The People's Junction - Workshop presentation, March 2012

Spit Junction Master Plan Community workshop # 1 Thursday 15 March 2012

Welcome and introductions

Project overview and policy context

Workshop purpose and outline

Activity 1 – Build a character statement

Technical presentation – Urban framework and planning principles

Activity 2 - Assess planning principles

Break

Activity 3 – Identify and prioritise project ideas

Next steps

Agenda

Preferred Project Research & Resource Building

Project Overview

Revitalising Spit Junction – key project identified in MOSPLAN

Grant received from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure to prepare Master Plan and Feasibility Study

Council appointed team: - JBA Planning - Choi Rophia Fighera - Straight Talk - Davis & Langdon - GTA

Invited stakeholders to become part of the Community Reference Group

(residents and land owners) – met twice already and will meet 2 more times across our engagement

The Master Plan will identify opportunities to revitalise Spit Junction, including sites that could be improved and how they should be redeveloped – both public and private land

Master Plan may lead to development of a new planning proposal to amend

zoning in LEP and the Development Control Plan

Mosman Civic Centre Design Concept and Site Feasibility Study will form a detailed component to the Master Plan. Identifying concepts for the future development of the site – with the improvement of the public/civic function a key priority.

Civic Centre Feasibility Study will also consider private development on the site to fund the improvements to the public/civic facilities.

Must be realistic about what can be achieved

What will the Master Plan do?

In 1997, a Steering Committee formed to look at ways to revitalise Neutral Bay shopping centre

In 2002, an Urban Design Study was completed

Urban Design Study Outcomes: - Improved public domain – eg. plaza, better furniture and public art - Introduced small bar concept to increase night life activity - Increased residential capacity and encouraged private investment

It does take time to deliver outcomes but within 10 years, Neutral Bay has

delivered a more vibrant shopping centre attractive and usable for residents and visitors

Local revitalisation projects – Neutral Bay

Local revitalisation underway – Neutral Bay

Outcomes Improved public

domain – eg. plaza, better furniture and

public art

Introduced small bar concept to increase night

life activity

Increased residential

capacity and encouraged

private investment

Spit Junction - Master Plan Area

Spit Junction - Master Plan Area View from 3D model

Workshop purpose and outline

Provide information about the master planning process

Invite input from local community about possible project ideas and initiatives

Get feedback on: - Draft urban framework that outlines constraints and opportunities affecting

change - Planning and urban design principles to guide potential change

Housekeeping and ground rules

Questions?

Spit Junction in 2030

It is 2030 and the Master Plan has been successfully implemented and Spit Junction is different to how it is today...

Write one or two words on post-it notes that describe Spit Junction in the future… NOT WHAT IS, BUT WHAT COULD BE

Introduce yourself to others at your table and share your words that

reflect what Spit Junction could be like

Urban Framework – 4 Guiding Themes

Four guiding and connected

themes for revitalisation: 1. CONNECTIONS

A Better Connected Community 2. PUBLIC SPACE

Better Places and Spaces 3. ACTIVITY

Reinvesting in Urban Life 4. COMMUNITY

Reinventing the Civic Heart

CONNECTIONS

A Better Connected Community

• Important arterial function

• Heavy traffic flow • Hostile local

street environment

• Military Road and Spit Road bisect into three segments

• Local Streets connect directly

• Laneways rear access and pedestrian connections

Connections ANALYSIS

Street Network

Public Transport

Connections ANALYSIS

• Strategic Regional bus services – Northern Beaches to CBD

• Local bus services

Military Road (east of Spit Road) - towards Mosman, Taronga Zoo, Balmoral, Mosman Wharf and Clifton Gardens Ourimbah Road - accessing the residential areas north of Military Road

• Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) proposal in 2012

Pedestrian Networks

Connections ANALYSIS

• Military Road/Spit Road traffic volumes and noise create poor pedestrian amenity

• Secondary

linkages such as laneways are valued and well used by pedestrians

Cycle Network

Connections ANALYSIS

• Mosman Council Bike Plan

• Bicycle parking

facilities are provided within the Council car parking facilities off Vista Street

