategy; and
• an economically viable strategy.

2 Recommendations

The report has made numerous recommendations for Springwood, covering physical improvements. The responsibility for implementing these recommendations, as well as the staging, cost and sources of funding are also detailed in the report. Chapter 8 refers

• 2.1 It is recommended that Council to adopt the set of aims and objectives for a Springwood Town Centre Strategy as outlined in Chapter 8.1.
• 2.2 It is recommended Council and the community adopt the following "vision" for the Town Centre which helps define its existing and future role:
  • a small but viable retail, commercial and community centre, serving the immediate needs of the lower Blue Mountains;
  • reinforce and maintain a friendly village atmosphere;
  • an emphasis on convenient, comfortable and attractive pedestrian facilities;
  • scope for limited growth of commercial/retail facilities in line with expansion of the catchment area; and
  • a focus for a wide range of community facilities, and village activities that strengthen the role of the Centre as a "meeting place".
• 2.3 It is recommended that Council adopt the following improvements to the Centre (Figure 8.1 refers):
  1. creation of a central pedestrian plaza in Macquarie Road, linking the Fraser Memorial Church to Telecom Park. This would be achieved by widening both sides of the footpath in this area, and introducing new paving, seating, shade trees, bicycle stand and litter bins;
  2. extending and upgrading Telecom Park by the removal of driveways to Macquarie Road, provision of new landscaping, seating and fountain;
  3. improved pedestrian access frOin Greenway Lane to MaCquarie Road through Telecom Park;
  4. improving pedestrian safety and amenity near railway square by widening the footpath, construction of new paving, relocation of the taxi rank and improved bus/taxi shelters, creation of a formal set down-pick up zone, and installation of bicycle storage. Associated with this area is the upgrading of landscaping, street furniture and access to Manners Park;
  5. new paving, and coordinated street furniture on both sides of Macquarie Road between the Library and the railway underpass;
  6. creation of a "ring road" to distribute traffic around the main retail core. . This involves upgrading of Greenway Lane, and creation of a road through the car park linking Springwood Avenue to Macquarie Road;
  7. construction of roundabouts at Macquarie Road/Raymond Road, and Macquarie Road/Fairy Dell Road/Greenway Lane;
  8. redress imbalance between short and long stay parking by provision of more short stay spaces in public parking areas adjacent to Macquarie Rd;
  9. improved . parking in Greenway Lane and Springwood Ave parking areas by road construction, resealing, linemarking, shade trees, and lighting. These actions will offset parking spaces lost as a result of townscape improvements and traffic management along Macquarie Road;
  10. amendment to Council's Off Street Parking Code;
  11. introduction of various traffic calming measures along Macquarie Road to slow traffic and enhance pedestrian safety;
  12. any future large scale commercial development in the Centre should be focused on either or both the public parking areas either side of Macquarie Rd, known respectively as the Post Office and Springwood Ave carparks. Development of these sites would maintain the concentration of activity in the hub of Macquarie Rd, and would be serviced by the recommended "ring road" (see above).
  13. In view of Council's land ownership, it is recommended that consideration be given to calling expressions of interest on one or both sites as market conditions improve.
  14. development conditions for these two development sites should include:
      • maximum retail and office floor space requirements as per floor space projection presented in this report;
      • creation of active retail frontage (where possible) along Macquarie Road;
      • building design to include continuous pedestrian canopy along Macquarie Road;
      • replacement of all existing public parking, as well as new parking generated by the development, to be provided on-site as a condition of approval;
      • community facilities to be relocated (where displaced) or incorporated into new development in a manner which meets the specific user requirements of these activities;
      • public toilets to be included in the new development;
  15. Council should not proceed with construction of a stand alone carparking structure. Any structure should be built as a condition of development in association with new commercial development on either or both of the sites mentioned above. The most likely sites for this to happen would be the Post Office carpark and/or Council's carpark between Springwood Avenue and Macquarie Road;
  16. new street landscaping to Springwood Avenue, and main gateway approaches along Macquarie Road;
  17.  improvements to gateways at either end of Macquarie Road that will "announce" arrival at the Centre and help create a more intimate, consolidated village atmosphere. Springwood sign at traffic lights on Great Western Highway at western end of centre for travellers moving west;
  18. encourage medium density housing and mixed commercial/residential zones near the Centre;
  19. a retailed hierarchy is required for the entire Blue Mountains to provide a framework for logical policy decisions about the size and role of each Centre;
  20. Council should recognise the importance of Springwood as the main commercial centre for the lower Blue Mountains; and
  21. establishment a Springwood Precinct Committee as an ongoing mechanism for coordination and management of improvements to Springwood.
• 2.4 It is recommended that Council adopt the staging and indicative costs associated with the strategy for Springwood as summarised in Table 8.1 as a basis for consideration but note that these costs are subject to detailed engineering and design studies for each improvement.
• 2.5 Responsibility for implementation of the. Town Centre Strategy rests with a number of stakeholders including Council, traders, landowners, Chamber of Commerce, residents and the proposed Precinct Committee (Table 8.2 refers). However, in view of its position, it is recommended that Council takes an active, initiation and consultative role in adopting and implementing a strategy for Springwood Town Centre.
• 2.6 Finally, it is recommended that Council note the main findings and recommendations of this study, and place the report on public exhibition for a minimum period of one month for further public consultation, commencing mid January 1993, after which a firm strategy for the Centre should be adopted as the basis fo subsequent implementation.

Table 8.1: Implementation Sequence and Costing (Summary)

See: Table 8.1: Implementation sequence and costing (summary)

Table 8.2: Responsibility for Implementation

See: Table 8.2: Responsibility for implementation

Acknowledgments

This report has been prepared by the consultant team with assistance from the Springwood Steering Committee, as well as Council staff including John Price and Catherine Gillespie.

We would also like to thank the local residents and business community of Springwood and surrounding areas who participated in public workshops, and gave freely to their time and ideas as a contribution to this report.

The project team included Robert Purdon, Brenton Dickins, Judy Watkinson and Marion Dickenson from Purdon Associates; Fred Gennaoui and Robert Kenderes from TEC.

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Blue Mountains City Council or the Steering Committee.

Purdon Associates
Transport Environment Consultants
July 1993

Disclaimer

Any representation, statement, opinion or advice expressed or implied on this publication is made in good faith but on the basis that Purdon Associates, its agents and employees are not liable to any person for any damage or loss whatsoever which has occurred or may occur in relation to that person taking or not taking (as the case may be) action in respect of any representation, statement, or advice referred to above.