• Unresolved

cycleway connection at Spit Junction

Laneways

Connections ANALYSIS

• Laneways provide rear access opportunities and additional pedestrian connections

• Mosman Business DCP 2012 (DRAFT) encourages the implementation of additional laneways

• Opportunity for outdoor seating/eating spaces off the major roads

• Valuable secondary connection network

A Better Connected Community PRINCIPLES

BETTER CONNECTIONS • Reinforce a connected

street network, which • Reinforces the role as

an Activity Hub • Integrate public

transport, traffic and public domain improvements

• Encourage walking and cycling & facilities

• Optimise through-site pedestrian connections, active frontages and awnings

• Improve pedestrian amenity

• Design streets for improved safety and better amenity

• Equitable access for all

A Better Connected Community KEY PROJECT

CONNECTED LANEWAYS • Establish a strong

secondary access network for Spit Junction

• Reinforce and improve the existing laneway network

• Facilitate new laneways, arcades, links & connections

• Improve public domain design and amenity of existing laneways and links – pavements, trees, landscape, activities

• Laneways to connect to and reinforce streets

• Encourage a mix of business, retail and residential uses to activate laneways

Successful laneways PRECEDENTS

Typical Melbourne laneway Albion Place, Sydney (off George Street)

Myagah Mews Lane, Spit Junction Evening economy opportunities

PUBLIC SPACE

Better Places and Spaces

Public Space ANALYSIS Open spaces & street trees

• Mosman Square and the Village Green – connected open spaces • Mosman Park (inc. Allan Border Oval) to the south-east • Reservoir Park and Boronia to the north of Military Road

Public Space ANALYSIS Public Space ANALYSIS Public places

• Cluster of civic activities: Library, Civic functions/Admin, Art gallery, public space • In close proximity but not integrated or well connected or visible

Public Space PRINCIPLES BETTER SPACES • Reinforce, improve and

activate existing public spaces

• Celebrate and encourage active use of public spaces

• Redefine and refocus Civic spaces: o Mosman Sq o Village Green o Mosman Park

• Establish a new public space at Clifford St / new bus stops / interchange

• Laneways as places and spaces (Myagah Mews)

• Improve Reservoir Park • Integrate Spit Junction as

public space - scramble pedestrian crossing

Public Space KEY PROJECT

HARMONISING THE JUNCTION • Improve pedestrian safety + amenity • Improve the design and usability of

the centre for the pedestrian • Design as two connected spaces:-

Spit Junction and Mosman Sq • Redesign Spit Junction with a

pedestrian focussed ‘scramble or scatter crossing’, which can: o Improve safety + calm traffic o Remove unnecessary railings

and barriers o Introduce new pedestrian

focused road markings o Give better priority to

pedestrian & cyclists • Implement broader public domain

improvements for the centre that can: o Integrate new bus stops o Connect laneways + arcades o Improve Military Road

Town Hall Sydney George & Park Streets

Shibuya, Tokyo

Oxford Circus Crossing, London

Scramble Crossings PRECEDENTS

‘EMPOWERING THE PEDESTRIAN’

ACTIVITY

Reinvesting in Urban Life

REINVESTING (IN URBAN LIFE)

REINVEST IS THE KEY WORD The renewal and transformation of urban areas requires reinvestment of energy, resources and capital from and across private, public and community sectors To reinvest in a particular project or initiative requires belief and commitment In Spit Junction ..... this translates to a belief and commitment to reinvesting in the growth, change and revitalisation of the local community ... from all sectors Reinvesting your time and resources in the future of the local community may well be the reason you are here at this workshop

Activity ANALYSIS Topography and Slope

Military Road and Spit Road intersect at a local high point

Building Footprint

Activity ANALYSIS

Highly built up, particularly on Military Road and Spit Road Building footprints clearly define the street network and local commercial character

Building Heights

Activity ANALYSIS

Majority of buildings are 1-2 storeys in height Taller buildings (up to 8 storeys) have been set back from the street

Views and Vistas

Activity ANALYSIS

Some views and vistas out from streets and buildings optimise the topographical height of the local area

Landuse

Activity ANALYSIS

Diverse mix of commercial, residential and community uses Spit Road and Military Road provide a clear commercial focus for active uses Quieter / residential uses are located adjacent

Activity hubs & landmarks

Activity ANALYSIS

Existing landmarks and activity hubs cluster around Spit Junction. They reinforce the centre’s commercial, retail and community activities

Activity PRINCIPLES

ACTIVITY HUB • Maintain a mix of land

uses that can facilitate revitalisation

• Encourage more residential, business and retail uses

• Establish landmark sites that can transform Spit Junction and re-establish it as an activity hub

• Locate highest buildings on key landmark sites

• Facilitate amalgamation /development of key sites

• Establish clear public benefit for increased development potential

• Development to respect frontage height, setbacks, public spaces links and active edges

Activity KEY PROJECT

1 2

3 4

Key sites

1. ‘Hordern Arcade’ 2. Landmark

building 3. Civic Centre 4. Spit Junction

South Contributory sites

also have a revitalisation role to play in the centre

Activity HORDERN ARCADE

Activity HORDERN ARCADE

FROM THIS

TO THIS

Activity LANDMARK OPPORTUNITY

Activity LANDMARK OPPORTUNITY

Activity LANDMARK BUILDING PRECEDENTS

COMMUNITY

Reinventing in the Civic Heart

Community THE CIVIC CENTRE

BUSY AND ACTIVE

..... quieter

Community THE CIVIC CENTRE

NEW CIVIC CENTRE • ‘Civic Heart’ of the community • A contemporary hub of

community life and cultural activity

• Key driver of the community’s growth and change

• Active and public uses to Military Rd/Mosman Square

• Residential character/quieter uses along The Crescent

• Improve connections to Mosman Park

• A new public outdoor space that extends and improves Mosman Square

• Public car parking facilities incorporated into basement

• New bicycle parking • High quality public domain

treatments

Community THE CIVIC CENTRE

NEW CIVIC CENTRE • ‘Civic Heart’ of the community • A contemporary hub of

community life and cultural activity

• Key driver of the community’s growth and change

• Active and public uses to Military Rd/Mosman Square

• Residential character/quieter uses along The Crescent

• Improve connections to Mosman Park

• A new public outdoor space that extends and improves Mosman Square

• Public car parking facilities incorporated into basement

• New bicycle parking • High quality public domain

treatments

CIVIC CENTRE - EMERGING CONCEPT PLAN BY CRF

Community PRECEDENTS

Contemporary hub of community life and

cultural activity

‘The Curve’, Leicester

Surry Hills Library

Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry

Pompidou Centre and Place Beauborg, Paris

Community PRECEDENTS

Iconic buildings have an important relationship to urban spaces

Customs House + Customs House Sq

Iconic New park edge residential

Community PRECEDENTS

SPIT JUNCTION MASTER PLAN TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED DESIGN SOLUTION

Assess planning principles

At each table… DISCUSS….

- In the context of opportunities and constraints affecting the Junction discuss whether the draft planning principles are appropriate

- Nominate a scribe to record key discussion points

Break

Report back

Summary of table discussions

Identify and prioritise project ideas

Write project ideas on post-it notes

Discuss all ideas

Use maps provided to clarify ideas for further consideration

As a group, choose 5 or 6 project ideas that would make the biggest difference

Report back

Summary of table discussions

Next steps

Assess feedback to refine urban framework and planning principles Draft master plan and concept designs for civic centre

Continue to work with the Reference Group

Business Breakfast workshop # 2 – mid 2012

Community workshop # 2 – mid 2012

Market Stall # 2 and # 3 – mid 2012

Thank you We thank you for your participation and you can follow our progress by: Visiting www.mosmanplanning.net/

Follow The People’s Junction on Twitter

Like us on Facebook – PeoplesJunction

Sign up to our urban planning newsletter